Clique Bait - Ann Valett Page 0,58

out of sight altogether.

“He was saying disgusting things about you, Chlo, in front of everyone. And on top of all this lacrosse bullshit . . . I snapped. And no, I don’t regret it,” he said, supporting his weight on a desk once I’d shut the door behind us.

“And whatever he said was probably designed to get to you,” I said, still pissed at him for falling prey to whatever Francis had used as bait. “You do realize that you could be suspended for this when someone tells a teacher. And Level One are undoubtedly going to shun you.”

“Is being with them all that matters to you?” he asked, his hand running over his jaw.

“You know it’s not like that,” I said.

“What’s it like, then?”

“Monica is all that matters to me,” I said firmly. I crossed my arms over my chest and let out a breath, trying to calm myself. “I had no idea you were the kind of guy to throw punches.”

William laughed darkly. “I’m not.”

“Then what was that?”

William looked down, his hair falling over his forehead as he ran a finger over his reddened knuckles. “I’ve been saving that punch for a while. Let’s just say it was overdue.”

I paced the short space in front of him, half worried that if I strayed too far away then he’d run back out there and finish what he’d started. His tense posture and wild eyes told me that attacking Francis was still on his mind.

Finally, I rolled my eyes, realizing that reprimanding him was silly. “Well, I won’t say he didn’t deserve it.”

A half smile rose to his lips, and he looked up at me, the eyes that had been so filled with hate softening slightly. “So now you agree with me.”

“No,” I said. “Violence is never the answer. And to be honest, seeing you hit him was kind of scary.”

“Still don’t feel bad about it,” he said. His cheek was swelling now, turning into a bruise. There was a shallow gash along his cheekbone.

“You know you probably won’t get back onto that team,” I said softly. That punch symbolized a lot more than his hatred for Francis. It was senior year, and this would definitely be going on his record.

“Francis wouldn’t have let me back on it anyway,” he said. Then he sighed. “He’s pissed off because his girlfriend will never love him and that damages his ego.”

I took a seat on the desk beside him, finally granted an opening. “Is it true you’re still seeing her?”

William gave me a disgusted look. “What? No, why would you think that?”

His tone was enough to make me believe him, and it brought a relieving reassurance to my troubling suspicions. “I heard she’s sneaking out. Maybe to see you.”

He shook his head, a glint in his eye. “I don’t know what she’s doing, but it’s not to see me.”

I rolled my eyes, almost wanting to slap him for making a joke of it.

“Your cheek is starting to bleed.”

William lifted a finger to the wound on his cheekbone. “Oh, shit.”

I stood up and walked toward the teacher’s desk at the front of the room, grabbing a box of tissues and taking a handful. Gently, I pressed a folded tissue against his cheek, careful not to apply too much pressure. William didn’t wince or pull away in discomfort. Instead, he sat still, his eyes watching me as I tried my best to stop the bleeding. “I kind of expected you to be more of a germaphobe.”

I scoffed. “You clearly don’t know me very well.”

“Hey, you’re unpredictable.”

“I’ll take that as a good thing,” I said. I needed to be unpredictable. I couldn’t have people seeing through me.

“I’m lucky I get the real you, at least,” he went on. “Not the one who’s pretending to be someone she’s not.”

I raised an eyebrow. His face was so close to mine.

“Maybe I’m pretending right now,” I murmured.

“I don’t think so,” he said. We were quiet for a moment, and then he spoke again. “How did someone like you get caught up with someone like Monica?”

I gave a small smile. “We just fit.”

I didn’t realize that I’d stopped dabbing at his cheek. William’s hand wrapped around my forearm, lowering it from where it had been hovering in front of his face.

“You’re a very complicated girl, Chloe Whittaker,” he said fondly. Too fondly. He was still holding my arm so gently that it almost made my chest split in two. All I could think about were his lips on mine,