Page 23 of The Sweetest Revenge

"EJ will know I'm not there, trust me," I said. "Plus, I'm not giving that asshole the satisfaction."

"Satisfaction?"

"Of thinking he won." I lowered my voice. "I'm not letting him scare me into hiding in my room."

My gaze shifted to her. "Which, by the way?—"

Mila's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"–isn't a safe place either."

"If you're sure."

I nodded. "I'm sure." The sooner we figured out why he was so angry with me, the sooner we could correct it. "Come on, let's get ready for practice."

CHAPTER12

ZAIDEN

"You're giving off stalker vibes," Sterling muttered, stepping beside me outside the football stadium tunnel. "And what's worse is that you're not even trying to hide that you're stalking her."

"I'm not stalking her," I said dryly, my gaze shifting to meet his. "Not yet, anyway."

I pushed off the wall, the concrete rough against my palm. Each step down the stadium stairs brought me closer to my vantage point—and to her. The empty row of seats offered the perfect view of the dance team, of Ariella. Just where I needed to be.

I wasn't opposed to stalking her if I needed to, but it hadn't come to that. I wanted her to know I was there, watching, waiting for her to do something stupid.

"I think you've tortured the girl enough," Sterling said, following me.

"Maybe you missed her punching me in the face an hour ago." I traced the tender spot on my jaw, sliding into a stadium seat with a front-row view of the dance team. My feet kicked up as I settled in like I was watching a movie I'd paid good money to see.

"Yeah, bro." Sterling's laugh grated against my ears. "You deserved that. So let's call a truce and move on."

My fingers curled into fists against my thighs. "My sister can't move on." My voice was flat and void of any emotion. "She's stuck in a grave because of her." I pointed down to the field. "There's no way I'm going to let her live her best life when my sister can't live at all."

"What did she do?" Sterling twisted in his seat. "We were all at that party, and I don't remember her doing anything to Kacie."

I didn't answer; I just stared forward, eyes locked on Ariella. It didn't matter what she did.

"Tell me what she did." Frustration edged into his voice. "Maybe then I can understand this obsession."

My gaze narrowed as the dance coach gave his dismissal speech.

"What are you planning to do to her at the party tonight?" Sterling asked after I ignored his other questions.

"Nothing." That was the truth because she wasn't going to make it to the party.

The coach's voice cut through the afternoon air. "Mila, I need to see you in my office."

I caught the silent exchange between Journey, Mila, and Ariella, eyes widening, color draining from faces, fingers gripping water bottles too tightly. Not disappointment. Not embarrassment.

Fear.

"Why do you think he calls a different girl's name at the end of each practice?"

"What?" Sterling sneered.

I nodded toward the dance coach on the field. "After every practice, he calls one of the girls’ names and tells them he needs to see them in his office. Why?"

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