Page 5 of Sadistic Obsession (Rise of Phoenyxx #1)

P hoenyxx

I reluctantly slide out of bed, neatly make it, and go to the closet to grab a uniform. I have to pee BAD, but I’m nervous to use the communal bathroom. I decide to skip a shower today; I need to get an idea of how hostile the space might be first.

I set the uniform on my bed. Then grab the toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, a hairbrush, and a hair tie.

Making sure to grab the key card, I make my way to the bathroom at the end of the hall.

Hearing the chatter inside, I steel myself to be so close to a lot of other girls. Just inside the door, a row of several sinks and mirrors adorns the wall, with toilets and showers partitioned off towards the back. The bathroom stalls have doors, and the showers just have clear curtains in front.

There's a cluster of girls laughing and whispering in front of the mirrors, putting on lipstick. I recognize them from the courtyard. They were the ones standing with Destiny, the Head Bitch. “Oh great...” I mutter to myself.

“What was that, new girl?” a petite brunette asks.

“Oh honey...trailer trash doesn’t speak,” a tall, leggy redhead retorts.

“Snappy comebacks, Skippy,” I sniff, raising my head and straightening my back. I turn on my heel to go use the toilet. I linger a bit, hoping they’ll be gone when I’m done.

I poke my head out, relieved to see it’s empty. I wash up at the sink, brush my teeth, apply deodorant, and run the brush through my unruly locks. I wrap it up into a bun at the back of my head, making sure it’s neat.

I head back to my room, change, and grab my heavy backpack.

Glancing down at my schedule, I see I have English first. Then History, General Math, Science, and lastly, PE.

With a lunch at 11 a.m. On Mondays and Fridays, therapy sessions are right after lunch.

Therapy? What kind of therapy? And... Oh God.

.. PE? Fuck me! I wince at the thought of having to do anything physical.

I see a note scrawled on the bottom. Since we have no way of tracking your educational experience, we have placed you in starter classes for now. Signed, Director Augustine.

Okay, well, at least the classes should be pretty easy for me. I am far beyond beginner level.

I hustle off to Building A to search for the classroom. Luckily, I overhear some students say they’re headed to English, so I follow them. I see the door with the sign English 101, and slip inside, figuring it’s the lowest level class.

I see a seat in the back, which I hustle towards. I busy myself getting out the English book and supplies.

I get a prickling on the back of my neck, feeling eyes on me.

Whispers and giggles fill my ears. I keep my head down as a girl slides into the seat next to mine.

She's super-cute and quirky-looking. Cropped black curls that go to her chin, large, round, purple-framed glasses on her face.

A pixie nose and heart-shaped lips, which turn up into a grin as she glances at me.

“Hey,” she says. “You’re new, right? Cool...cool. I’m Valley Bates. Nice to know you! And you are?” The words tumble out of her mouth like word salad. I find myself grinning back, taking in her lip piercing, the safety pins on her shirt, and big, black combat boots.

“I’m Phoenyxx,” I answer. “Good to meet you too!”

“Oohh...Love the name, girlie! I think we’re friends. What do you say?”

I grin again; her personality is infectious. “Yeah, I would like that!”

My eyes rove around the room, glancing at the other students. Destiny and her squad sit dead center right in the front. Her eyes meet mine, and her eyes flash with glee as she walks over to me. She picks up my book, flipping through it. “New book...hmm?"

She starts ripping out pages with a toothy grin. “Gee, I hope you can afford to replace this!”

I jump up, trying to grab my book back. “Give it back, you stupid bitch! What the fuck is even your problem?”

She sneers, rearing back quickly with the book, and swings it forward, hitting me dead in the face. I stumble and fall to the floor. My ears are ringing, and I’m a bit disoriented.

She takes advantage of the moment to kick me in the chest. Before I can catch my breath, a flurry of curls and snarls comes into my vision. Valley jumps up and rushes Destiny. She punches her—hard—in the nose. There's a very satisfying cracking sound as blood starts pouring out of Destiny’s nose.

