Page 7 of Make Me Scream
CHAPTER 4
PERIS
Me:
You better fucking text me back, pup.
I tapmy thumb on the edge of my phone, waiting for a read receipt to pop up, but just like the fifteen other texts I sent to Abel today, this one goes unanswered as well. It sets my blood on fire because not only did I look for my runt everywhere, but he’s not anywhere heshouldbe—which gives me a good feeling of where he’s been all fucking day—and I’m pissed I didn’t think of it sooner.
My hands clench tightly as I make my way out of the gym, where the cheerleaders are practicing, and up the stairs that lead to the rooftop. The door isn’t wedged, but it creaks open easily all the same. A burst of biting wind sluices over my bare arms as I trudge over gravel-littered concrete, and it smells of the faintest traces of weed and bitter cool air.
I stop at the worn concrete corner, noting a small pile of joints smoked nearly gone and black from smoke. My eye twitches knowing that at least a few of those are from Abel. The little fuck has been up here, skipping every single class, ignoring every single text…
God.Just when I think the games might be over with.
But no. I should know better.
Abel Silver was created to manipulate.
Jaw set tight, I pull up our text thread again, and the mere sight of the worddeliveredstaring back at me pisses me off to the point I’m storming back down the stairs, dead set on finding him and wringing his goddamn neck.
The steps blur under tow, pulsing in time with each wave of my erratic heartbeat. “Woah.” Gabriel stops me with a hand to my chest as I round the corner. I pitch to a stop, nearly tripping over my own feet at the sudden standstill.
“Move,” I grit out through my clenched jaw. My ears are ringing, veins pumping with adrenaline, knowing what I’m going to do when I see Abel. I don’t give a fuck what today is or what it means for him—for us, even.
I just care that he’s being a selfish bastard about it, likealways.Fuck my feelings. FuckMa’sfeelings.
No. It’s not okay.
Gabe doesn’t fucking let up. “Where do you think you’re going?” He takes a step toward me, forcing me to step back,away from where I need to be.
“Gabe,” I mutter, grinding my molars and trying really hard not to snap my best friend’s neck. My skin is fraying. I don’t know what this… sensation is crawling beneath my skin, but it’s eating me alive andpissing me the fuck off.
I need to see Abel.
Gabe plants his hands on my shoulders, grounding me. I can’t meet his gaze, but I feel his eyes on me, regardless. “He will still be there when practice is over,” he reminds me. “You can’t throw it all away. You need to be at practice because if you’re not, coach won’t let you play. And what happens if he doesn’t let you play?”
He lets his words sit between us for a minute, their meaning echoing off the white, concrete cinderblocks encompassing us. I drop my head back against them with a sigh, everything grating on my nerves. “No game time means no scouts see me,” I finally mutter against my will.
“And that means no scholarship. It doesn’t matter that the most important game already happened. Yes, you kicked Jordan’s ass,” he says with a smirk that’s hard to miss, and I find my own lips twitching to mirror it. “And they saw that. But that was just one game. Give them the whole season, Peris.” His sincerity wraps around me like a glove, drawing me back in.
I groan loudly and slam my fists into the wall at my back before pulling up and yanking at my sweaty hair. “Fuck, you’re right.”
Gabe scoffs loudly and obnoxiously. “Of course, I am.”
“Fuck off. Let’s go before I change my mind.” I glance behind me toward the end of the hall, more tempted than I should be. “Because I just fucking might.”
“Peris, stay a minute,”Coach Johnson calls after practice comes to an end. I glance over at him bent over his clipboard, feigning nonchalance, and I know what he wants to talk about immediately.
Today’s the fucking day, it seems.
“Oh, Jesus Christ.” I huff and sink my teeth into the fleshiest part of my tongue to stave off the rest of what I want to reply.
“What’s up?” Gabe inquires, dark brow raised in question as he shoulders me.
I leave my gaze on the floor as I say, “He wants to talk to me about Abel.” I flick my eyes upward quickly to gauge Gabriel’s reaction.
“Abel?” Gabe’s brows hit the ceiling. I roll my eyes.
