Page 111 of Satan's Spawn

Seems they, too, need a little lesson on the dangers of running their mouth. Especially when it comes tothisparticular new girl.

“Make sure they don’t leave their dorm rooms tonight.”

“On it.” Saint nods, already typing to who I assume is Levi. I turn back to the pool, finding Rebecca sitting at the edge of it with her feet dangling calmly in the water.

It’s a naive, child-like gesture I’d imagine she’s done a million times before. The same for every other kid with a normal upbringing, who, unlike me, had the luxury of experiencing the innocence of youth.

“Why don’t you go talk to her, man?” Saint whispers, adding, “Well, nicely this time. You’ll see she’s not that bad.”

We’re all bad here, some of us are just better at hiding it. Saint chooses to hide his darkness behind a playboy smile and star quarterback ego.

I chose a long time ago to let my freak flag fucking fly.

“Oh, she’s bad,” I tell him.

At least for me.

Because I’m torn between the devil inside who wants to torture this girl, and the one who wants to save her.

“Care to test the theory then?” Saint smacks my shoulder before wrapping an arm around it, dragging me into the big open steamy basement.

Rebecca goes on high alert immediately when we appear in her view, squeezing the edge of the pool with her hands as if it can help her.

My response is not much different, hands balled into fists as we walk alongside the opposite end. Then, in one second Saint is whispering “Make it look real”, the next a hand in my pocket pulls out my cell phone, until finally I’m being shoved into the water.

21

BEX

I’ve never come across another human being who enrages me the way Crayton does.

The boy who bullies me into submission.

Threatens my wellbeing.

Who also opened me up to this version of desire I’m eager to explore, but afraid to admit.

There’s a fire burning inside me only the devil can stifle, and this devil of mine has no intentions of putting it out.

In fact, I’m pretty sure his intentions are far more nefarious.

Why else would Crayton hold my medicine hostage and not even have the decency to be the one to give me the doses like we agreed?

Instead, he has Saint waiting for me in the bathroom earlier with a sorry look on his face, probably because there’s no denying he’s aware of thesituationI’m in with his best friend.

Besides that brief awkward encounter, I have to say the day hasn’t been as bad as I expected it to be.

Then again, Crayton went missing after our little tiff in English class, and to my surprise barely anyone in the school made comments about what Alexis did to me at the party this weekend.

She hasn’t stopped reminding me of it, of course.

Whispers in English, taunts during lunch, titty jokes from her minions in history.

But nobody else has even looked at me strangely, mockingly. It’s almost as if they’re actively trying not to.

At least from what I can tell.

I’m sure I have Saint to thank for that.