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I busy myself by pulling out my paper and making sure I have everything in order to turn it in. Hudson goes back to ignoring me, but I can’t get the sight of his infuriating smirk out of my head. They have something planned and everything about the thought unnerves me.
Everything for my assignment is perfect and ready. I glance up at the professor and he’s still working on his computer. I pull out my phone, but I don’t have anything from Carson yet. Whatever they’ve done, it hasn’t made it back to him.
I tap my nails against the desk as unease washes through me. Reaching up and finding my necklace helps soothe some of the anxiety. I miss my parents. I hold onto the delicate emerald tightly, trying to find comfort in knowing it’s there. Reminding myself that even if everything else feels like it’s burning down around me, my parents will always support me.
The professor calls for our attention and I drop my hand away from the necklace and focus on the front of the class. I take a deep breath as he calls for us to pass our assignments forward. There’s a few minutes of shuffling papers before everyone starts passing them forward. Hudson turns back to stare at me. “What did you write about, Sunshine Girl? The best ways to stab your friends in the back? A how to guide on turning friends into enemies? You seem to excel at that.”
I clench my teeth as I hand him my paper, refusing to meet his eyes. I don’t want him to see just how deep his words cut. The fact I’ve hurt them so badly they’ve turned into this. Turned against me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for it. Even if I have a reason.
“Aww come on, Bri. You don’t want to play with me?”
“Grow up, Hudson,” I spit out, needing him to just turn around and act like I don’t exist once more. It would be better for everyone if I didn’t. If I could just fade into nothing. He chuckles and turns back around, grabbing his own paper and adding it to the pile. I look away, there’s nothing but more pain and guilt I’ll gain from watching him.
Class passes by slowly, my anxiety never easing about what I’ll be facing after class, except it never comes. Hudson rises out of his seat when the professor dismisses us, throwing a wink at me over his shoulder before leaving.
I stay seated, waiting for my phone to blow up, or the whispers to turn into roars of whatever new scandal they’ve concocted. Nothing happens, only making me more nervous.
The professor looks up and finds me still sitting quietly. “Everything okay, Miss Montgomery?”
His voice snaps me out of my quickly building panic attack. “Yes. Sorry, Professor!” I rush to gather my stuff as he watches me warily. I rush out of class and head to my next class. I’ll have to hurry if I don’t want to be late.
I pull my phone out and text Shelby to see if she wants to meet for a quick coffee date after this class. She has a break about the same time as mine and I could use the distraction.
When I rush into Biology, I’m relieved to find Ashton and Elias in their regular seats, clear across the room from my own. I quickly take my seat and refuse to look their way. I don’t need anything else to fuel the anxiety building in the pit of my stomach.
Maybe this was Hudson’s plan.
How pathetic am I? All he has to do is smirk and wink my way and I’m a mess for the rest of the day. I must make the easiest target they’ve ever had.
At least Bio passes quickly and I don’t have any interactions with either of the other guys. I can feel their eyes burning into the back of my head, but nothing more than that. As soon as class ends, I rush out, not giving them the chance to get into my head any more than Hudson already has.
Fuck. I still have Math with Z later. They really couldn’t allow me to have any breaks, could they?
I go straight to the coffee shop and a genuine smile breaks through when I find Shelby already sitting at a table with two cups of coffee. I practically collapse into the seat across from her and lunge for my coffee.
“What the fuck happened to you?” Shelby asks with wide eyes. “It’s only been a few hours and you look exhausted.”
I sigh, my whole body feeling weighed down by the possibilities of what could be coming next. “I think the guys are planning something,” I admit.
She grimaces. “What exactly…” she gets cut off by my phone ringing.
I tense as I pull my phone out of my bag, nervous for what I’m going to find. When I see it’s just Vanessa Facetiming me, relief floods through my body and a genuine grin spreads across my face. Shelby also relaxes at my expression and I know she was worried about who was calling me too.
As Vanessa’s face fills the screen, Shelby moves over to sit next to me so we can both talk to her.
“Hey, beautiful ladies,” V exclaims. Just seeing her face quietens some of the unease I’ve been feeling.
“Hi, V.” Sadness seeps into my tone and I know she hears it when she narrows her gaze at me.
“None of that, B.” She waves her hand at me as she scolds me. I chuckle. I miss my best friend. I reach up to my necklace again, twirling the emerald around my fingers.
“What the fuck is going on over there?” V demands.
I raise a brow in question, but Shelby chimes in, “That’s what I was just asking her! Exhaustion is practically pouring off her in waves.”
“It’s just been a long Monday,” I defend.
“It’s barely even noon,” Vanessa huffs. “You’re playing with your Cartier necklace. That isn’t just being tired. You're nervous about something. Really nervous. What’s going on?”
