Wicked Lies by Mae Doyle
Chapter 19
My desk still hadn’t been replaced, so kept sitting in the back of math, which made working on my calculations hard, but it was better than sitting on the floor. I refused to do that, no matter how much easier it may have made things. Not only would I not have been able to see the front of the classroom, but I didn’t want my classmates to see me so low to the ground in front of them. Especially Jackie.
Any compassion that I may have seen in his eyes in the cafeteria on Sunday morning was gone. I was sure that it was him who sent the pizzas to my room, but how he got them delivered to Taylor Prep I never learned, because all of the rogues refused to talk about it.
“I wish you’d just tell me how you guys got them past the gates, because I would love to have pizza once a week.” It was Wednesday and Mr. Gessler hadn’t gotten to class yet, which meant that I wasn’t standing in the back. Instead, I’d walked over to where Kaleb sat and I’d poked him in the back to get his attention, but he refused to turn and look at me. “I’d even share with you if you’d teach me your tricks.”
That got his attention, and he whipped around so fast that his hair flopped a little with the movement. I felt my stomach lurch as I watched him. He was incredibly attractive, especially when he wasn’t looking at me with disgust or hate.
“What in the hell are you talking about, Rose? And besides, why would I want to share anything with you? I’d probably catch a disease.” He sneered at me, allowing his eyes to rake over my body. I hadn’t felt uncomfortable in my school uniform in a while, but the way he looked at me made me tug on my skirt. Maybe I’d gotten taller this semester, because it felt a little short on my thigh.
“The disease of being awesome,” I shot back, even as I cringed internally. I didn’t know what it was about Kaleb that tied up my tongue and made everything I said sound incredibly stupid. “And you didn’t seem worried about catching a disease on Saturday.” My cheeks felt like they were on fire. He chuckled, though, before he turned around, but before I could say anything else, Mr. Gessler strolled back in.
“I hope that you’re all ready for a test,” he announced, waving a pack of papers in the air. “It’s a surprise, but I just want to see how well you’re all going to do. There are some of you that I’m worried may not be able to continue with us in the new semester.” He let his eyes slip over the class, not staring at anyone in particular, but I felt myself get nervous. “So, do your best, don’t mess up, and prove to me that you belong in this class.”
He handed the tests to a student to pass out and I felt myself grow cold as soon as I looked at it. There was no way that I could handle all of the material on here. We’d covered some of it this semester, sure, but since I was a late transfer to Taylor Prep, there were some things on it that I wasn’t sure about. I glanced around and saw, with horror, that most everyone else in the class was bent over their work, their pencils flying.
Crap.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to stay as calm as possible and bent over my test. All I had to do was my best and I was sure that it would be fine. I may not have as strong a math base as everyone in here, but I knew that I deserved it just as much as them.
Even though I told myself that, it still took me 45 minutes longer than everyone else to finish.
“Have a little trouble, Miss Bennett?” Mr. Gessler’s voice was dry, but I still felt embarrassed. He hadn’t done anything to replace my chair and my desk, and then it seemed like he was almost happy that I’d struggled with the test.
“A little,” I admitted. I didn’t want to show any weakness in class, but it was obvious that I was the person in the class he was referring to as possibly not sticking with them next semester. “But I can study hard over break and make sure that I’m able to keep up in the spring.” I know that I sounded hopeful, and I heard the class chuckle behind me, but I didn’t give them the satisfaction of turning around to look at them.
“I think you’ll have to. Mr. Moore will be able to assist you with studying before break.” He looked past me and raised his voice. “Mr. Moore, will you come here please?”
I wasn’t sure which student he was calling up, but as long as they were willing to help me, I didn’t really care who it was. I needed to stay in this class so I could really impress when it was time to apply to colleges.
Kaleb appeared at my side. “Mr. Gessler, how can I help?” His eyes darted over to me, but he didn’t say anything to me.
The teacher waved his hand between the two of us. “You can make sure that Miss. Bennett here doesn’t crash and burn.” He picked up my test and glanced at it before tearing it in half and throwing it away. I swallowed hard as I watched him destroy my work. “Miss Bennett, you may take the test again right before break. If you and Mr. Moore work hard, he may be able to help you salvage your grades. If you fail it again then you’re out in the spring and you’ll need to find another teacher to have mercy on you, do you understand?”
Oh, I understood. I nodded and then turned to walk to the back of the classroom before anyone noticed that my eyes were burning. Kaleb was just a few feet behind me. I could feel his presence close to me. Before I made it to the bookshelf, where I had my things, he spoke.
“Every afternoon, do you understand? You’re not making me out to look like an idiot.”
“I have voice practice three times a week. I can’t cram it all in, so don’t be ridiculous.”
He shrugged. “Fine, fail. I don’t care. But if you’re not in the library at 4:00 every day then you’re fucked, got it? Miss one day and I’m out.”
My mouth dropped open and I turned back around before he could see the shock and pain on my face. I guess that our time at the dance really meant nothing. Just when I thought that I was beginning to break through with one of the rogues, I got shut back out.
Maybe they were right. Maybe I really didn’t belong here.
* * *
Voice wasn’t any better than math was. I was a little choked up from the stress of completely bombing my math test, and my throat was tight, which made it difficult for me to hit the high notes. Well, difficult may have been a bit of an understatement.
