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“Leave me alone,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel.
“Aw, what’s wrong?” Eric taunts, moving closer. “Can’t handle being called out for what you are? A whore and a low-class bitch who thinks she’s better than everyone.”
“Shut it,” I growl, anger flaring in my gut.
“Hit a nerve, did we?” Robbie laughs. His laughter is sharp, cruel. Other students start to circlearound us, drawn by the commotion, hungry for some drama to begin their day.
“Look at her,” someone shouts from the crowd. “Thinks she’s all pure and innocent, but we all know she turned on her friends.”
“Betrayal suits you,” another voice jeers.
I’m surrounded, each insult a slap to my face, a strike to my heart. They don’t know a damn thing about me or what happened; I’m the fucking victim, but they’re making it out like I was out to get Stanley. All I wanted was to be left alone.
Their words cut deep, opening wounds I thought I’d managed to hide. I stand there, clutching my books, fighting the urge to scream, to lash out, to do anything but feel so fucking helpless.
“Little bitch whore,” the girl taunts. “Couldn’t get her own guy, so she had to take mine.”
“What?”
Staring into her cruel brown eyes, she spits at me. I stumble back, shocked at the abrasive action.
They close in. I have nowhere to turn.
But like a break in the clouds, Ben steps into the circle. Silence falls heavy around us, the taunts dying on lips that suddenly seem unsure. The bullies’ faces turn pale, and I can almost smell the fear rolling off them as they step back, giving space to the guy who commands it without saying a word.
“Problem here?” Ben’s voice is low and calm, but something underneath it makes my skin prickle.
“No problem, Ben,” Eric mutters, and the crowd parts quickly as he and Robbie disappear into it. Theothers follow suit, leaving me standing there, shaking.
Without thinking, I lunge at Ben, wrapping one arm around him as I smash my books against his chest. Relief floods through me, so intense it’s nearly painful. I hear more whispers, hushed and cruel.
“Fucking the Four Cardinals, probably. Who knew she was such a slut?”
Laughter follows, and I bite back the tears, not even knowing what they’re talking about.
“Thanks,” I manage to say into Ben’s shirt, my voice muffled. He doesn’t hug me back right away, but then his arms come around me, and it feels like a piece of the chaos inside me settles.
Pulling away quickly when I remember the ritual in the cellar, I trip over my feet and, shaking my head, I hurry away, needing space. Needing to get away from everyone and everything. It’s all overwhelming me and as I race into the old KG building and push my way into the ladies’ room, I stumble into a stall and let out the choked sob that was thick in my throat.
‘The Four Cardinals.’ The name buzzes in my head. Have I heard that term before? I can’t remember. My head is focused on academics, not people.
Shaking my head to clear it, knowing I have to move or be late when I open the stall door, I come face-to-face with the second-year girl who had mouthed off the loudest, now alone, fixing her lipstick in the mirror. Her eyes dart up, meeting mine in the reflection, and she gives me a cruel smirk.
“Well, if it isn’t little, slutty bitch.”
It lights a fire under my ass like nothing ever has before. Why do these bullies think it’s okay to talk to people like this?
“Hey,” I snap, slamming my books down on the countertop beside her, making her jump. “You need to shut your fucking face and listen.”
Her eyes widen in surprise at my force. She clearly wasn’t expecting it, and quite frankly, neither was I.
“Ever, I?—“
“Don’t even think about using my namenow.”
She starts to back away, her hands up, and I smirk. She’s got a vicious mouth when she’s got friends at her back, but here, alone in the bathroom, she’s just another cowardly bully.
Good to fucking know.
