Devils' Day Party: A High School Bully Romance - C.M. Stunich Page 0,108

a much worse way than I did, but for now, everything is quiet. I pretend not to know how this conversation is going. “Of us,” Calix adds. “I don't know who took it, but it's everywhere online.”

I'm pretty sure he expects something out of me, some iota of surprise. Instead, I just turn my face toward his and smile wryly.

“Why am I not surprised about that?” I ask, trying to remember why I was so upset about it on day one. After living through seventeen time loops, I'd just be happy to see tomorrow, whatever it might bring.

Calix narrows his eyes to slits, looking at me like he's certain this is a Devils' Day trick. There's a darkness in his expression that I'm not sure I've ever seen before. It's as if, even in the sun, with that black makeup running down his cheeks, hair mussed, mask lifted, he's still the dark king.

“I knew it was you,” he whispers, and my eyes widen slightly. “You posted that shit. Why? Are you as much a stalker as Erina?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I ask, but Calix is already reaching over to grab my shoulder, his fingers gripping tightly, bruising me. “I didn't upload anything.”

“If you wanted to talk to me, you might've just done it, instead of hitting my car … or ruining my life.” He pushes me off the bridge even as I protest, and then just sits there staring down at me like a goddamn devil as I rise to the surface, my teeth chattering as I swim to the shore. I'm certain—certain—that he's going to drive off and leave me here, but to my surprise, he stays.

When I stomp up to the Aston Martin, dripping wet and shaking, Calix tosses me a towel, some oversized sweatpants, and a hoodie that smells like him—like some unsweet dark-blooming flower—and smirks at me. When he looks at me like that, it's really hard to hate him.

“You didn't leave?” I ask, not sure why I'm questioning my good fortune, but doing it anyway. If I can get close enough, I'm going to slap his ass, too.

“Why did you upload that video?” he asks, blinking too long lashes at me. Calix reaches up and takes the crown of thorns from his head, tossing it over the railing of the bridge and into the water. Somehow, that only makes him look even more regal, like he's beyond something as earthly as a crown.

“Because, Calix,” I start, knowing he's never going to believe me now. Protest is futile. “I like you, and I just … wanted you to like me back.”

He stares at me for a long moment and then scrubs both of his hands down his face.

It's as if … Raz was jealous of Calix all this time. Barron was judging me. And Calix cared too much what other people thought.

I drop my gaze to the wood beams beneath my feet, the lake sparkling beneath them, then glance back up to find Calix watching me.

“I'm pretty sure Pearl is dead because of me,” Calix says, dropping his arms to his sides.

“Why would you think that?” I ask, and he just smiles bemusedly.

“I suppose it doesn't matter either way,” he scoffs, shaking his head like he's going to turn away from this entire conversation.

“Maybe you think it matters?” I ask, taking another few steps closer. Calix ignores me and turns back to the Aston Martin, opening the driver's side door before glancing back at me.

“If you don't want to be left behind, get in.” And then he slips inside and slams the door behind him, leaving me little choice but to scramble over to the passenger side. There's no doubt in my mind that he really would take off and leave me out here.

Another yawn escapes me as I plop my wet ass onto the leather seat, hooking my seat belt as Calix curls his hands around the steering wheel and stares out the window at the trees surrounding the lake. It's funny to me, how his parents think sending him off to Crescent Prep with a three-hundred-thousand-dollar car is considered punishment. I've never seen any of my fellow students hurting for spending money either. Even Luke's parents send enough to keep her in fabric and paint for her projects plus plenty of cash to take us out to the diner twice a week.

“Do you want to go eat breakfast somewhere?” I ask, shivering a bit in my wet clothes. Calix glances my