My breath comes in harsh pants and I cover my eyes, dragging air into my lungs. The world feels like it’s tipped sideways and tumbled me around. I haven’t thought about the girl from my art class in years. I kept her buried deep under layers of everything else, locked in her own box with the rest of my emotions and memories.
Does she even remember me? I can’t blame her if she doesn’t. The irrational anger I’ve always felt when I looked at her makes more sense now. I might have shoved the memory o
f our brief, strange bond down, but the grief of losing that connection so easily seeped out between the cracks.
This discovery doesn’t change my plans. Blair still needs to pay.
The crooked smile that used to light up her face pops up in my head. With it comes other memories from that time in my life, ones that leave me raw and humming like a live wire. I clench my teeth together hard enough to feel the pulse in my ears. My hand covers my mouth as I wrestle the memories back into place, where I can forget about them.
This is all her fault. I’ll make her squirm for breaking past the sturdy barriers I erected. My next move begins to form in my head.
You won’t escape me so easily this time.
The slam of a door and muffled voices makes me jump.
“Fuck,” I whisper gruffly.
My time is up and I haven’t made my getaway.
Shooting into action, I scramble from my crouch, gathering the manila folder of Blair’s educational life. Footsteps pass the door of the student records room. I freeze, holding my breath.
“Devlin’s not back yet?” Debbie asks someone. “Let me know when he’s here. I need him to make copies of this right away.”
Damn it, Debbie, calm your tits. Being quiet, I carefully open the drawer of the wooden cabinet and slip Blair’s file back in place. I need help to escape the records room unnoticed. The office sounds full again.
I send a text to Bishop.
Devlin: How close are you to the office?
Bishop: [GIF of a man sprinting away in the distance.]
The corner of my mouth lifts. He hates coming down to the office when his dad is around.
Devlin: Come flirt with Debbie. Need her distracted so I don’t have your dad riding my ass for being in the student records room.
Bishop: Oh shit!! You devil. [smirking devil emoji]
Bishop: On my way.
Bishop: [GIF of Superman flying through the air]
I lean heavily against the doorframe as I wait for Bishop’s help. I can’t get Blair’s voice out of my head.
The wishes you make on shooting stars always come true.
A humorless smile twists my mouth. Out of all the countless wishes I’ve made on stars, this one comes true. I skim a hand over the side of my ribs, where the magic Blair once told me about is inked into my skin.
Guess I got what I fucking wished for.
Seventeen
Blair
Hell is humiliating.
It’s filled with Devlin Murphy’s impish smirk, his friends’ comments about my desperation stinking up the school, nasty taunts from the student body in the form of dog barks, and whatever that weird feeling was last week when he made me wear a collar.
I thought he might kiss me, so I panicked. The ridiculous flutter in my stomach had been confusing and I hated myself a little for it. I hated him more for causing it.