Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
I force myself to take a deep breath, silently reminding myself not to let her get to me. She’s a bitch, but her words should have no effect on me. And yet I’m too nervous about defending myself. Something gives me the feeling she’d turn that against me too, and maybe even Luciana. The last thing I want to do is get my friend in trouble.
“How do you want me to make it up to you?” I ask, hoping I don’t seem as weak as I sound in my head. “Spit it out and I’ll see what I can do.”
“A double date,” she winks at me. “For some bizarre fucking reason, my guy’s friend requested I bring you with me as the other girl.”
My heart speeds up. Who’d want to go on a date with me? For a moment I let myself hope, imagining that it was Julian. But I know well enough how much he hates me. He wants nothing to do with me. A double date must be the furthest thing from his mind.
“I don’t want to,” I mutter. “I understand my status means I’m beneath you, Adrianna, but you can’t use me like this.”
Her eyes instantly darken and she spits out, “Didn’t realize I was giving you much of a choice.”
I shrug. “I don’t want to do it, and you’ll just have to come to terms with that.”
Her glare looks like it could kill, but finally she just sighs and shrugs before leaving the library. With a heavy sigh, I lean back against my chair. I try to get back to reading, but the words before my eyes are dancing in front of me and I can’t focus on a fucking thing.
“Are you okay?” Luciana asks softly. “That girl is so mean. She really thinks she can boss anybody around, like we’re her puppets or something.”
“I’m fine, don’t worry.” I give her what I hope is a reassuring smile. “I’m trying not to let her get to me… She is awful though.”
“Couldn’t agree more. But I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself.”
We beam at one another before returning to our books. For me, the matter is as good as closed.
“Do you want to try some of this moisturizer?” Luciana asks, passing over a jar. “I think you’d like it.” “Thanks,” I mutter, gratefully scooping some out and giving her a smile. “You’re a good friend, Luciana.”
I think she must’ve noticed I don’t have a lot. My beauty supplies are running short. I do have some clothes, the stuff the police didn’t confiscate, but I know there’s not a chance in hell my parents can afford the things I’ve now come to depend on.
We’re in the room we share now, already dressed in pajamas even though it’s still early and a Friday evening. But we watched some old movies together and chat through them, and it’s the perfect evening in with a friend that I’ve been craving.
We settle on Luciana’s bed with her laptop in front of us. I even made a bowl of microwave popcorn. We both dig in as the movie starts, but unfortunately for us, the moment doesn’t last long.
The doors open and a gaggle of girls walk inside.
“Hey!” I call out. “That door was locked!”
“Got a master key from the handyman,” one girl winks wickedly.
“Yeah, it’s a wonder what that man will let us get away with just cause his sleazy, pervert ass thinks we’re hot.” Adrianna saunters up to the front and smirks at me. “Hey, loser. Remember that date you refused to go on?”
I narrow my eyes at her, refusing to give her an answer.
“Well, you’re fucking going,” she hisses before clicking her fingers at another girl. “Get those cuffs on her, we don’t have all fucking day.”
Two other girls approach me. One drags me off Luciana’s bed by my hair while I shriek, but Luciana is shivering, helpless and outnumbered against the rest of them.
The other girl produces a pair of handcuffs and puts them on my wrists. Before I can even react, I’ve been locked in, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it as the girls drag me away.
“I’m sorry,” Luciana calls out after me. “I’ll call the TA.”
“Don’t bother,” I let out bitterly.
The girls force me down the hallway and into another room that’s much more spacious than mine and Luciana’s. It makes me wonder why she didn’t get the best one – she’s the principal’s daughter, after all. Surely that should come with its own sets of bonuses.
Forcibly, Adrianna sits me down in front of a vanity and shoos most of the other girls away. I sit there fucking stewing with my hands uselessly cuffed in my lap.
“You look like a mess,” she scoffs. “Not a hint of makeup. Who do you think you are?”