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“So why are people like Carla still nice to you even though you’re just messing everything up for her and for everyone else?” Jane pushes on mercilessly. She holds my gaze in silence for a second. “Because you’re a Petrov.”
“Exactly,” Leslie joins in. Crossing her arms, she gives me a disgusted once-over. “The only reason that Carla and the other girls, and literally anyone on campus, are nice to you is because they’re scared that your family will target them if they’re not. But no one actually likes you.”
“And no one wants you here,” Jane finishes.
My eyes burn and my throat has closed up, so all I manage to do is to stand there and stare back at them. Clenching my jaw hard, I try to keep myself from showing any of the emotions I truly feel.
Apparently, I’m unsuccessful, because Leslie and Jane exchange a knowing look.
“Told you she wouldn’t be able to handle the truth,” Leslie says with a shrug.
And with that, they turn and stride out of the locker room.
The three remaining girls in here with me glance from the now closing door and towards me. One of them opens her mouth as if to say something, but I can’t handle it right now. So I just turn around and hurry around to the other side of the metal lockers. I haven’t even finished getting dressed yet. My socks and shoes and my bag are still by my open locker, but I just need a moment to compose myself.
Once I reach a spot diagonally from the door, where none of the other three girls can see me, I at last let myself crumble.
Tears burn my eyes as I lean back against the wall. It only takes another few seconds for them to start falling. Pain radiates from my heart.
Pressing a hand over my mouth to muffle my sobs, I slide down the wall until I’m sitting on the floor. Tears stream down my cheeks. My chest aches.
Soft rustling sounds come from across the room where the other three girls finish getting dressed. I will miss lunch entirely if I stay here too long. But I can’t face the outside world just yet. Not when my body is shaking with each painful sob that rips out of my soul.
So I sit there on the cold hard floor.
And I cry.
28
KADEN
Once again, I can’t help but wonder if my little doe is hiding from me. Practically her entire class has already exited the women’s locker room, but there is still no sign of Alina. Leaning against the wall halfway down the corridor, I watch as yet another girl who isn’t Alina walks out the door and disappears down the hall in the other direction.
With my arms crossed over my chest, I tap my fingers restlessly against my bicep as I wait another minute.
But my patience ran out days ago, and now I’m done waiting. Only targeting the useless men of the Petrov family isn’t nearly as satisfying as messing with Alina, so her week of grace is now officially over.
Pushing off from the wall, I stalk down the hall and towards the door to the women’s locker room. The restless impatience swirling in my chest urges me to just yank the door open and stalk inside. But just in case there are other women in there apart from Alina, I decide to edge the door open carefully and glance inside first.
I’ve only opened the door about two inches when I see her.
And my heart stops.
Holding that tiny crack in the door open, I just stand there frozen on the floor and stare in shock at the sight before me.
Alina is sitting on the floor with her back against the wall diagonally from where the door is located, hidden behind a row of lockers. But she’s visible from this angle. Her shoulders shake, and she’s pressing a hand over her mouth. Tears stream down her cheeks.
She’s… crying.
Alina Petrov is crying.
Despite all of the humiliation and danger I have subjected her to, she has never cried like this. Some broken sobs when she’s begging me to let her come, yes. But never outright cried. Not like this.
Rage burns through me like wildfire. It’s so intense that my vision fails for a second and I can’t hear anything over the roaring in my ears.
Why is Alina crying?
Who made her cry?
