Malice

7

“Are those assholes really following us?”

Loni sounds so incensed that I can’t help but crack a smile. I peek over my shoulder and see Officer Meyers and another campus police officer lingering not too far behind us. They’re pretending not to be tailing me, but they’re also not exactly experts at being subtle. I’ve noticed ever since I returned to Angelview that there seems to be a pretty steady campus police presence around me.

When I first arrived back on campus yesterday, an officer was waiting outside the dorm building’s main door. He’d said he was just doing routine security, but I knew better. Like now. Meyers and his partner have been shadowing me almost since the moment I stepped from my building out onto the sidewalk. They’d been waiting for me to come out, and I’m certain they’re supposed to discreetly stick with me the whole day.

On top of my new campus police escort, I was also called to the administration building first thing this morning to see Headmaster Aldridge for bullshit reasons that I know he made up just to have an excuse to keep an eye on me. Despite Saint backing up my alibi, it’s clear they all still think I could be guilty. They’re watching me like they expect me to start yelling “Dracarys” and torching random buildings, even though they’ve no proof that I did anything wrong and the source of the fire is still under investigation.

It’s frustrating as hell and, to be honest, terrifying. Being back at Angelview has been harder than I expected, and I wasn’t anticipating a picnic. Not only has the administration made it pretty clear they don’t trust me, the rest of the school has really upped their game when it comes to hating my guts.

This morning, someone had left a drawing of me blowing my brains out at the makeshift memorial in front of the D-hall. And something tells me that this is only the start of the shit show.

“I think we’re going to just have to get used to them,” I murmur, turning my gaze back to Loni. She looks pissed, her jaw clenched and her brown eyes murderous.

“They can’t treat you like this,” she hisses, fidgeting with the hem of her plaid skirt. “You didn’t start that fire. They’ve got nothing to pin it on you. They’re just being fucking prejudiced pricks.”

I love how readily she defends me. I’ve only ever experienced such loyalty from James and Carley, so I’m not used to it, but I’m grateful, nonetheless. I was lucky Loni didn’t turn her back on me completely when I left for break without a word. I still feel incredibly guilty about that, but we seem to be in a good place with each other, so that’s comforting.

“I appreciate the outrage,” I say, playfully nudging her shoulder even though there’s nothing lighthearted about the churning in my stomach. “Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s much we can do about it. Just have to grin and bear it for now. They’ll get bored and back off eventually.”

Yeah, that feels like the lie of the century.

“But Mallory, you shouldn’t have to—”

I shake my head and cut her off. “No use stressing over it. Let’s just focus on getting through this semester, okay?”

She scowls, and I know she wants to push the issue further. After a moment of studying my face, though, she heaves a sigh of defeat and swishes her head from side to side. “Fine. Fine. If you just want to let it blow over on its own, we can let it blow over on its own, but you should tell Carley. You shouldn’t have to put up with them stalking you around campus.”

I give her a side hug. “Thank you very much. I know this concession was very painful for you.”

“You better count your blessings, girl.”

I laugh as we continue on for a little while, and then split off to head to our respective first classes. Luckily, we won’t be apart long. We’re in the same class third period, Statistics, along with Henry. It’ll be the highlight of my day, and I mean that literally.

I’m not looking forward to my other three courses. As I enter my building and walk down the hall towards my classroom, I avoid meeting anyone’s eye and keep my gaze locked straight ahead of me.

“Watch it, the slut will set you on fire if you piss her off.”

“Did you hear she also threatened to kill Headmaster Aldridge?”

“She wasn’t supposed to come back, but from what I’ve heard, the bitch’s foster mom threatened to sue if the school didn’t let her.”

“Typical welfare bitch. They sue for everything.”

I still hear the whispers, still feel the glares, but I block them out as best I can. I’m going to need to get good at that if I’m ever going to make it through this semester. I’m determined as hell to do it, though. To finish, and to find out who left me that photo and note.

That’s the main reason I’m back here. I have to know why Je

I came back to this hellhole just to figure that out.

At that moment, I walk into Environmental Lit and come to a stumbling halt. My eyes widen, and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. No. No, life couldn’t be this cruel.

Saint, Liam, and Gabe are all sitting on the far side of the room, their attention focused on something that Gabe’s showing them on his phone. They’re all in this class.

All of them.

What the fuck?

What nightmare have I just stepped into?

Three sets of eyes—steely blue, brown, and green—turn in my direction as if drawn to me, and I can do nothing but stand frozen in the doorway like a goddamn ma

Saint’s glare is icy, and he scowls before quickly jerking his gaze away from me. He’s probably thinking I’ll disappear if he ignores me long enough. Liam’s brow is furrowed with what looks to be concern of some kind, and Gabe appears to be on the verge of a giggle-fit, as if this whole situation is so fucking hilarious.

Someone shoves into my back, and I stumble forward, shaken from my stupor.

Ducking my head, I hurry to the opposite side of the room as them to take the first empty seat I find. I try not to look their way, but I can feel their eyes on me.

How did this happen?

Why did this have to happen?

Do I just have the shittiest luck in the world?

It’s only one class, I tell myself. Just one. I can survive one fucking class with all three of them.

How terrible could it really be?

Pretty fucking terrible, as it turns out.

Not only are Saint, Liam, and Gabe all in my first class, Saint and Liam are in my Ecology course as well. Luckily, I’m given a reprieve during third period, when I’m with Loni and Henry for Statistics. I quickly fill Loni in on the rest of my day, and she appears appropriately shocked.

“You’ve got the worse luck in the world,” she says, mirroring one of my own thoughts.

“I know,” I hiss back. “One of them would be bad enough, but all three of them? Just kill me now and end my misery.”

Loni punches my arm so hard that it stings. “Chin up, Mal. You’ve dealt with the three of them before. You’ll be able to handle them now. Besides, none of the teachers will let them mess with you in class.”

I suppose she has a point.

I run that thought through my head over and over as I head to my fourth period class, which is the last regular class of my day apart from independent study, but my stomach is in knots. My last class of the day is Global History.

Dylan’s class.

Suddenly, being stuck with the three gods all day doesn’t seem like such a bad deal when compared to the train wreck I’m sure being around Dylan will be. When I saw his name typed in clear black letters on my schedule, I’d admittedly freaked out, but I’d convinced myself I could fix it. That I could switch to another class. But when Mrs. Wilmer emailed me back letting me know it was no longer possible to make adjustments to my schedule, I almost changed my mind again and fled back to Georgia.