Saint (Angelview Academy #1) - E.M. Snow Page 0,90
if he knew I’d have no choice but to talk to him.
“Hey,” I say, feeling lame and unprepared for this confrontation.
“Hey,” he replies smoothly.
“How’ve you been?”
He shrugs. “I suppose fine. How’re you? Still getting a regular dicking from Saint?”
“Jesus Christ, Liam,” I growl. I’m not going to put up with his bullshit if this is what he’s going to talk to me about all night. I move to push to my feet, but he lays a hand on my arm to keep me seated.
“Hold on, I’m joking,” he blurts out, dipping his head slightly. “Sorry. I promise, I won’t be a dick. Just, don’t go.”
I settle back in my seat and glare at him. “Fine, but if you say one more thing like that to me, I’ll get Loni’s dad to kick your ass. Got it?”
“Got it.” Lips quirking, he nods. “Look, Mallory, I owe you an apology for more than that comment. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did to you and Saint hooking up. It’s your life, and you can do whatever you want with it.”
I’m suspicious of his apology, but I murmur, “I … appreciate that.”
He nods and opens his mouth to say more, but at that moment, the crowd erupts into a roar and I can’t hear a word. I shake my head to let him know I didn’t catch anything he just said. He leans in close, so his lips are right at my ear.
“I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into with him. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
He leans back and meets my gaze, and I can see that he really means what he’s saying. I can’t help the small smile that curls my lips, or the wave of relief that rushes through me. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to hear me over the noise of the crowd, I simply nod.
I won’t tell him, though, that I’m not certain I do know what I’m getting into with Saint, and that I’m beginning to fear that I’m not going to get out of it with my whole heart intact.
The next morning, I walk into the dining hall for breakfast, and can instantly tell that something is different. And by different, I mean very, very wrong.
As soon as I walk in the door, the glares and whispers start up. Before Saint and I were a thing, this would’ve been nothing out of the ordinary. However, after weeks of being treated with near reverence, it’s a little startling to be thrust back out into the cold with no warning.
I move through the dining hall, and the whispers grow in volume, and the glares more vicious. My brows sink together as I try to figure out what may have happened to cause the other students to turn on me again.
Loni suddenly appears in my path and hurries up to me, her eyes wide and expression tight.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, Mallory!” she gasps, reaching me.
“What’s going on?” I ask, startled.
Before Loni can get a word out, however, a vicious voice snaps from behind me.
“Hey, slut. Have any good gangbangs lately?”
Releasing a deep breath through my nostrils, I clench my fists and slowly turn to face Laurel.
“What is it now, Bipolar Betty?” I snap. She’s clearly done being anything close to decent to me.
She’s smirking and looking so superior, I swear I can see her head swelling.
“Just couldn’t keep it in your pants, could you? Saint wasn’t enough for you?”
I’m totally lost, but I tilt my chin and give her a hard look. “What are you talking about?”
Laurel digs her phone out of her pocket and pulls something up on the screen. Turning it toward me, she jostles it in my face, showing me a photo. It’s from the night before. It’s of me and Liam.
He’s leaning over and whispering in my ear.
Oh. Oh, shit.
I only have one thought, and it has nothing to do with the assholes surrounding me, talking shit behind my back. I’m used to them and their crap. No, the only concern I have right now is for Saint because I know he’s going to be so pissed when he sees this.
“Fuck off, Laurel,” I say, turning from her, effectively dismissing her. I dig out my own phone from my pocket and shoot a text to Saint.
8:23 AM: There’s a picture floating around of me and Liam. You need to let me explain before you lose it.
Laurel is saying something to me, but I ignore her. She doesn’t matter