Chapter 3 THREE

There's a growing ball of ice in my guts. I don't know if it's caused by the fact that I haven't been able to eat anything for the past three days or the fact that everything has been seemingly calm throughout the university.

The rumours had ceased, completely.

Sure, everyone mutters about Lucielle and Loretta every now and then but nobody says anything out loud and it's been driving me insane.

I thought about telling my parents but I reckoned that if Cindy kept her mouth shut, everything would just go back to normal and it would be forgotten… quickly.

In fact, I wasn't even certain that Cindy heard anything from me, yes I made the call in her presence, but, she was so engrossed in her book that I was almost certain she didn't hear a thing.

I'm sweating all over as I make my way to the library. I've been catching myself looking over my shoulder and it's starting to look like I murdered someone.

I feel like I'm being watched, when I look around I don't find anyone staring. I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear and dodge a group of girls, then I rush into the library.

I let out a deep sigh of relief as I'm shielded by the warmth of the library. No one would find me here, no one.

I make my way towards Ms Taylor's desk but she's not on the seat.

I drop my bag on the floor beside her desk and I walk over to one of the shelves. I pick up a text book and I flip the pages.

I hear the door open and close.

“Ms Taylor?” I say out loud but I get no reply

I take another textbook, drop the first one and then make my way to Ms Taylor's desk.

“Ms Taylor, I know I promised to return that book I borrowed but I'm still not–”

The book slips from my fingers and lands on the floor with a loud thump.

Reid Williams is hunched over my bag and he's slowly going through it.

The world tilts to the side and I stumble backwards.

“Run!” my guts tell me.

No, this can't be happening.

I turn towards the exit and he clicks his tongue.

“It's locked.” he announces

“W-what do you think you're doing?”

My lips are trembling, so are my knees and every other part of my body. I feel like a lamb in a slaughterhouse.

He pulls an apple from my bag and throws it in the air, he catches it swiftly and throws it again.

“Glinda Larsson.” His deep baritone voice echoes through my bones.

He takes a step towards me, I want to scream and shout but no words come out of my mouth.

“I detest people like you.” he says softly, as if he's reading me a bedtime story. “People who don't know how to mind their business.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” I choke out, my voice is tiny like it belongs to a dying mouse.

He smiles, revealing sharp fangs.

“You don't, huh?”

He stretches his hands towards me, tenderly, his thumb brushes along the curve of my jaw. I feel a shiver zap down my spine.

“Fighting would do you no good, Glinda.”

A knock sounds on the door. Now is my time to scream…

All the breath is snatched from my lungs as Reid wraps his hand around my hair and yanks my head back, revealing my throat.

My hands fly over to grab his, but I'm no match for him. My heart drops low to my belly and I let out a cry.

“I'm sorry, please let me go, I didn't know… I Just–”

“Oh, now you know what I'm talking about?”

“Yes, I know.” Tears blur my vision. “You're hurting me.”

“Why did you snitch?”

“I didn't mean to. I thought they'd be given a warning.”

I look into his cold eyes.

“You're coming with me.”

He releases my hair and grabs my bag. I realize that the knocking has ceased. We walk over to the door and he opens it.

There's a tall guy standing there. I instantly recognise him, Lycas Grey. He's part of the Red Eclipse and he's also Reid's best friend.

“The librarian lady came over but she left, we need to hurry.”

He gives me a once over then he smirks devilishly.

“She's got nice boobs.” Lycas says as he walks off