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When I opened them, I saw the stall door open with a smirking Harper holding my bag. In her other hand was a screwdriver. She wiggled it around.
“I figured you’d come prepared today,” she said triumphantly. “Unfortunately for you, I know you too well. So, I came prepared, too.”
I glared at her with soap-irritated eyes, thanking the heavens that foroncegetting shampoo in my eye was a good thing. Otherwise, when the stall opened, I would have been completely uncovered, and they may have snatched the towel, too.
“Harper,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “Trust me when I say… You donotwant to go down this road. You won’t like where it ends.”
“You like to threaten people a lot, don’t you?” she asked. “Do you feel powerful when you do?”
“I don’t know. Do you feel powerful when you’re torturing people? Do you feel insignificant in your ordinary, everyday life? Unseen? Unloved? Do you worry there are people who love me more than you? Is that why you continuously treat me like shit? Is that why you have your cronies treat me like shit? So, you’ll feel better about yourself?”
She barked out a laugh. “We both know Damian doesn’t love you. Neither does Asher, for that matter. They’re just toying with you. They’re trying to use you, which you’re makingincrediblyeasy, by the way. In the end, they’ll toss you away like trash. They’re trying to get rid of you.”
I gave her a crooked smile. “I’m not talking about Damian, sweetie. You knowexactlywho I mean.”
All amusement fell from her face when she realized I was talking about Rick. She was a daddy’s girl, through and through. More than anything, I knew she was terrified he loved me more than her. Both because I was his first born and also because he adopted her. She worried she was nothing more than the stepdaughter he gave his last name to.
Rage replaced her happiness, and she stepped back.
“You may as well finish washing the shampoo out of your hair. These are gone,” she said, lifting the bag before handing it to Becky.
“Let’s see if those bulky legs of yours can scurry out of there fast enough to catch me,” Becky said. “Pleasetry. I’d love to see you fall and bust your ass.”
“Oh, I’m going to havesomuch fun returning the favor,Becky,” I said, a dark smile crossing my face.
Harper rolled her eyes. “The tough act is getting old. We all know you’re pissed and embarrassed. Let’s see how you do walking all the way to the office like that.”
“Yeah, seems Alice has been called away for a meeting she didn’t remember,” Melinda said as she walked past the girls. She was the one I’d caught with the phone earlier.
“Adios!” Harper said, laughing along with all her minions as they headed out of the locker room.
I shut off the water and hopped into the stall next to mine, locking it and hanging my towel. All I needed to do was wash the shampoo out of my hair. They wouldn’t be able to unscrew the lock on this one as fast, not that they’d do it twice. Though, I had no idea what they were capable of.
After washing the shampoo out of my hair, I wrapped the large bath towel around my body and stepped out. “Thank you, God,” I mumbled as I realized just how big and luxurious the towels here were.
Back in Indiana, the schools used small towels. They were the cheapest of the cheap—tiny and scratchy as hell. These were thick, soft, and damn near big enough to be used as a beach towel. These were better than expensive hotel towels. It came in handy when wrapping it around my body after drying the bulk of the dripping water from my hair.
I walked to my locker and saw that it had, in fact, been vandalized. My face contorted in anger as I realized they stole my boots as well.
“Unbreakable lock, my ass. Fucking bitches.”
I sat on the bench and took a few breaths. Tears threatened to fill my eyes, but I knew I couldn’t allow it. If they spilled, my eyes would be red, and anyone who saw me would know. Though, after getting shampoo in them, they might have been red already. Regardless, I couldn’t let any tears squeak by. People would know Harper won. That she got to me.
I couldn’t let that happen.
“You can break down later,” I whispered to myself. “Just get through the day. One period left. You can do it. Don’t let those bitches win.”
Taking a deep breath, I stood and marched out of the locker room. I looked around the gym and didn’t see anyone. The office light was off, which meant Alice was definitely gone.
Forging ahead, I made my way down the hall, clutching my towel closed as I made my way through the remaining students. It was nearing the end of the passing period, so most had gone to class, but about half still lingered.
They watched with great interest. People whistled. Guys catcalled me. Girls called me names. Other girls looked at me with disgust. I felt like Cersei fucking Lannister doing theshamewalk. I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears. I just had to make it to the office. That’s all.
Just get to the office. They’ll give me clothes, and I can go on with my day.
When I finally made it to the office, I stopped cold as I saw the girl Damian had destroyed in the hallway yesterday. I didn’t know her name, but he’d ridiculed her about taking her virginity. Her eyes narrowed as she smiled. The only way toward the headmistress’ office was by her, and she knew it.
Not wanting to show weakness, I held my head high and walked forward. I kept as wide as I could, but it still wasn’t good enough. She kicked out, striking the side of my knee, and I went down.
