and bitterness.
But he’ll only use those emotions to hurt me all over again. I’m done being hurt by Aiden and his fucking games.
“Ellie!” Ronan hops on my desk, nearly knocking my pens on the ground. “I was just telling King about how to bring you back. I even offered to sing.”
Teal snorts from my side.
Ronan grins at her, but it’s fake. It’s rare to see Ronan fake anything, he’s about the most honest out of the horsemen. “You have a problem, ma belle?”
She searches around me. “Did you hear someone talk, Elsa?”
Ronan leans in to whisper, “I’m happy you’re back and all, but why did you bring this freak?”
“I heard that,” Teal deadpans.
He feigns innocence. “Did you hear someone talk, Ellie?”
I smile, shaking my head.
This is the first time I see Ronan go out of his way to show passive-aggression towards anyone. He usually avoids confrontation — except with his friends. But I guess, just like in football, Ronan gives twice as hard when he’s attacked.
He’s Death after all.
Mrs Stone comes inside. All residual chatter dies down and everyone takes their seat.
During the entire class, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I’m supposed to concentrate, but my attention keeps bouncing back to a certain someone who’s watching me like a hawk.
Without turning around, I can feel his cloudy gaze darkening and fixating on me. I can almost see the twitching in his left eye and the tightness of his sharp jaw.
When the day is finally over, Kim invites us for coffee. Knox is all for it and forces Teal to come along.
I agreed to stay with them until I have to visit Aunt and Uncle.
Before we head out of RES, I excuse myself to go to the toilet.
As I wash my hands, a violent sound of heaving comes from one of the stalls. I stay behind after drying my hands.
Does she need help?
“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.” The familiar voice chants as she steps out of the stall.
Both of us freeze.
Silver stands there, her hair in disarray and her uniform dishevelled as if she was thrown out of bed.
Acting as if she didn’t see me, she wipes the side of her mouth and heads to one of the taps.
She splashes water on her face. “Pretend you didn’t see anything.”
“Your life doesn’t matter to me, Silver.”
“No problem, then. Good talk.” She starts to breeze past me.
“Wait.” I clutch her by the arm.
She swings around, her hand wrapping around her midsection. “What are you doing?”
The fear in her eyes hits me straight in the chest. I drop her arm and step back. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
She studies me suspiciously but doesn’t move.
“Do you…” I clear my throat. “Do you need help?”
Silver’s huge blue eyes widen, appearing as stunned as I feel.
I never thought there would be a day when I’d offer Silver help. I guess I’m not so monstrous after all.
“N-no.” She takes a step back, then stops. “I didn’t want to be in the Meet Up. I’m sorry.”
And then she breezes out of the bathroom.
I stand there for a second, gathering my wits around me.
Did Silver just apologise to me?
Also, what does she mean about not wanting to be at the Meet Up? Being there or not doesn’t change the fact that she’s engaged to Aiden or that Aiden hid it from me.
It doesn’t matter anyway.
Not when it’s over. Only, it didn’t start in the first place. She was right all along. From the beginning, Aiden was never mine.
He was hers.
The itch starts under my skin and spreads all over my body. I wash my hands again and dry them.
The moment I open the door, someone shoves me back inside.
I shriek, but a hand swallows all the sound. The bathroom door closes with a bang.
He spins me around. My back hits it as my gaze meets Aiden’s metallic eyes.
I scream.
13
Elsa
I remain still.
Completely.
Like a board.
Despite the war zone in my heart. All the wars start in my stupid, defective heart.
My scream dies out.
Screaming is useless when Aiden’s hand covers my mouth. His strength is like a unified battalion; dangerous and wrecking.
The hardness of his chest crushes my breasts as his entire body imprisons me against the door. I can feel his heartbeat, loud and raging. I’m tempted to reach out a hand and feel the pulse under my fingertips. His normal, healthy pulse.
The only thing that makes him human.
The temptation is taken away from me when he grabs both my wrists with his