Heidi and Raf walk by and Raf’s eyes widen as he looks me over. He lifts an eyebrow, smirking as he sees my face darken into rage. I turn back to my locker and scream, dodging backwards as a black snake slithers down from the top shelf. Raf laughs and steps around me, pulling the snake out with his bare hand. He walks to the door and frees it and turns expectantly toward me. Does he expect me to thank him? Or have a breakdown because of him?
I don’t do either.
I’m trembling all over, but I get my backpack out, slam the door shut, and run out of the building before anything else can go wrong.
I sit in the parking lot for a long time before driving, trying to make sense of what’s happening here. Was that Raf’s work? Heidi’s? Why? And what’s going on with Toby?
I tried to call Laura last night, the need to talk to my sponsor greater than I remember it being in at least five months. It rings and rings, which isn’t like Laura. And it’s especially unusual for her not to return my call.
I’ve skipped my last class and sneak in through the back door when I realize too late that my mom is home. She’s in the living room and I panic, wondering how I’ll get past her. I start to back out the door when I hear a man’s voice.
“He’s out of jail.”
“I didn’t know he was in jail. You’re supposed to keep me informed—why didn’t I know about this? Where is he now?”
“I’m not sure where he is right now, which is why I’m here.”
“You need to leave.”
The talking gets quieter and when it sounds like they’re walking near the door, I run up the stairs and shut my door. I sink my head into my hands and wish I could scream. Everyone is keeping secrets from me and I don’t even know where to begin to try to unravel them.
My phone buzzes and I pick it up.
Raf: I need to see you.
I sigh. Why?
Raf: Meet me at the beach in back.
I don’t answer. Instead, I sneak out of the house and out the back gate. Raf is standing in the sand, barefoot, and staring out at the water. I watch him for a moment undetected before he turns and sees me.
“You need to leave Longlake.” His whole demeanor is icy, and I rub my hands over my arms, feeling the chill near the water.
“Why?”
“Why do you ask so many questions? You don’t belong there. You never should’ve come and now you really need to go.”
“Does this have anything to do with Toby?”
He’s next to me in the next second, his grip tight around my arm. “Don’t even say his name.”
“Why?” I whisper.
He puts his hand in his hair and tugs, looking around. I turn to see what he’s looking at, but I don’t see anything.
“Is someone following you?” I ask. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”
He leans his head back, his anger tumbling over the surface. “You’ve butted your nose into everything since you got here, and I’m telling you to stop. Leave. You’re not welcome here, and you’re not welcome at Longlake. It’ll get a lot worse for you if you don’t just go.”
“I’m so confused. All I’ve tried to do is go to school and stay to myself. I’ve hardly even tried to hang out with Luci because I don’t want her to be mistreated for being nice to me. You’re making no sense.” I push his chest away from me when he gets all up in my space. “Back off. I can’t change schools. I don’t want to move. Get over whatever ridiculous power trip this is and leave me the hell out of it.”
“I wish I could. You’re such a fucking inconvenience, trust me.”
Ow. That hurts and I step back. “You don’t seem to feel that way when your hand is between my legs.”
He stalks forward, making me trip when I stumble back, until my back is against the fence and he’s caging me in. His hand snakes down between my legs and he shifts my panties to the side, finding me soaked.
“You’re such a whore. Just like your mother.”
I rear back and slap him across the face, the sound a hard snap. It surprises both of us. He holds his hand to his cheek and I duck under his arms, running back to the house.
Chapter Ten
My head collides with a chest and I drop my purse. The contents scatter across the dirty floor and two girls glare at me when they have to step over makeup and extra pens. I barely slept at all last night after seeing Raf and I know it shows. Two hands steady me and I look up.
“We need to talk,” Raf says.
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“You look like shit.” He pierces me with his crazy blue eyes and I feel like I’m sinking. I sag against him for a moment and then push him away.
“I wouldn’t have thought you noticed. You despise the air I breathe.” My voice breaks at the end. “Don’t I always look like shit in your eyes?”
“Yes,” he says with a smirk. “But you’re wrecking yourself and I want to know why.”
“What do you care? You want me to leave. Why can’t we just agree to ignore each other?”
“We have unfinished business, Sinclair. Since you ignored what I said last night, it’s your death wish.”
“Why did you say that about my mother?”