The entire day sucked and I didn’t see an end in sight, especially not when I was face-to-face with Amelia.
“You sound like a dying dog.” She picked a bit of nailpolish off of her finger before looking at me and then flicking it at me. A bright pink missile shot at me and landed on my arm until I brushed it away. “Everything ok, little Rose?”
I glared at her, well aware that Mrs. McKearin was around somewhere and wouldn’t want to hear us bickering. “Everything’s fine, Amelia. Just dealing with your harpies and the rogues, so my hands are a little full.
“They looked a little full on Saturday night. Don’t worry though, I don’t think that you’ll have to worry about any guy here wanting to kiss you again. I mean, the idea of getting with a virgin is exciting, but actually having to break one in? No, nobody wants that headache.”
“So they’d rather just be with a whore like you?” I batted my eyes at her, trying to look as innocent as possible, and was rewarded with a nasty glare that quickly slid off of her face as the teacher walked up.
“Did I hear you correctly, Rose?” Mrs. McKearin crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me. “Did you just call Amelia a whore?”
Shit. How did she hear me? My face burned bright and hot, and behind the teacher I could see that the harpies were all doing their best not to laugh. “I think you misheard.”
It was a lie, and we both knew it. “You know, Rose, you’ve been off since you got to class. I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re excused. Go back to your room and come back Friday with a better attitude.”
I stared at her. I’d never heard of teachers telling students to get out of class before, and I sure never expected it in voice. Math? Sure. Spanish? Quiet possibly, but voice? Never.
“We have practice tonight.” I was arguing, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t about to let Amelia take this from me.
“We do. You do not. Amelia will sing your part tonight. She’s your backup for the competition, anyway, so it’ll be good to have her run through it a few times. Don’t you worry about us, Rose, you just get out of here and get your head on straight.” She crossed her arms and tapped her foot while she waited for me to leave.
I grabbed my backpack and swung it up over my shoulder. “She’s not so innocent, you know.” It was a cheap shot, and one that wasn’t going to help me, but I was tired of taking it from the harpies without fighting back.
I had more to say, but the look on Mrs. McKearin’s face shut me up. Biting my lower lip, I tried to keep the tears from dripping from my eyes, and I turn and practically ran from the voice room. My backpack slapped against my back as I went, blinding navigating the halls before bursting outside.
The air was cooler than I had expected for the day, and I shivered, drawing my jacket tighter around me. Everyone else was still in class for a while, and I had time before my forced study session with Kaleb in the library. Even though I knew that I should go to my room and calm down, I didn’t want to be locked up inside. Instead of walking towards the dorms, I cut around the back of the building.
Harper had hold me one time that there was a creek down here, and I wanted to see if I could find it. I was deep in the woods and far away from the school when I heard a twig snap behind me. Instantly, I stood still, the hair on the back of my neck standing straight up. I hadn’t seen anyone on my way out there, but that obviously didn’t mean that I was alone.
Standing still, I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. I was suddenly overcome with a desire to turn around and see who was behind me, but I was too afraid to move.
I also didn’t know if I really wanted to see who was back there.
After a moment, when I didn’t hear anything, I took another step, then another, quickening my pace. The snapping didn’t happen again, but then I heard someone chuckle. I recognized the voice, but that didn’t give me any peace of mind.
“Now tell me, Rosa, what in the world are you doing out here on your own?” Brett’s voice cut through the silence of the woods, wrapping itself around me. I closed my eyes, feeling my heart start to race as I breathed faster. He was close behind me. Closer than he should be.
I turned around slowly, not wanting him to think that I was going to do something like make a run for it. Locking eyes with him, I forced a smile on my face. “I got kicked out of voice, so I decided to go for a little walk before my tutoring session.”
“Yeah, Kaleb told me that you’re going to need his help to pass your math class, Rose.” He closed the gap between us silently, and I realized that he probably stepped on the twig to make me hear him. Brett was able to move so quietly in the woods that it was almost like he was walking on air. Leaves on the trees didn’t rustle as he brushed past them and he didn’t kick any rocks or roots on his way to me.
It was a little unnerving, and I shivered.
“What are you doing out here?” It suddenly hit me that he should also be in class, but he just smiled and waved away my question.
“I saw you walk by the classroom and told the teacher that I had somewhere to be.” He shrugged, like it was no big deal.
“And they just let you leave class?” I knew that the rogues had a lot of pull at Taylor Prep, but this felt a little ridiculous.
He nodded. “Of course. Everyone saw you walk by, and the teachers all know that we have unfinished business.”
“Unfinished business?” I knew that I sounded like a parrot, but I was having trouble thinking straight. Brett and I hadn’t been alone like this since…well, since we were younger. I’d seen the way he looked at me at the dance this past weekend, and how he stared at me in the hallway, but now that it was just the two of us, I was nervous. My palms felt sweaty and I wiped them on my pants, still keeping my eyes on him.
“Come on, Rose. You know that you and I have some things to hash out, so let’s get to hashing.” His dark eyes locked on mine. This close to him, I could see that he had a faint sheen of sweat on his skin, even though it wasn’t warm out.
He was worried. That was something that I’d never seen before, and it made me even more nervous. If Brett was concerned about something then there was a very good chance that I should be, too.
