AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I can’t touch him. I’m afraid where that might lead.
I don’t want to look at him either, but I don’t have a choice. Avoiding his gaze would signify submission, so despite the sudden muscle weakness afflicting my entire body, I raise my gaze to meet his, my eyes narrowed with hateful displeasure.
Landon’s mouth tugs up with a hint of malice. He leans in even closer. “Like the dirty little slut she is? Why do you care? Maybe she likes it.” Then, his voice dropping suggestively, he adds, “Why don’t you tell me why itreallybothers you? You jealous, Johansson?”
I grind my teeth together. Comebacks fly from my brain to my mouth, but I swallow them all before any can escape.
Irefuseto swallow his bait.
Instead, voice low and a touch shakier than I want it to be, I say, “Get away from me.”
I’m not really worried about him pouncing on me here in the hall with so many people around, but the position we’re in, the closeness of our bodies… My brain can’t seem to convince my body it isn’t in immense peril.
He doesn’t budge. Instead, he asks softly, “Or what?” He brings his hand up, grazing my jawline with his knuckles before grabbing my jaw and forcing me to look up at him with my entire head instead of just my eyes. “You’ve got nothing to threaten me with, Parker. I’m the one holding every single card you care about. And you know I’ll light every fucking one of them on fire.”
I lick my lips, my heart pounding in my chest. I try to jerk my face from his grip, but it only tightens until it’s almost painful. He pushes me back against the wall and brings his body closer, crowding me.
My heart tumbles and falls. My hollow tummy twists. The edges of my vision begin to darken, and I can feel fear taking over and shutting me down.
“Hey.”
The sharp voice comes from behind Landon, and it pierces this bubble of aloneness he sucked me into.
Landon’s grip eases, but he stares me down for a moment longer before he releases my jaw and takes a step back. He looks over at the intruder, irritation rolling off him at the interruption.
Malek’s dark gaze hits me almost accusingly, as if it’smyfault Landon cornered me.
But rather than verbalize the fucked-up sentiment, he just nods for Landon to follow him and starts walking. “Come on. I’m fucking hungry.”
I stay there against the wall until Landon disappears from sight. My left arm is still curled protectively around my books. I’d completely forgotten I was carrying them.
I wait for the strength to return to my legs, and once I’m sure they’ll carry me, I push off the wall.
But I don’t feel any safer in his absence.
I don’t feel hungry anymore, either.
And the prospect of going to the same lunchroom he’ll be in, having to see him and feel his gaze on me from across the room?
Well, now it really does feel like the before times.
I fish my phone out of my purse and shoot off a quick text to Hannah. “You want to eat in your car today? I have two lunches.”
She answers promptly. “Sure. Everything okay?”
No.
“Yeah,” I text back. “I’ll meet you by your car.”
Chapter Nine
Parker
I don’t know what to wear to this stupid party.
I suppose it doesn’t matter, but I want to dress like everyone else so I can blend in and avoid notice. Will all the other girls change into another outfit for the party? Anae and Hannah both mentioned dresses, so will most girls probably opt for dresses or skirts?
I’m uncomfortable when there are gaps in my knowledge aboutanything, but the truth is, I’m probably more anxious than I want to admit about going and just fixating on the clothing issue. I’ve never cared before if I’m meeting the societal norms of anything, let alone partygoing.
