Page 65 of The Intruder

If she knew I went into her backpack, it's not surprising she figured out I took her notebook. But this is the worst possible moment for her to have that revelation. All I can do is deny it. Whatever she’s angry at me for, I don’t need to add theft to my list of crimes. “Notebook?”

She takes another step toward me, the knife gripped tightly in her right hand. “Stop playing dumb. I had a notebook in my bag. Where is it?”

I can only shake my head, my mouth too dry to speak. My heart is pounding so hard, my chest aches. It would be easy enough to give her back the notebook, but somehow, I don’t want to.

She keeps coming at me. The blade flashes in the candlelight, and I feel like I’m going to faint. I have a decent pain tolerance, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to handle a knife sinking into my flesh.

“Fine,” she says. “Have it your way. Keep the notebook. I don’t care.”

She’s a foot away from me. If I were able to extend my arm, I could reach out and touch her.

“I’m begging you,” I say. “Please. Whatever I’ve done, give me a chance to make it right.”

She doesn’t say a word. She just keeps coming.

“Please.” Tears are stinging my eyes. “I swear, I’m a good person. I saved your life, didn’t I? I want to help you. Whatever you need, I’m here for you. I promise.”

I am a good person. I am. Okay fine, I’ve done a few things in my life that were not so great. One of them was enough to get me fired and blow up my life. But I always meant well. Truly.

Eleanor is behind me now. I can see her shadow on the floor, which is how I know she’s bending down. I can feel her hot breath on my neck. The drawing showed a woman with a missing ear and a missing eye—that’s what she intends to do to me. And bound like I am, I am completely helpless. More helpless than I’ve felt in a very long time.

I close my eyes, bracing myself for that first cut. I can almost feel the sharp edge biting into my skin, cutting through skin, fat, muscle—maybe even bone. The fear is enough to make my eyes fly open again.

So I watch her shadow as she raises the blade into the air. Then she brings it down hard.

47

BEFORE

ELLA

I don’t want to tell Anton what happened in the middle of the cafeteria, so we agree to meet behind the school after the bell. He was really careful not to get in trouble today, just to make sure he doesn’t get detention again. He’s working very hard on his pulse control. I hope he can do it. I don’t want anything to go wrong with Anton’s heart. If something happened to him, I don’t know what I’d do. He’s my only friend.

When I get out back, Anton is sitting on a bench waiting for me, his backpack between his legs. When he sees me, his face lights up, although his smile falters slightly when he catches the look on my own face.

“Ella,” he says. “What happened?”

I sit beside him on the bench, and then I tell him everything. Everything. I tell him about sneaking around the Carters’ house, about showing up at Dr. Carter’s office, and even about the revelation that my real father was in prison. When I tell him that last part, I almost regret it. That’s not the sort of thing you’re supposed to go around telling people. Anton isn’t going to want to hang out with me once he knows where I come from.

Except weirdly, it doesn’t seem to bother him at all.

“You’re lucky you’re not part of that stuck-up family,” he says.

“I’m not sure about that.”

“It’s true,” he insists. “People like that act like they’re so much better than everyone else, but they’re not. Trust me.”

“Well, they’re better than a guy who was in prison.” I drop my eyes. “I can’t believe my dad is a criminal. Please don’t tell anyone.”

He lays a hand on his chest. “I would never tell anyone. I swear. You can trust me, Ella.”

“I know.” I scrape at the wood of the bench with my fingernail hard enough to leave a mark. “It’s just so unfair! People like Brittany get born into this amazing family with parents who love her no matter what. It’s not like she earned it or anything.”

“It is unfair,” he agrees.

I grit my teeth. “We should do something to even the score. You know?”

Anton scratches at his green hair. “I know! We could sneak some hair removal cream into her shampoo so all her hair will fall out. My mom has a ton of it in the bathroom.”