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He looks at me like the dirt under his shoes when he says, “Everyone knows the truth about you now.
Everyone knows who you are. You were run out of LA, and now the same thing is going to happen here.”
Gia disappears at the sight of him, and I’m glad, because I don’t want her anywhere near him. But Nyah takes a step away, twisting her hands in front of her while chewing on her lip.
Brandon steps closer to me, but I still feel like there’s no air in the hall, so I back away. He follows, and I end up against the locker. He slams his palms beside my head, caging me in like he loves doing, and lowers his head to my eye level. His eyes are bloodshot, and the cinnamon of his gum fans my face when he whispers, “I told you what would happen. You sent me to voicemail every time I tried calling yesterday. All you had to do was give me my goddamn phone back and this could’ve been avoided.”
My phone was off all weekend. It’sstilloff.
I try to shove him away, but he resists, instead pushing against my hands and demanding, “Where is myfuckingphone? I can make this so much worse for you than it already is.”
Not a single person in the crowded hallway intervenes, and anxiety squeezes my throat as I force out, “Getoffof me, Brandon.”
He shifts his foot away, having learned from the last time I stomped on it to remove him from my space, and my brain whirls as I try to think of my options.
“Siena!” a voice calls from down the hall. It’s Gia, and she’s with Jason.
Brandon doesn’t move from my space, nor does he lift his arms from where they’ve caged me in. He only turns his head to find Jason storming down the hallway. He’s so pissed I can practically feel the steam coming out of his ears from here, and relief floods my body.
The only reason Jason hasn’t killed Brandon like he’s been itching to yet is because I’ve pleaded with him to drop it, begged him not to fight him and jeopardize his own future. Because he respects my wishes over his own need for vengeance, he’s stayed away, but judging from the way he’s storming down the hall, I think that’s completely gone out the window. He’s focused on Brandon with a look that promises pain, promises todestroyhim for the way he’s backed me into the lockersagain.
Brandon must havesomesense of self-preservation because he backs off me slightly, and that gives me my opportunity. Focusing energy and strength, I drive my leg up and knee him right in the balls.
“Oh,fuck! Youbitch!” he shouts, stumbling away from me.
His friends are standing back watching us with wide eyes. They didn’t hear anything Brandon said about his phone, but they sure do hear the swear words leaving his mouth as he hunches over.
Jason’s here now, and I grab his arm and clutch it to my chest as he passes, forcing him to abandon his single-minded goal of getting to Brandon.
Brandon straightens up, rolling his neck out like he’s preparing for the imminent fight, and I squeeze Jason’s bicep harder to my chest. I’m not worried about Jason getting hurt; I’m still worried about him getting in trouble.
Before either boy can decide what to do, a commanding voice demands, “What is going on here?” It’s a teacher who’s emerged from her classroom. Another stands beside her, and they both look around at the scene expectantly.
“The bell will be ringing any second now. Get to class, everyone!”
No one moves. Brandon and Jason don’t drop their gazes, and Brandon’s nostrils flare as he takes a step forward.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Jason says. “You think you’re the only one with blackmail material? What do you think will happen when everyone finds out what you’ve been doing? What you’ve been hiding from them?”
Brandon’s face morphs as rage takes over, and he attempts to lunge at Jason, but his friends grab him, holding him back, reminding him there are two teachers herding kids to class only a few steps away.
Over his friends’ shoulders, Brandon, red-faced and fuming, shouts, “I knew you had my phone! I fucking knew it! I want it back! I’mgettingit back!”
His friends drag him away as the teachers force everyone to disperse, and Jason stands guard beside me until he’s out of sight.
“You okay?” he asks me, and I release my death grip on him.
“Yeah, he technically didn’t touch me,” I say as we move to the side so we’re not directly in the middle of the hall. People are still gawking and talking about us, and Gia’s friend Lindsey runs over to her.
“Do you know something I don’t?” I ask Jason. “Did you see how he reacted? He wasfurious. What were you talking about?”
“Nothing at all. I was bluffing.”
“Well, it worked. He basically confirmed he’s hiding something on his phone that people would freak out about if they learned the truth! We have to get into his phone. Tonight, we should—”
A beep sounds before a woman’s voice fills the hall from the school-wide intercom system. “Siena Amato, please come to the principal’s office immediately. Siena Amato to the principal’s office.”
“Shit. Do you think they’ve heard about everything going on? Have you heard about the picture?” I ask Jason, who grimaces in response. That must be a yes.
