Page 36 of Pretty Lies (Watch Me Burn #1)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

RORY

G oing back to school on Friday morning sucked, especially since my legs were like jelly, thanks to Skeeter. I swore all we’d done yesterday was fuck like rabbits, my body paying for it in aches and bruises.

Skeeter parked the McLaren on the curb, leaving the engine running as he turned to face me.

“You sure you don’t want me to wave my gun at anyone? Might get the school shut down for the day, and you’ll get a long weekend.”

“You’re not funny,” I snorted, a frown tugging at his lips.

“I wasn’t trying to be. Terrorizing the rich and famous makes my day.”

“Bye, Skeet,” I said with an exasperated sigh as I reached for the door, but he grabbed my throat to tug my face around, his eyes stern.

“Call me if they fuck with you.”

He’d helped me set up a new phone number this morning after the guy’s desperation started to get to him. I’d slept in his bed last night since I’d spent most of the day in it, and the constant texts and calls had driven him insane.

It was blissfully silent now that I had the new number.

“I can handle a bunch of spoiled rich boys,” I teased, leaning over to give him a kiss. His fingers teased my throat as he fanned them out across my skin, his tongue slowly moving against mine and making me groan.

He leaned back, his voice firm. “I know you can, but I’d enjoy delivering the punishment more than you would, and I have a cleanup crew.

” I rolled my eyes and he chuckled, leaning over to pull the door handle for me, the door raising without much effort.

“I have shit to do with my guys this afternoon, so you’ll have to find your own way back. Sorry.”

He didn’t sound apologetic in the slightest.

“I can manage,” I said dryly before grabbing my bag off the floor and climbing out, shutting the door and giving him a smile through the open window. “Thanks for the ride.”

“I should be saying that to you. Keep the uniform on when you get home.” He winked, revving the engine and waiting for me to get out of the way before putting his foot down, the car barreling down the street and out of sight.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked towards the main gates, ignoring the few people who eyed me while they gossiped. I heard Skeeter’s name mentioned and had to bite back a huff of annoyance.

Of course they all knew his car, he attended the guys’ parties regularly.

Caden’s Challenger was parked across the lot, so I wasn’t surprised when I ran into him a few minutes later as I headed towards the lockers. He was leaning against his, Tyler beside him. They both had tense postures, and I was pretty sure they were having a quiet argument between themselves.

I ignored them as I walked past, unlocking my locker to grab my books and finding it flooded. That was no surprise since the Kings of Ashburn Valley Academy had turned me into a social pariah.

“Rory?” Tyler sputtered as they noticed me, his eyes taking in the bruises on my face as I turned to face them. “Jesus, what happened?”

It was ironic that he gave a shit after what he’d done only a few days ago.

“I fell,” I replied dryly, slamming the locker since the contents were ruined, and I looked at Caden, who was studying me silently. “How’s the Challenger?”

His eyes met mine and he scowled, not seeming as bothered by my appearance as his bestie.

“It’s fine, lucky for you. Stop by the house before Mom calls the cops. We told her you were at a friend’s place.” He said it as if he’d done me a favor, and I rolled my eyes as I started walking towards class.

“Suck my dick, rich boy. Let her call them. Then you can explain what happened.” I didn’t get far before he grabbed my arm, yanking me back.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he demanded, his eyes narrowing when Claire joined us and answered for me.

“She’s whoring herself out. She just got out of Skeeter’s car.”

“He was just giving me a ride,” I said as I pulled my arm back from Caden, his jaw tight.

“What the hell are you doing hanging around Skeet? You don’t even fucking know him.”

I wasn’t ashamed of Skeeter, and I knew he’d love to rub it in Caden’s face about me being in his bed, but it was none of Caden’s business.

He went to reach for me again, and I jerked back. “Don’t touch me, or I’ll stab you. You’re worried I’m spending time with a guy I don’t know, but let’s face it, it’s not like I really know you either.”

I didn’t think Skeeter could get me out of trouble if I stabbed the richest prick in the school in front of so many witnesses, but I almost didn’t care. If I wasn’t so close to getting the fuck out of here with my birthday coming up, I’d have happily gotten away from my father by stabbing Caden.

Then again, I’d feel bad for Josie.

“You really are Heights trash,” Caden bit out, my eyes flicking to Tyler, who looked at Caden like he was crazy. They wouldn’t publicly make it obvious, but I was pretty sure Caden and the guys were currently at odds with each other over this, which was mildly amusing.

