Page 37 of I Despise You
Chapter 12
ISUCCESSFULLY AVOIDChase and Brittany for a few weeks, and I’m glad there are plenty of students here, so it’s easy to disappear in the crowd as soon as I catch a glimpse of either of them.
But even though a part of me doesn’t want to see them ever again, I don’t want to keep hiding from them. I think I’m finally ready to face them again and make Brittany pay for what she’s done. I’m not sure what to do about Chase just yet, but I hope I can handle him.
A poster catches my eyes while I’m strolling through the hallway, and I go closer to take a better look. It’s an ad for a school play. Brittany appears at the end of the hallway and she’s talking to a student I don’t know. I look away from her and focus back on the poster. My pulse quickens as she comes closer, and I don’t know if I’m angry or just want to run, but I refuse to move.
She keeps talking to her friend and doesn’t notice me.
“Did you see the poster?” Brittany’s friend asks.
“Duh. I already applied for the main role, and I’m so going to get it. There’s no one better than me.” Brittany laughs.
“Yeah,” her friend says, and then they disappear around the corner and I can’t hear them anymore.
My gaze is still glued to the poster. Brittany is so sure of herself it’s annoying, and she doesn’t feel even a little bit guilty about what she’s done to me. Maybe I can’t openly do anything against her without risking my place at the school, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find other ways to make her pay.
Stealing the main role from her may seem close to nothing in comparison, but I have to do something, even if it’ll only make her annoyed for a day or two.
I read the instructions on how to apply, and then I hurry down the hallway. Learning the text for the audition is going to take some of the precious time that I need for studying, but I can do both, even if I have to forego sleep to do it.
I’m on a mission, and there’s nothing and no one who’ll stop me from getting what I want.
***
AFTER A LOT OF EFFORTand tons of coffee, I get the role. I can’t hide my smile when I see Brittany across the theater room. Her arms are crossed in front of her chest, her eyes shooting daggers at me. I can’t believe she can even look me at me like that without feeling ashamed. But I guess she has no shame at all. My win is small, but it’s still a win, and I’m going to enjoy it. Brittany can be mad at me as much as she wants.
My eyes scan over the rest of the list that’s lying in the middle of a desk on the stage to check if Brittany got some other role, but my smile fades when I see who got the lead male role.
Chase.
Shit.
Am I even surprised that he auditioned too and got exactly what he wanted? I guess not. Once I get the script, I’ll have to see just how often he and I will interact on stage. He can’t hurt me while everyone’s watching us. A tiny voice inside my head screams at me to change my mind and drop out, but I don’t want to do that.
I realize there’s some stuff I need to pick up backstage that I’ll need for our first practice, so I hurry to get it. The backstage is dark and I can’t see the teacher who’s in charge of the play anywhere. As I traipse through the darkness, trying to find the bag or a closet with things, fingers wrap around my arm and tug me.
A gasp leaves my throat, my back slamming against the wall. Chase grins at me, his body pressed against mine, his fingers tight around my wrists as he pins me to the wall.
My insides quiver, my chest heaves.
I can’t breathe.
I can’t think.
“Where have you been?” he asks. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
I inhale his scent, trying to focus. His touch. His breath. His eyes.
I can do this.
I can think again.
I can breathe again.
“What do you want?” I lift my chin up, staring at him defiantly to show him that he doesn’t scare me, even if that’s not entirely true. “If you still expect me to drop out of the race for the scholarship, or if you want me to give up my role, you’ll have to try harder.”
His smile widens, and I realize I’ve made a mistake. He rubs himself against me, and I can feel the hardness of his erection, despite the layers of clothes between us.
