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Where are you?
Instead of skittering hot on my heels to meet her in the dining hall, I decided to scope out the courtyard first. I’d seen Rhett cut through here a few times, so I figured it was worth a shot to see if he'd stick to his usual path or opt to switch things up today. I’d been hovering around for about five minutes now and my luck was just as shitty than it was this morning.
Samara: Hunting.
Sky: Seriously, Samara, just let it go. You’re gonna make things worse.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes, darkening the display. She was probably right. Letting it go would be the better option. And I should… I definitely should.
Too bad I had a nasty habit of being incredulously stubborn when it came to following people’s advice.
My phone buzzed again.
They’re in the dining hall.
I smirked down at the message and put my phone away. As I made my way there, with the same scowl I’d been wearing all day still glued on my face, I stepped inside, sliding my gaze right over where they were sitting.
They didn’t notice me right away. It wasn’t until I’d finished stockpiling my tray and faced the tables when Rhett noticed me first. He wore a handsome smile, so lush it should be a fucking crime. That smile spread a strange warmth within me, threatening to melt the ice around my shell.
I didn’t let it.
As my glare deepened, daggering ruthlessly between the three of them, slowly that cute little smile dissipated. With a nudge to Isaac’s shoulder, Rhett whispered something to him. Isaac cocked his head hard to the side and like the sick perv he is, fondled me with his eyes. And Phantom, when his eyes locked defiantly with mine, his lips curled up in a deep, shrewd smirk.
Fucking bastards!
My instincts had my feet wandering their way. But then two strong hands clasped around both of my arms, tugging me in the opposite direction.
“God damnit,” I cursed under my breath.
“It’s for your own good,” Brian muttered. “Sky told me what happened. This is what they want, Samara. Don’t add more fuel to the fire.”
With Brian on my left and Sky on my right, they led me far away from the Ravagers and refused to release my arms until I agreed to sit down. When I finally complied, they both sat next to me, eyeing me down.
I said nothing and ferociously stabbed at my mac and cheese with my fork.
“We get it,” Sky started, sighing as she reached a hand up behind me to soothingly rub my back. “They’re dicks, and yes, they deserve a massive beatdown for what they did to you. But Brian’s right, Samara. Theywantyou to cause a scene. The more you fight them, the harder they’ll fire back. It gets them off. Please trust me when I tell you that it isn’t worth it.”
“I’m being tossed in the dungeon thanks to the shit they pulled.”
“I’m not so sure it was a group effort,” commented Brian.
Sky and I snapped our heads at him. “Come again?” said Sky.
He looked around, double checking to ensure we were clear from eavesdroppers before he spoke again. “I share third period with both Kinsley and Phantom. If what I heard is correct, then Isaac and Rhett played no part in it. It was Kinsley’s plan, but Phantom put in the work to make it happen.”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” I asked.
“Other than the guy being a complete psychopath with feral anger issues, Phantom is insanely smart, especially with anything computer related. He’s a hacker—and I mean he’s criminally ingenious at it.”
I turned to Sky then, ragingly pissed that she’d yet again failed to mention this to me. But as I took in her expression, the absolute shock imprinted on every crease of her face, I swallowed every inch of that rage right back down. She didn’t know.
“Like I said,” Brian continued, regaining both my and Sky’s attention, “this was all Phantom and Kinsley’s doing. I’m not saying that Rhett and Isaac are entirely innocent human beings, but pertaining to this current situation, they are.”
A low growl rattled through my chest. I stabbed another cheesy noodle and brought it to my mouth, saying nothing.
“I know it sucks,” Sky spoke next, “but just play along, Samara. The best way to get on their good side is to abide by the rules and do whatever they say if you cross paths with them. It’ll take the heat off of you and eventually they’ll leave you alone altogether.”
Something told me that wouldn’t be the case when it came to those three. But I did have to admit that Sky made a damn good point. Fighting them and their bullshit heinous acts against me would only make my job harder. This really fucking sucked ass, but in order to complete my final trial, I had to do this. I had to fall in line and play this ludicrous fucking game of follow the leader.
