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He takes my hand, and we leave the school. We spend the rest of the day hanging out, watching movies, and eating junk food at his place. The next day, I feel uneasy walking back into the school until I spot Will Metherly naked and handcuffed to the flagpole out front.
When I see this, my attention goes right to Blaise. He smiles. Then, holding my hand, he leads me into the school where Ryder and Reece are waiting for us by their lockers.
“Will Metherly is having a bad day, isn’t he?” Reece remarks as he bumps his locker shut. “Bet he’ll think twice about making anyone else’s day shitty.” He winks at me.
Ryder almost smiles at that, which is big for him since he hardly ever smiles.
While they never flat-out say it, I know they’re the ones who did that to Will.
Just like I know they’ll always protect me, even when I’m unaware they are.
TWENTY-FOUR
ALLURA
“I have to go inside now,” Blaise tells me hesitantly when we arrive at the top of the spiraling stairway. The rest of the party is lined up; the guys in tuxedos and the girls in red dress. We stop at the end of the line and Blaise faces me. “Are you going to be okay for now?” His intense gaze carries mine.
I nod, even though doubt weighs down my chest.
Reluctance masks his expression, but he ultimately squeezes my hand and strides into the room where the ceremony will take place.
Jessa is at the front of the line, holding a bouquet of red roses that matches her silk, floor-length strapless dress. She leans forward, catches my eye, and mouths, “Are you okay?”
I can barely manage a nod, my panic biting at the surface again.
Luckily—and this is probably the only time I’ll ever say this—my mother shows up and offers me a distraction from my impending meltdown. Like with the rest of the ceremony party, she’s wearing red, but her dress also has black lace woven into the fabric. Her hair is pulled up in a bun with roses trimming around it, her eyes are lined with liner, and she’s wearing a ruby necklace that sparkles in the crystal-eque lighting.
“Are you ready?” she asks as she eyes over my dress, hair, and necklace, checking to make sure I’m the perfect little presentable doll she’s forced me to become.
“No. But does it matter?” I fiddle with the black diamond pendant necklace dangling around my neck. I bought it at an antique shop a handful of years ago. It’s old and scratched up, but I liked that about it—that it’s not shiny and overly polished, but scuffed with marks that tell quiet stories.
She inches closer and places a hand on my arm, her grip tight. “You will go through with this, Allura. And I’m here to warn you that things will be said at the ceremony that you won’t want to agree to, but you will, or things will get much worse for you. Do you understand me?”
I grit my teeth. “Yes, Mother. What you want from me has always been crystal clear.”
She withdraws her hand. “I know you think I’m a monster, but I’m doing this to protect you. One day, you’ll understand that.”
“Doubtful,” I mutter, eliciting a frown from her.
She slants closer to me. “You have no idea about the world you live in, Allura. You may think you do, but you don’t. And this—all of this—is to protect you. I know you hate me, but I’ve done my best. I want you to know that. This ceremony, it’s my way of protecting you. And while I may not show it, you are my daughter, and I do care about you.”
What the actual hell is happening right now?
Before I can ask, my father steps out from a hallway to our right and walks up to us, his presence silencing the conversation.
He’s wearing a tuxedo with a red shirt underneath it and a black tie, and he has lipstick on the collar that doesn’t match the shade my mother is wearing. Everyone, including her, will ignore that, though.
He barely acknowledges me, addressing my mother as he asks, “Is everything ready to go?”
“Yes, dear,” she replies in that obedient tone she only uses with him.
“Good. Let’s get this over with so we can move forward with uniting the families.” He runs his fingers through his hair as she fixes his tie. “This is the mark of a new era.” He lowers his hand as my mother moves away and looks at me. “And Allura?”
Him suddenly addressing me causes me to startle.
I blink. “Yeah?”
“Don’t mess this up for me,” he warns darkly.