“NEVER touch my friend again! You hear me? I’m not the one to fuck with!” Valley screams in her face. She reaches down to help me up. “Sit, sit. The teacher will be here any second.”

I just nod, too shocked to form words. Destiny shrieks and flees the room.

A minute later, a man—who I assume is the teacher—walks into the room. Dressed in a pressed suit, the man looks to be in his 40s or 50s. He's got brushed-back, brown hair and a grim expression on his face.

“Alright, everyone,” he announces. “I’m Mr. Collins. I will be your instructor for this class. I expect everyone to be on their best behavior. Now get out a notebook, and let’s begin.”

I zone out while he drawls on and on about stuff I learned a long time ago. Before I know it, there is a short bong, signaling the end of the class. I hastily grab my things. Valley waits to walk with me. I smile a bit, knowing someone is on my side in here.

We walk out into the hallway. “What class do you have next?” she asks.

“Um, it looks like History,” I reply.

“Cool beans! Me too! I’ll walk with you!”

I notice those two morons I kicked in the dick coming towards us in the hall. The one I kicked steps back a few steps, and the other makes a sweeping gesture with his arm.

“Um...” Valley says, side-eyeing me. “What’s that all about?”

I chuckle. “They tried to get all grabby when I first got here, but I kicked in the blonde’s nut sack.”

She doubles over in laughter. “You did...oh my GOD Nyx...we’re definitely meant to be besties!”

“Aww.. You nicknamed me?” My heart warms at the thought.

“Hells yeah, girl! You know it!”

My eyes tear up from laughing as we continue on our way. We walk to the end of the hallway, and I’m trying to discreetly keep my head down; I don’t want any eye contact with the other students. Valley gasps, and I turn to look at her. Her face is white as a sheet.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, with concern.

“DON’T LOOK, okay? The Six are standing in front of the stairway,” she answers.

“Okay, who the fuck are The Six? And why is everyone so scared of them?”

“The Sadistic Six is what they’re called,” she whispers. “They live to bully, torture, and abuse other students, especially girls. It's really messed up,” she says softly.

“Wow...” I mutter. But, of course, I have to look. My head rises, and I see them. Holy shit! These guys are huge! Full of tattoos, and scary looking as fuck. And the most beautiful men I’ve ever seen. That includes the movie stars I’ve seen on DVDs.

As I’m gaping at them, the guy in the front makes eye contact with me.

His face twists into a snarl, and my heart stops.

I get chills all over with his attention.

He is otherworldly sexy! Really tall, over 6 feet.

A powerhouse of muscle, with electric blue long, slicked back hair, grey eyes, a straight nose with a bit of a bend—maybe from being broken at some point—and full, pouty lips.

He is COVERED in tats—neck, arms, and even his face!

I swallow hard, glancing at the others. There's one with brown hair, long at the top, emerald-green eyes, and a lip ring.

The one next to him has shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes, and an eyebrow ring.

The fourth guy is a bit shorter, with silver hair and long, bedhead bangs, eyes so icy blue they almost look white, and tattoos everywhere.

The fifth one is tall, also, with long, wavy black hair, tumbling down to his neck, and grey eyes.

He's stuffed into a hoodie, with the hood up.

The last one has messy, curly, bright red hair, black eyes, and tats everywhere, as well as piercings in both of his eyebrows, his nose, and two on his bottom lip.

“Aw, shit!” Valley curses. “They see you!”

“What are their names?” I side-whisper to her.

“The leader—also the one staring you down—is Synn. The guy next to him with brown hair is Trikk. The blonde is Purge. The sexy silver-haired one is Frost. The black-haired hottie is Ghost, and the redhead is Razor.”

“I assume those are nicknames...” I start to say, trailing off as I see Synn standing right in front of me, the others surrounding me.

“Get gone!” Synn hisses to Valley, who yips in fear and takes off up the stairs. “Now...who do we have here?” he addresses me.

I open my mouth to answer, but I’m cut off by the redhead, Razor. “Looks like a baby deer who can’t find its legs," he snickers.

