to think of a number of reasonable excuses, and I always come up shorthanded.
I step out in the open, too tired to run, and beyond tired of hiding. This isn’t me laying down and giving up. Wondering when my time will come has manifested into a strength to face a world that has proven it’s working against me. “You want to talk, then talk.”
“Oh, there she is.” Dixon circles, his mask in place. His eyes aren’t forgiving, pinning me to my spot. He takes long strides to me, not touching me, but close enough to have me on edge and watching his every move. “What should we do to her now? Looks like Marek’s already had a little fun.” His finger feathers my neck where I know there are the remnants of blood.
Byron rushes forward. Breaker throws his arm out, blocking Marek from taking a step towards me. If this is my fate, to be torn down by four boys with too much power, then so be it. What I won’t give them is the satisfaction of making me seem weak or unable to handle myself.
I swallow the lump in my throat and straighten my spine, drawing Marek’s attention to me. If he’s not going to stop them, then he gets the pleasure of watching the life drain from my eyes.
“You were never worthy of my sister, Byron,” I say, knowing damn well I’m poking the bear but not caring enough not to. “She was everything right in the world. Kind. Generous. Thoughtful. You are none of those things. Whoever took her out of this life did her a favor, if it meant she got away from you.”
“Grab her,” Byron demands, pointing at Dixon.
“Or maybe it was you.” My eyes shift between all of them. I’m ready to spill the secret capable of ruining them. “Lovers’ quarrel turned bad? Too much jealousy?”
Dixon’s arms wrap around my waist. Stupid move. If he thinks I’m a female that hasn’t taken some sort of self-defense, he’s dumber than I’d thought. I reach up, pressing the pads of my thumbs into his eyeballs. He winces and throws me to the ground. Hard. With a loud thud, my back hits the cement, and piercing, angry pain runs through my body.
I roll onto my side, wishing the throb away, but it never leaves. A boot connects to my stomach, and I’m lifted from the cold ground, held up on display.
“Don’t do that again, sweetheart, or else I’ll break your ribs next time.” Dixon glares at me.
“I never did like you.” I spit in Dixon’s face, forcing him to drop me. This time, I get decent footing and start running.
Four sets of feet pound behind me. Marek should be able to catch me. He’s quick and able to outsmart me, but he never comes. I run along the backside of campus, spotting the bonfire still in full flare. Students mill about the area, but screaming is pointless. They won’t hear me, and even if they do, with the guys chasing me, no one would do anything to help me.
I head straight to the cafeteria, remembering the back entrance is always unlocked. The door flies open and slams behind me. Hiding isn’t an option. They’ll find me down here. The back stairwell is the safest bet. The building used to be the auditorium, and they’ve never removed the catwalk, the perfect place to hide in the darkness.
As I reach the metal walkway, the door opens again and slams shortly after. I’m running out of time. Their dark shadows dance below me, searching beneath every table and inside every booth. Marek follows the lines on the walls, up the beams placed several years ago. I press against the wall, afraid he’s seen me.
“Where the fuck is she?” Byron spins around as Marek drops his eyes from the ceiling, but it’s far too late.
Byron pushes past him, heading straight for the stairs. His footsteps are closing in on me. There’s no time. I take large, quiet steps, but metal isn’t forgiving, creaking and screeching each time my foot lands.
“She’s on the catwalk!” Dixon yells.
Fuck! I hurry across, remembering a second way to the main floor. I reach the end, and Byron’s head pops over the railing. His dark, sinister glare burns straight to my soul, sucking the life from my lungs.
Shiny metal catches my eye, a second before I trip on the lip of the step and fall. I’m pulled backwards by my ankle. Byron brandishes the knife in my