Empire High Betrayal (Empire High #3) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,57

offer…I wanted to go back to school. I knew Matt would be worried about me if I didn’t show up for entrepreneurial studies. Plus, if I was supposed to take over the family business one day, maybe Mr. Hill could actually teach me a few things.

“Of course, princess. We’ll do it another day,” he said and patted my knee. “Enjoy your last class. And call me if you need anything at all. Or if Isabella talks to you. Or does something that doesn’t involve talking, like getting someone to leave you a threatening message.” He raised his eyebrows at me.

“I will, I promise.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed out of the car. I waved goodbye as his car sped off.

I looked up at the ornate wooden doors of Empire High. For the first time, I was going to walk through them knowing that I belonged. I wasn’t there because my uncle was a janitor anymore. And I wasn’t a dirty little secret. I belonged in this world.

I walked up the stairs and pushed through the doors. Isabella had tried her best to knock me down. All those embarrassing moments in lunch. Literally pointing a gun at my head. Making me feel inadequate. But all she’d done was make me stronger. Isabella could have people paint targets on me all freaking day. It wouldn’t stop me from taking her down.

I kept my head held high as I walked toward my locker. The bell rang, signaling the end of the class I’d just missed. Students filled the halls. When I reached my locker, Matt was already waiting for me.

“Hey.” I gave him the most reassuring smile that I could. The last time he’d seen me, James’ hands were on me, trying to help me breathe. Matt had looked like he was in so much pain. I would have texted him if I had my phone, but I’d run out of school with none of my things.

Instead of reaching out for me, he pushed his hair off his forehead. It was like he was scared to touch me.

“I’m so sorry about lunch,” I said. “I didn’t mean to freak out…”

“Brooklyn, I’m the one that’s sorry. I thought I was helping earlier. I thought…” He shook his head. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You didn’t hurt me.” I grabbed his hand. “I promise you didn’t hurt me.”

“You said you couldn’t breathe.”

“It was just a panic attack. It was nothing.”

He nodded even though he didn’t look very convinced. “I didn’t even know that you got panic attacks,” he said. “I had no idea what was going on. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was kind of hoping they’d just go away.”

He lowered his eyebrows slightly. “What if James hadn’t been there?” he asked.

I shook my head. “He didn’t fix anything. I just needed to make sure my dad was okay. And he is. Isabella was messing with my head, like you said.”

“So everything’s good now?”

“Yeah. Everything’s fine.”

He took a deep breath. “You really scared me, baby.” He pulled me into his arms. “You can tell me anything, you know.”

“I know.”

“So what should I have done? In that situation?”

I leaned back so I could look up at him. He didn’t need to make anything right. But I’m glad he wanted to take care of me. “Maybe if you could just kind of rub your hand up and down my back and remind me to breathe?” I tried not to wince. It was exactly what James had done. I hoped Matt didn’t remember.

He dropped his forehead to mine. “I can do that,” he said, his cinnamon scent surrounding me. “How often do you get them?”

I sighed. “Just when Isabella scares me.”

“So a lot then?” he said with a laugh.

I gently hit his arm.

“We should probably get to class,” Matt said. “We don’t want to piss off Mr. Hill.”

No we do not. “One sec.” I opened my locker and grabbed my entrepreneurial studies book. I usually looked forward to class to see Matt but dreaded it because of Mr. Hill. But Mr. Hill had actually been a little nicer to me recently. He hadn’t made me read out loud in ages. The last time he’d called me out at all was when I was dancing too close to Rob at homecoming. I wanted to think it was because he was friends with my uncle. But maybe me suddenly having tons of money played a role too.

We made our way to class with my hand in his. It was