Page 31 of Distortion
I put it down and try the Chaucer.
It’s worse.
After a few more minutes, I make myself try again, and it’s no easier. I can’t understand stuff like this. It just doesn’t go into my head properly.
‘I can’t do this,’ I murmur softly.
And then John will have me carted off to The Heath for not adhering to his edicts. Why would he set me up to fail?
Because he’s an asshole.
I shake my head a little, trying to come up with a solution. Should I try my best and persevere? Or should I leave like I was going to? John won’t expect me to disappear, not now that he’s given me ‘what I want’.
Deep in thought, I don’t notice the door open, nor that I’m no longer alone outside at first. When I do, I wish I’d been paying attention because it’s none other than Blake in front of me.
He’s watching me, and I instinctively look away as I stand up.
I don’t like him looming so far above me. He doesn’t move out of my way as I grab my things and make for the door.
‘How’d you like the show?’ he asks quietly when I’m right in front of him.
I look up at him. ‘Show?’
‘In the library. Did you think I didn’t know it was you?’ He leans closer. ‘Or maybe you’d like to be part of it next time?’
I frown. ‘I’m not much of an actor,’ I say honestly.
His barked laugh makes me step back, but he moves out of my way, and I scurry through the door, making sure I don’t touch him.
Upstairs, alone in my room, I put my books down and begin to unpick the whole interaction. I think about what hesaid and what I said, and I try to figure out what made him laugh.
As I straighten the papers on my desk from the pack I got yesterday and look at what hellish classes I have tomorrow, a white envelope flutters to the floor.
Remembering it from yesterday, I realize I never opened it. Turning it over, I see it’s sealed, and I rip it open, assuming it’ll be some additional information about my classes, or something equally innocuous.
Inside, there’s a small piece of paper and nothing else. I take it out and turn it over. The words are in black ink.
Your mom’s crash wasn’t an accident.
Blake
I lightup and inhale deeply as I watch her run away from me, chuckling again at her comment about not being an actor. As if she’d need to be one to be convincing enough to pretend to enjoy sucking me off.
I look out over the trees, thinking about Jolie’s lips around my shaft. I do enjoy it when she surprises me, and it’s not the first time we’ve played in the library. But, fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard as when I realized Shade’s weird little sister was watching it happen. My dick begins to harden again just thinking about it, but I push thoughts of her away. She’s my best friend’s sister, and she’s clearly notthat kindof girl.
Except a nasty little thought starts rolling around in my mind. Shade wants her gone. We’ve turned the frat against her already, and we’ve basically told the pledges that those meanestto her over the next few weeks are the ones who will become our brothers. There are some ground rules to follow, of course. We don’t want her really hurt, or anything. But now I’m wondering if there might be a faster way to get her out of our hair.
I could make her like me. People trust me when I want them to. I’d lull her into a false sense of security. She’d be vulnerable just like they all are. And then I could pull the rug out from under her. She’d probably beg John Novelle to send her back to her little sanctuary overseas after that, and we wouldn’t have to worry about her finding out what we’re doing. Because, right now, her up in that room is an issue waiting to happen. It’s last year all over again and the other guys getting kicked out has caused a ton of knock-on problems for us.
I mull over Daisy a little more and decide to keep my idea on the backburner for if we need a second plan. Girls are unpredictable when you hurt their feelings, and we don’t need any more fuck-ups.
My eyes narrow as I look up at the darkening sky. I’m not going back to the way things were before. I’m fucking not. I’ve worked too hard to be here. This year has to work out, and I’m not going to let everything fall apart just because we’re babysitting some dumb bitch.
I flick my cigarette toward the path where the pledges will be picking up specks of trash tomorrow and open the door to go back inside.
In the kitchen, a couple of the freshmen are cleaning up.
‘Royce. Matthews.’
