He doesn’t corner me like he used to, but he’s spending more time with Kim. His ‘Morning, Reed’ has morphed into conversations, and I don’t know how to scream that he’s manipulating her without sounding crazy.
He knows all the buttons to push and all the things to say to sound proper, and loveable even.
Kim believes him just like Aunt and Uncle did.
No one knows him the way I do. No one saw the void behind his eyes or has heard his low threats.
If I scream bloody murder, I’ll just appear insane.
I wish Aiden and I could go back to the stage where glares had been our only language. When I battled with how long I could keep eye contact before forfeiting.
Who am I kidding?
We can never go back to that stage after what Aiden has done to me.
After he touched me.
Invaded me.
Tasted me.
I’ve been having fragmented dreams about his hands, his face, and his scent. God. His scent would never leave my memories.
And his lips.
I dream about them doing depraved things to me.
If my subconscious thinks about it, what does that make me?
As if Aiden’s drama isn’t enough, Xander has been hunting me after every class about ‘his offer’. I shot him down every time, refusing to even hear it.
Xander is Aiden’s best friend. If they think I’m naive enough to fall for their games, then they have another thing coming.
I blow a long breath as I trudge through the school’s hallway during lunch break. I don’t usually hide from the bullying in the main entrance, but today is just a wrong day.
It started with a nightmare about blood, black eyes, and drowning in murky water. The seven year-old version of me has been screaming ‘Da!’ over and over again.
Seeing myself in that nightmare has been surreal. I’ve forgotten about how I looked; a dirty, blonde monster ball.
Since I moved to London with Aunt and Uncle, I didn’t have one single memory of my life with my parents in Birmingham.
No photo albums.
No mind images.
No… nothing.
Everything was burnt with the house. The only reason I survived that day was because I wasn’t inside.
Nightmares are the only episodes that tie me to that dark past. I thought I was slowly escaping them, but today proved me wrong.
Maybe I should go back to Dr Khan. He was able to stop the nightmares a long time ago.
I’ll leave Dr Khan as a last resort to not worry Aunt and Uncle.
I retrieve my phone from my pocket to text Kim. Instead, I find the two texts Aiden sent at six in the freaking morning.
Aiden: I dreamt about pounding your tight pussy until you screamed my name. I’m kind of contemplating slipping into your room and fucking you like in the dream.
Aiden: Oh, and morning, sweetheart.
Damn the bastard. I’m starting to get used to his texts. Hell, I’m starting to look forward to them, wondering what kind of depravity he’ll send this time.
And I might’ve spent a few minutes watching from my room’s window, expecting him to barge inside like the devil.
What? I can’t put anything past Aiden King.
He didn’t show up.
Not only that, but in school, he pretends as if those texts never happened. When I passed him by this morning while he was listening to Ronan’s animated speech, he barely spared me a glance.
Why does he get to be all unaffected when I’m boiling from the inside out?
I shake my head and text Kim. She took the lunch break to pick up Kirian.
Elsa: Are you done?
Kimberly: Mum isn’t available so I’m driving Kir home. I’ll be there in a few. Xo.
Elsa: Kiss his adorable cheeks for me.
Kim sends a selfie while she gives Kirian an open-mouthed kiss while he tries to shove her away.
I smile, zooming in to watch his innocent, boyish features.
I have information that’ll keep Kimberly gravitating towards me and away from you.
Aiden’s words stab me in the stomach and bring a taste of nausea to the back of my throat.
It’s working. His threat is working.
My plan to lure, wait, then attack hasn’t even taken off since he didn’t take the damn bait.
I was so stupid to believe someone like Aiden would take the bait. He’s the one who got me hook, line, and sinker.
All I keep thinking about are his threats and what he’s capable of.
A presence looms behind me.
I startle, coming to a screeching halt. My phone falls, but Xander catches it.
Whoa. Nice reflexes.
He glances at my phone, face closing for a second too long, before he hands it back with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Got you, Frozen.”
The golden shade of Xander’s blonde hair is impossible to have even with chemicals. It’s so bright and shiny. Add his cobalt blue eyes and he’s the epitome cliché of a golden boy. Unlike Aiden, I haven’t noticed him manipulating people, but then again, what do I know about Xander Knight except that he actively makes Kim’s life hell?
He’s wearing his uniform with meticulous care. Even the cuffs of his shirt are rolled over the jacket neatly as if someone dresses him up. Which wouldn’t be surprising considering that he’s a minister’s son.
He leans against the wall, subtly blocking my way. “Why are you running away from me?”
“Why are you chasing me?” I shoot back.
“I told you. I have an offer for you.”
“Not interested.” I sidestep him and walk on my way.
“The bullying will stop,” he calls from behind me ever so casually.
I halt and slowly turn around. Xander is smirking as if knowing he got me.
I lift my chin. “How do you intend to do that?”
“I’m a star on the football team. If anyone sees you with me, it’ll be enough to stop it all.”
I finger the straps of my backpack. He’s right about that.
Just like Aiden stopped all the bullying for Kim by holding her, he can stop it for me, too, but only at the cost of ‘being his’.
I’m not naive to think that Xander is giving me the golden ticket without consequences.
The higher the offer, the higher the cost.
“What do I have to do in return?”
His gaze slides over me from head to toe.
I fold my arms over my chest. “In your damn dreams.”
He laughs, the sound long and genuine. “Sorry, love. You’re pretty but you’re not my type. I’d rather not be frozen to death.”
So he’s not after sex. Well, well.
My interest peaks and I face him fully. “Then what do you want from me?”
“Be my pretend girlfriend.”
My jaw almost drops to the floor. “What?”
“You know, not a real girlfriend, just a pretence in front of everyone.”
“I know what a pretend girlfriend means. I’m asking why you want me to act like yours.”
“It’ll stop the bullying.” He grins. “Isn’t that what you want?”
I narrow my eyes. “What’s in it for you?”
“Why do you care? You get to spend your senior year in peace.”
“You seriously expect me to just give in without knowing what I’ll lose?”
He holds a hand to his heart. “I promise that you’ll lose nothing.”