Nicole’s face twists in pure panic as her gaze bounces between Levi and Dan.
My cheeks flame with rolling anger. Levi doesn’t get to do this after he set out to ruin my life.
He looks around him as if searching for someone in specific, but he’s not. He’s just making eye contact with as many kids as possible.
Everyone —literally everyone— either flinches or cowers away whenever he meets their gazes.
“Does anyone else have another slut remark they’d like to grace us with?” he keeps his cool tone.
But I know that fake coolness.
It’s something he uses to pull everyone in just so he can destroy them afterwards.
The best wars are won through calm, not a raging storm.
Aiden, Xander, Cole, and Ronan are like his generals. They’re all glaring everyone down like they’re soldiers.
It’s scary how they can make an entire party submit to them with just a few words.
“I do.” Someone raises a beer, pushing through the crowd to make his way to Levi.
Christopher Vans.
He stands in front of me and spits on the ground. All I can smell is alcohol. Black circles surround his bloodshot eyes.
“Is this the new slut you’re banging, King? Doesn’t look all that something to me.”
Dan charges forward, but I pull him back. If anyone will put this scum down, then it’s going to be me.
“I’m no one’s slut,” I grit out.
“Didn’t hear you.” He laughs.
“Are you done?” Levi’s face remains nonchalant, but a muscle ticks in his jaw.
“What?” Christopher sways on his feet and hits him with a bottle of beer to his chest. “You’re going to call me a slut, too?”
“At least those are useful. You’re not.” Levi straightens unti
l he’s a few inches taller than Christopher. “You’re such a fucking failure that even freshman can take your place on the team now.”
The kids gasp.
Like me, everyone knows how close Levi and Christopher have been for years.
But it must be true that they grew apart since the beginning of the year.
Christopher swings a fist at Levi, but he steps back and the drunk boy trips over his own feet and falls on his face.
Everyone laughs and some take pictures, recording the next mess.
“Does anyone else have something to say?” Levi asks loud enough for everyone to stop talking and breathing altogether.
He grabs my wrist and before I can protest, he pulls me to his side with his hand wrapped tightly around my waist. He places a long, possessive kiss on my forehead then on my cheek and on my mouth.
Murmurs break all around us, but I’m too caught in the gleam in his eyes to notice anyone else.
There’s that blackness, but there’s also a sliver of vulnerability that I never saw on him before.