“Why not?”
“I really need to just keep my head down and worry about my classes. You can understand that, can’t you?”
“You worried about your grades? Need a tutor?” He grins and wiggles his eyebrows. “I can tutor you in any subject. I’m especially good at biology and anatomy.”
It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. "I'm sure you are," I say, "but I'm good. Thanks anyhow."
“You don’t have to be so shy.”
“Oh, believe me. I’m not shy.”
“Good, but you should know that playing hard to get won’t work in your favor.”
“Who said anything about playing?”
“You can act like you don’t want me, but I can see the way you look at me, and there’s also the added bonus that the Mutineers will leave you alone if you’re mine.”
If I’m his. Brett licked me so that he could claim I’m his. What is with all of them claiming that I’m theirs?
I belong to no one, not my father, and not anyone here at the academy.
I am my own person.
Or at least I’m trying to be.
“Listen, homeroom is going to start any second now. I really need to get in there.”
“I could say that,” he says, tucking some of my hair behind my ear.
“That you need to get into homeroom?”
“That I really need to get in… there.” His gaze lowers to my chest.
Fucker.
“Liam, I’m sorry. Maybe I’m not making myself clear, but we’re done.”
“What are you talking about?” He chuckles and shakes his head.
“Well, you’re right. We can’t really be done if we never even got started, but that’s just it. I’m sorry, but I’m not going out with you to dinner tomorrow night or any other night. I’m sorry.”
His eyes darken, and his hands turn into tight fists. He’s seething, and I want to duck away from him, but he opens his fists to grab my shoulders.
“I’m really surprised by you, Erika,” he says.
“I’m always surprising people,” I murmur. “Let go of me, Liam.”
His grip tightens instead. “I didn’t think you were so stupid.”
“I’m not,” I say, thinking about Georgie. I do not want to end up like her. Did he just lie about her to make others think she needed psych attention? Or…
“You are,” he says bluntly. “You’re one of those loser girls who likes to be bullied, aren’t you? So fucking pathetic. You couldn’t live a good life if you tried. You’re so stupid you don’t know what’s good for you.”
“Did you say I want to be bullied?” I ask.
“I did, and it’s the truth.”
I’m seething. I’m absolutely livid, and I don’t think twice. My fingers curl into a fist, and I punch him right in the kisser.