Page 66 of The Prom

“She’s hurt. Can’t you see that?” I can’t believe her reaction and as the woman sobs in pain, I head to the bathroom and grab some towels, soaking them under the water in the tub.

Another person ushers the woman into the room and I wrap the towel around her seared flesh as she sobs on the edge of the tub.

Her mask reveals tear-streaked eyes and I whisper, “You should go to the hospital. That burn needs seeing to.”

“I’m okay.” Her voice is low as she whispers, “Don’t anger Angela. You won’t like the repercussions involved.”

Something about the anguish in her voice speaks to me and as her lip trembles with pain, she whispers urgently, “I’ll find you. Just play along for now. I’m begging you.”

“You did that on purpose?”

Realization hits and she shrugs. “If you say so.”

Something about the pleasure in her smile tells me she may have the answers I need and then Angela appears and yells, “This is all I need.” She hisses, “Leave us, Drake. Wait with the others. I’ll see to number six.”

I step outside the room, wondering what the hell I’ve fallen into but have an overwhelming premonition it goes by the name of the lion’s den.

THIRTY-ONE

IMOGEN

It’s eerie as fuck as Jesse leads me through the iron door into the tunnel below the dungeons. I had no other choice but to go with him and my heart is thumping so loudly I’m sure he can hear it.

Jesse has a flashlight that illuminates the dark space and as we walk, he holds tightly onto my hand.

“This is what it takes to get you alone, Imogen.”

His teasing tone causes me to smile. “You only had to ask.”

We stop where the tunnel splits in two, and Jesse sighs.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’ve been a shit boyfriend.”

“Don’t apologize, Jesse. I’ve hardly been the greatest girlfriend, either.”

“I want to be.” He pauses and turns and as his eyes bore deep into mine, I see regret more than anything. Apology even, and I sigh. “Perhaps this was never going to work. It’s been intense and we are too young for that.”

“I understand.”

He squeezes my hand and says regretfully, “We are standing underneath the tunnel that brought us together.”

I glance up. “How do you know?”

“I planned it.”

His eyes glitter as he cups my face in his hands.

“I brought you down here for a reason, baby.”

My chest tightens as he says huskily, “I want us to start again.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Under the rules of The Claiming, we are a couple for the rest of the semester. We must honor that, of course, but I don’t want to make you. So here’s the deal.”

He smiles and I relax for the first time because there’s an expression of honesty in Jesse’s eyes that I haven’t seen there before.

“We make our own pact under the place wherewebegan. To set ourselves free but carry on as friends.”

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