Page 49 of Riot Act
Professor Radley notices the big white smear of toothpaste on his tie at last and huffs, dabbing at it ineffectively with a paper napkin. “Uhhh, where did we leave off, guys?” he mutters. “A Red Vine to the first person who can refresh my memory.”
“Aggregate demand. And…fiscal policy,” Chase says, absently flipping through her textbook.
She doesn’t stutter. Doesn’t flinch.
I think about launching out of my chair and yelling, “INTRUDER!” at the top of my lungs. I resist, but the accusation bounces around inside my head like a shotgun blast. This girlisan intruder. She doesn’t belong here. She’s invading my personal space. She’s stealing my fucking peace. And she looks sounlikeherself. There is definitely something different about her. I knew there was the other day when she came over, but the change is highlighted in her now a million-fold. She’s normally so stiff. So quiet. So small. When she walked into the room just now, she carried herself upright. There was a cool confidence about her that she didn’t possess before. It’s still there, buzzing around her like some weird energy field, as she gazes thoughtfully down at her textbook.
She hasn’t evenlookedin my direction.
On the other side of the room, Elodie Stillwater frowns at the redhead, too. Obviously, she’s noticed the change in her friend as well and is just as confused as I am.
I bore twin holes into the back of Chase’s head, willing her to turn around and look at me so I can mouth a series of obscenities at her. She faces the front, unpacking a notepad and a selection of pens from her bag, as if she can’t feel the furious heat that’s burning into her skull.
My mind races away from me. Could she seriously not have noticed me just now? Can she have transferred to my Econ class by accident?
No. Highly unlikely.
No, she’sfuckingwith me.
This is what I get for saving a girl’s life, not to mention those two bone rattling orgasms? Fucking unbelievable. Professor Radley begins today’s lesson, droning on about aggregate demand, and the whole time Chase studiously takes notes. She listens intently to every word that comes out of the fucker’s mouth. Halfway through class, she even puts her hand up and answers one of Radley’s questions. She smiles a tiny, secret smile to herself, bowing her head when he tells her that her answer was not only correct but insightful.
I am literally dumbfounded by her presence here.
What sane person stalks the person who resuscitated them and enrolls in all of their classes? I mean…that’s just weird, right? It occurs to me that she might notbesane, though. After all, what person in their right mind slashes their wrists up and tries to kill themselves that emphatically? In the very least, she must be all kinds of depressed to have done what she did. I should have thought about that before I fucked her brains out.
But sitting there, scribbling her notes down in her notebook, so alert and fixed on what Professor Radley is saying, Chase doesn’t seem depressed. She seems quite content to have invaded my little bubble and doesn’t appear to be suffering any ill consequence from the amount of hate I’m sending her way.
“Mr. Davis? Mr. Davis, why are you holding your hand up? I haven’t asked a question.”
“Where did she come from?” I demand.
“I’m sorry? What?”
“Chase.” I point a finger at her, where she’s sitting in the chair two feet away from me.
Professor Radley rolls his eyes. All of the other students, including Presley, turn to face me. She looks a little startled now, but her expression’s off. She doesn’t look worried that I’m about to tell everyone that she’s stalking me. She looks like she’s embarrassed and doesn’t want any attention drawn to her. Well tough luck, bitch. You don’t get to play games with me and expect me not to play right fucking back. That isnothow this shit works.
“What do you mean?” the treacherous little witch whispers.
“Don’t you think this is a little desperate? Don’t you think I know what you’re doing? Why don’t you go back to whichever class you’re supposed to be—”
“Mr. Davis, I’m aware that you aren’t Wolf Hall’s friendliest student, but this behavior’s unacceptable. Give Presley a break. She only walked through the door fifteen minutes ago and you’re already making life difficult. Jesus.” Professor Radley folds his arms over his chest, shaking his head. I have no particular feelings about the man, one way or another. He’s never given me any shit, and I’ve been mostly silent during his classes in return. But this comment from him has me rethinking my whole attitude toward Econ and him in general.
I stare at him murderously. “She’s not supposed to be here. She’s got no interest in economics.”
“What onearthare you talking about?” Radley looks at me like I’m crazy. “Presley’s been in this class a hell of a lot longer than you. And her grades areconsiderablybetter. The last time I spoke with Presley, she told me that she has a very real interest in majoring in Econ at college. Is that still the plan, Presley?”
Last semester, she would have wilted like a hot house flower left out in a snowstorm. She barely even pales under Professor Radley’s attention today. Her eyes dart from me to Radley. “Yeah. Well, I’m considering majoring in Econ and English, but…”
She’salwaysbeen in this class?
She wants to major in Econ and English? Both of which aremysubjects?
How can I not have noticed her here before?
It’s not true. This is some mass conspiracy. It has to be. “I really don’t think she’s—”
Professor Radley cuts me off. “Enough, Pax. I don’t know what kind of diversionary tactics you’re trying to pull right now, or why you’d even bother, but this nonsense stops now. You can either sit quietly, pay attention and let me finish the lesson, or I’ll drag you over to Principal Harcourt’s office and you can spend the remainder of the period with her. It’s totally up to you.”