They’d bring themselves down at this rate.

My stomach twisted as Claire wrapped her manicured fingers around Caden’s bicep, her voice whiney. “Forget about her.”

He pulled his arm free of her grip and stalked off, Claire chasing after him, but Tyler continued to stare at me.

“Go on, chase after your master like a good boy,” I taunted, his lip lifting in a sneer.

“Fuck off. He’s not my master.”

“Trouble in paradise?”

“Just drop it,” he scowled, brushing past me without another word.

I skipped homeroom and English, wanting to avoid Jensen. Lukas was in my biology class, but he knew better than to try and talk to me. Relief spread across his face at seeing me though, and he texted under his desk, most likely sharing the news of my return with his bestie.

I had History with Jensen and Caden after that, managing to fake a headache and spend that class in the nurses station in the dark to avoid them.

Why was Jensen in most of my fucking classes? I should’ve just stayed home.

I avoided the cafeteria at lunchtime, preferring to skip eating entirely as I hid out behind the bleachers, and the last classes of the day dragged as I was stuck with Claire and her posse in PE and Business, their voices grating on my nerves all afternoon.

“Didn’t you learn your lesson, trash?” Claire huffed as she dropped down in the seat beside mine once the teacher left the room to deal with a student. “You don’t belong here.”

“Like I give a fuck,” I muttered, keeping my eyes on the book in front of me. If I punched her, I’d get expelled or something.

It was almost worth it.

I didn’t react as raspberry soda was tipped over my head and started soaking into my uniform, the class erupting with laughter at my expense as if they hadn’t seen this bullshit before.

My eyes slowly lifted to Claire as she stared at me smugly, and I decided being expelled would be a godsend at this point.

My fist shot out and smacked her right on the nose the second I got to my feet, a shriek leaving her as blood flowed down her face.

“You bitch!”

“It’s okay, Daddy will buy you a new one,” I deadpanned, shaking the soda from my arms and hair, the sticky liquid flicking at Claire and the girls.

“You’ll get expelled for this!” Claire’s friend screeched as she fussed over her friend.

“God, I fucking hope so.”

I didn’t bother grabbing my sticky books as I left, stalking along the hallway with my bag as I headed past the office.

“Aurora! Where are you going?” the headmaster, Mr. Ernest, called out as he spotted me, and I gave him a tight smile.

“Home, sir! As you can see, one of your star pupils tipped soda on me. If anyone complains about a broken nose, send the complaint to Josie Holloway.”

Josie would steam roll them on my behalf, I was sure of it.

They didn’t stop me as I left the building, and I almost made it across the parking lot before Jensen’s voice sounded behind me. “Rory!”

“Fuck off, Gilbert,” I snapped, not sparing him a glance as I kept walking. “Might want to check on Caden’s little girlfriend. I have a feeling she needs some help.”

His fingers wrapped around my bicep to stop me, tugging me around to face him. “I don’t give a fuck about her. Where have you been? We’ve been worried about you. You’ve been avoiding me today.”

“You’re so full of shit. None of you care about me, you never did.

If this is how you treat those you apparently care about, I feel sorry for your enemies,” I spat as I pulled away from him, swatting at his hand as he reached out to touch my wet hair.

“If you think your wealth will scare me out of giving you a black eye, you have another thing coming. Don’t touch me. ”

His sorrow-filled eyes assessed my injuries, his voice soft. “Who hurt you? I’ll take care of them for you.”

“ You hurt me, so do me a favor and fuck off,” I answered tightly, his face falling more.

“I hate you. I was really starting to think that not all rich boys were the same, but you guys proved me wrong. You’re all pieces of shit, just like those rich entitled parents you all hate so much, and you’re nothing but a stain on society.

In ten years, you’ll be stuck in a desk job that you hate, drinking to help you sleep at night because you hate your family, and the secretary you fuck behind your wife’s back doesn’t fill the void inside of you.

Ten more years’ time, your wife will probably get sick of it and divorce you, taking the kids with her since they hate you anyway, and you’ll pretend to be happy banging young pussy, but in reality, you’re one bad day away from jumping out of your penthouse window.

” I stepped closer, jabbing a finger against his chest and glaring up at him.

“And me? I’ll be out of this shithole in a few months, maybe with a new name so the ghosts of my past can’t find me.

By next year, I won’t even remember you, but I’ll guarantee you’ll remember me. ”