Due to my struggles with Kimberly, they reach us in no time and block our epic failure run to the exit.
Up close, Aiden’s eyelashes are thick and as inky as his hair. A small, beauty mole sits at the edge of his deep, smoky eyes.
He stares down at me with a cold, foggy edge that matches the colour of his eyes.
Call it instinct, but something tells me I should be scared of him.
Like that prisoned thing from earlier, something claws at the corners of my chest, screaming at me to run and never look back.
That’s ridiculous. I don’t know Aiden, why should I run?
“Isn’t it Berly?” Xander asks Kimberly in a detached tone before his lips curve into a cruel smirk. “You look even nerdier this year.”
Everyone around us bursts into laughter, throwing fat-shaming remarks her way. My cheeks tint in red on Kim’s behalf, but it’s not due to embarrassment.
My blood boils to smash Xander’s golden boy looks to the ground.
I open my mouth to say something, but I’m cut off when Kim lowers her head, lips trembling, and sprints past Xander to the exit.
He follows her with a smirk tilting his lips.
I should’ve seen what’ll happen next coming.
I don’t.
A strong hand wraps around my throat and pushes me against the wall. My back hits the brick and pain shoots down my spine and tightens the pit of my stomach.
I always thought myself brave, but nothing, absolutely nothing could’ve prepared me for this sudden, aggressive attack from a complete stranger.
The grey eyes I thought were beautiful seconds ago glare into my soul with murderous intent. The dark shadow on his face terrifies me more than his grip on my throat.
His other hand clutches my jaw, and my lips tremble at the thought that he’ll snap my neck.
“W-What are you doing?”
He leans forward so his mouth hovers inches away from mine and growls. “I will destroy you.”
Those words seal my fate.
Chapter Two
Two years later,
Senior year. Last year before Cambridge.
Can I skip the entire thing and somehow still end up in Cambridge?
According to the obligatory grades’ system, that’s impossible.
The Mini Cooper swerves in the school’s car park so hard, the tires screech in protest.
I gasp. “Kim!”
She grins at me as if she didn’t almost run us into a pole. “What? Silver almost got the spot and I’m not letting that bitch walk all over me anymore.”
My lips pull in a smile. I’m so proud of how far Kim has come during this summer. She went on a camping trip for self-spirituality and came back as this confident, smiley girl.
If only I could let go of my inner chaos as successfully as her.