Page 35 of The Teacher of Nothing
“Yes, sir.” I focus on the hardwood floors, unable to look into Darren’s hard eyes.
“Good. You can start today by riding with Levi to school. It’s about time this family becomes a united front.”
I stare through the windshield, thankful that Levi is blasting his music. At least I don’t have to make conversation with him. I’ve never had a problem with walking to and from school, so it’s frustrating that I’m being made to take a ride from my douchebag stepbrother.
I’ve never liked Darren or Levi, but it hasn’t reached this degree of hatred before. I feel like Darren’s prisoner and Levi’s plaything.
I’m nothing to Mom.
Not anymore.
I have one semester left of school and then I can leave. My grades are good enough to get into any college, really, though I never saw myself ever leaving Park Mountain. Freedom, to me,was getting my own place near PMU and studying finance. It just feels like a lifetime away now.
I’m itching to text Callum. To tell him what transpired this morning. I refuse to do it in front of Levi, though. I can’t risk him seeing. If Darren has a problem with me fake dating Dempsey, he’d lose his mind if he knew who I was really spending my time with.
The music cuts off as Levi pulls into the school parking lot. We’re bathed in uncomfortable silence. As soon as he parks, I go for the door handle, but his hand on my thigh stops me.
“Don’t touch me,” I bite out, smacking at his hand.
His fingers dig into my thigh, making me yelp. “Remember what Dad said. Dempsey is off-limits.”
“Fuck you.”
Levi scoffs. “You wish, bitch.”
I claw at his hand until he releases me. Then, I snatch my bag and fly from the vehicle. Levi’s footsteps behind me have me hightailing it to the school, hoping to blend into the crowd. I’m so focused on him following me that I nearly knock over some guy.
“Slow down, speedy,” the guy says, humor in his tone.
“Sorry,” I mumble. “Can you pretend to be my friend for like two minutes? Please?”
The guy’s eyes lock with mine and I recognize him.
Spencer Park.
I go my entire life in Park Mountain without encountering the Park family, and this week, I’ve spoken to three of them.
Spencer looks past me and his eyes narrow. Where Dempsey is a bad boy, very visibly on the outside, Spencer is not. He’s preppy and popular but has a vicious glint in his eyes that should terrify me. Luckily, it’s not aimed at me.
I expect Levi to attempt to pull me away from Spencer, but he keeps walking. Like he doesn’t even see Spencer. It’s not until Levi is inside the building that I am able to relax.
“You okay?” Spencer asks.
“Yeah, uh, thanks for that. Sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. I’m Spencer Park.” He offers me his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
I don’t tell him that we’ve been in several classes together over the years, instead offering him my hand. “Willa Reyes.”
“You’re new here?”
I nearly groan in exasperation. “Nope. Been here all my life.”
He smirks. “Then where’ve you been all mine?”
Someone playfully jumps onto Spencer’s back from behind. The two wrestle around until Spencer cries “uncle” and the other guy lets him go. Dempsey. Oh, lovely.
“Stop mackin’ on my girlfriend.”
