Empire High Elite (Empire High #2) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,106

“You were saying something about Isabella?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Oh, right. Her murderous ways? It’s all just based on a rumor. But in elementary school, Isabella didn’t have a whole posse. She just had one best friend. Stephanie. At recess, Stephanie kissed some boy that Isabella liked. And then none of us ever saw her again.”

I swallowed hard. I’d kissed James. Isabella really was going to kill me. “Elementary school? So when she was just a kid?”

“Yeah, she’s always been a nightmare.”

A murderous nightmare. Fuck me. I felt like there wasn’t enough air reaching my lungs.

“You okay?” Rob asked.

“I kissed James. She’s going to kill me just like she killed Stephanie.”

Rob laughed. “Don’t you think Rachel wouldn’t be breathing if she killed everyone James kissed?”

That was a good point. But it didn’t really calm me down. “Oh my God, maybe that’s what this whole thing with Matt is about. Maybe Isabella wasn’t trying to ruin Matt’s life with the blackmail. Maybe she was trying to torture Rachel.” And Matt had just gotten stuck in the crossfire. How had I not seen this before?

“Huh.” Rob lowered his eyebrows like he was thinking it over.

If that was true then… I swallowed hard. Isabella tormented everyone that got close to James. She was going to kill me. Or make my life more hellish than she was already making it. I pictured her cold stare as she’d picked up James’ homecoming crown. She was plotting something awful. It could happen at any moment. “I need to get out of here.”

The smile that was permanently on Rob’s face faltered. “You’re shaking.”

“I’m not shaking.”

He gripped my waist a little tighter. “Yes you are.”

“I need to find Kennedy and get out of here.” Kennedy was going to spend the night. She’d be with me. I’d be safe back at home. Home? God. Was I safe there? Isabella had snuck into my room earlier and cut up all my clothes. What if she was going to slice my neck next?

“Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay. I kissed your brother because he convinced me it was a good idea somehow. And I still have feelings for Felix and Matt.” And Miller. Damn it, where was Miller? I needed him to get me out of here.

“Hey, take a deep breath,” Rob said.

It felt like the air I breathed in wasn’t reaching my lungs. “Everyone’s so mad at me.”

“No one’s mad at you.”

That was a lie. I gasped for air.

“Take a deep breath, Brooklyn. I think you’re having a panic attack.”

“Isabella’s going to kill me.”

Rob pulled me against his chest. “She’s not going to kill you.”

“She is…”

“She’s not. Breathe, Brooklyn.”

I tried to.

“Just breathe. In and out. Just breathe.”

“I want to take it all back,” I said. “I want to un-kiss James. And unlike Felix. And unlove Matt. I want to undo all of it.”

“Breathe in,” Rob said. “And breath out. Just breathe.”

There was something calming about his voice in my ear with all the chaos around us.

“Breathe.”

I tried to focus on taking deep breaths.

And I wasn’t sure how long we stood like that in the middle of the dance floor. Just breathing. I knew there were a few changes of songs. I knew they weren’t slow ones and I knew we looked ridiculous. I was surprised Mr. Hill wasn’t back measuring us apart.

I pulled away from him. “How did you know how to fix that?”

He shrugged. “I’m used to taking care of people.”

I knew he was used to taking care of James. Did James get panic attacks? Or was Rob just used to picking up the pieces after James’ drunk and high escapades? “I’m sorry.”

“Why? You didn’t pull me into your hot mess,” he said with a laugh. “I’m practically the only person here that you haven’t kissed.”

I laughed, even though it still felt like my lungs weren’t quite working right.

“Will you help me find Kennedy?” I still needed to leave. The sooner the better.

He raised both eyebrows. “Thinking about kissing her next? If so, I’ll definitely help you find her.”

“No,” I said with a laugh. “I just think maybe I’ve had enough homecoming for the rest of my life.”

He smiled. “Luckily for you, she’s right behind you. And if you do decide that you want tonight to get even crazier…kissing her really would do the trick. You might even get people to forget about that fight you caused.”

“I’m not kissing Kennedy.”

“I don’t know…you still owe me that favor…”

“Rob. You need to reserve that favor for the prank we’re going to