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He pulled back after a moment, both of us breathing a bit heavier. I shrieked when someone yanked me backward by my hair. Seth caught me before I could fall, his hands gripping my hips, quickly yanking me back to him, one of his arms wrapping around my upper back. “Keep your goddamn hands off of her,” Seth snarled at whoever had grabbed me.
“But Seth—” a female voice whined from behind me. I tried to turn to see who it was, but Seth prevented me from doing so.
I looked up at Seth, tears springing to my eyes. I was trying to hide how I felt. I really was. But I fucking couldn’t.
I yanked away from him. “Bailey, please,” he begged, reaching out to grab me again, but I smacked his hand away, glaring at him through my tears.
We may have not been together, but he had turned me into a fucking fool.
I shook my head at him and turned to Gemma, silently pleading with her to get me away from him.
I should have listened to Mom and Dad. I should have just stayed home.
Once I had my things out of my locker and was settling into my seat in first period, Gemma gave me a small hug. I looked up at her as she let me go, standing back up to her full height. “Jeffrey’s going to help you to second period,” she said, thrusting her thumb toward one of the guys that I vaguely remembered as one of our basketball players.
I nodded at her, giving the guy a small smile. He only gave me a single head nod before turning to the guy sitting next to him. Gemma gently squeezed my hand before slipping from the room, shooting Seth a dirty look as she passed him.
He sauntered into the classroom like he owned the place, and a scowl settled over his features when he saw me sitting in his seat, but I hadn’t had much of a choice. I couldn’t get in mine with my injuries.
“You’re in my seat,” he snarked.
I knew he was trying to pick a fight. In the little time I had known Seth, I knew this was the kind of shit he did, and I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of riling me up. Instead, I just clenched my jaw and moved to stand so I could figure out a way into my own seat.
He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face, resting his other hand on my shoulder to keep me seated. “No. Don’t. I’m being a dick,” he muttered. I almost applauded him for recognizing that shitty part of himself.
He got in my seat without another word, his actions shocking the hell out of me.
The teacher walked in with my Aunt Carla before I could dwell on Seth’s actions any longer. “I need to see Bailey and Seth,” my aunt said, looking directly at me.
I cringed. Something in my gut told me this was going to be about yesterday.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Seth swore as he got up out of his seat. Before I could begin trying to maneuver out of my chair, he grabbed me under my arms and helped me up. My cheeks flamed, but I stayed silent, keeping my eyes on his chest instead of his face, unable to look up at him.
My aunt’s eyes widened at the sight of me. The teacher gasped in horror. I cringed again. I hated being the center of attention.
Seth grabbed my bag and slung it over his shoulder before wrapping an arm around my waist, basically completely supporting me as he helped me walk out into the hallway.
“You good?” he quietly asked me when I hissed a breath through my teeth.
I nodded, my eyes locked on the classroom door that was slowly coming closer.
“Bailey, you look horrible. Your face is all scratched up and everything,” Aunt Carla said as soon as the door was closed behind us, her voice and expression horrified. “I mean, yeah, Ian called and told me what happened, but God.”
I shrugged. “It was an accident,” I told her. “It was that or get crushed by a falling limb. Trent decided flipping the ATV was the best option,” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.
She took me from Seth who growled in annoyance and helped me into the AP office. Once we were seated in her office, she closed the door behind us, taking a seat behind her desk across from us. I fidgeted, a bad feeling settling in the pit of my stomach.
She clasped her hands on top of her desk, looking between the both of us as she did so. “Would one of you mind explaining to me why you both skipped class yesterday?”
I cringed, looking up at Seth. “We just didn’t want to be in school,” Seth said, shrugging as he slouched back in his seat. I scowled at him.
What a douche.
“Well, since you didn’twant to be in school,” Aunt Carla said angrily, “you both have three days at home. I’m calling your parents also.”
Seth straightened up in his seat, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed, suddenly looking unsure. I scoffed, but he didn’t pay me a bit of mind.
She picked up the phone and dialed a number. “Hey, Ian.” I cringed. “Bailey has three days at home.”