The brunette, Trikk, laughs, “I’m calling her Bambi!”

“Wow, a nickname already?” I snap back, speaking before thinking. “My NAME is Phoenyxx!”

“Ooh, the little deer has some claws!” Frost says, smiling and winking at me.

“Well, new girl, you need to know that WE run this place. Do as you’re told and maybe you won’t get hurt,” Synn grinds out. “Do not ever try to speak to us or even look at us. Got it?”

“Are you fucking serious? I am not scared of you—of any of you. You may think you’re the shit, but you don’t mean shit to me!” I laugh. “And no one tells me what to do. GOT IT?”

Synn's hand shoots out, grabbing me by the throat. He raises me up in the air, cutting off my air supply. He turns and slams me up against the top of the stairway. “You have made a huge mistake. Watch your back, bitch!”

I weakly try to struggle but can’t get loose of his grip. After a couple of heartbeats, he drops me, HARD. The black-haired one, Ghost, shoves me back, and I hit my head hard. I struggle to get up and attempt to quell the panic rising up in me like a wave.

The blonde, Purge, laughs and catcalls. “Run, little deer, run!”

“NOW!” Synn roars.

I take off like a bat out of Hell, running up the staircase, taking them two at a time. Once I reach the second floor, I scan the rooms, looking for History. I fly in, relieved to see Valley there, saving me a seat in the back.

She shoots me a sympathetic look and opens her mouth to say sorry, but I cut off her apology. “It’s okay, girl, nothing to be sorry for. I would never want you to get hurt because of me.”

She impulsively leans over to hug me, saying, “I’ve got your back, though, Phoenyxx. You’re my BFF! Okay?”

“Yeah, girl, I feel the same about you.” My eyes move to the front of the classroom, trying to pay attention to the boring teacher.

My mind drifts to those guys—the Sadistic Six.

I should be scared, so why am I flushed, and my breathing irregular?

I don’t DO sexual feelings! I sigh, hoping this class goes by quickly.

I want to get the fuck out as soon as it’s over.

My ass is out of my seat and moving when the bong sounds for the end of class.

I hurl myself forward, panicking at the thought of seeing any of The Six in the halls.

My next class, Math, is in the same building.

I hustle down the long hall to the opposite end, wildly glancing around and behind me.

Distracted by my paranoia, I slam into what feels like a warm brick wall.

I curse out loud, moving to get up after being knocked on my ass.

“You stupid bitch!” a deep voice grits out. I look up slowly, making eye contact once again with Synn. Seething, he hauls me up, only to rear back and punch me straight in the face. I gasp in shock, my left cheek throbbing like a son-of-a-bitch. I reach up to cradle it, hardening my gaze.

“You motherfucker! You hit girls? Big pussy! Does it get you off? Huh, big guy?” I rant, with clearly no sense of self-preservation whatsoever. I wince as he grabs me by the throat—again—and starts throttling me hard.

“You have just dug your grave, little girl. We are called the Sadistic Six for a reason. Better watch your back!” he bites out, eyes flashing with hate. He then turns and struts off.

Fuck...fuck...I am so damn fucked!

I rush into my classroom, beelining for the back again. I don’t see Valley, but I DO see two of the Six. Trikk and Ghost, sitting side by side. I turn away, but as I go to take my seat, the chair is knocked away from under me.

Razor, who must’ve just come in, glares at me. “MY seat!” he snaps. I have no choice but to move a row up, taking the only empty seat next to Trikk and Ghost. I sigh, prepared to ignore them.

Trikk leans over and whispers, “Hey there, Bambi. Looking good!” He licks his lips and grins. “Might need a taste of that. Bet you’re a good girl, yeah?”

“Fuck off!” I respond, through gritted teeth. I shove his hand away from my desk. “Not happening—ever!”

He chuckles low, reaching over to run his hand down my arm. “Oh, Little Bambi...I always get what I want.”

I shove him away, intent on getting through the class and finding somewhere quiet to eat my lunch. My stomach rumbles, which I’m very used to by now. But I know there will be food, so I am grateful for that.