His eyes droop on the sides. “You drove Arianna to suicide, Reina.”
“No…” I’m stepping backward, tears gathering in my eyes. My back hits a chair and I stumble, almost falling to my face.
“And do you know who has the biggest grudge against you because of that?” he continues in that clear, neutral tone.
“I don’t want to hear it!” I shout, my voice plagued by tremors.
I turn around and run. My bag falls, books, pens, and notebooks scattering, but I don’t pay it attention.
I need to get the fuck out of here.
“It’s Asher!” Jason shouts at my back. “He returned for revenge, Reina.”
I didn’t hear that.
I didn’t hear him say those words.
My legs turn rigid, but I don’t stop running. I don’t even know where I’m going. This could be the backyard or the pool.
I don’t stop to look behind me or to think.
This can’t be true.
This can’t be happening.
Asher isn’t taking revenge on me. Jason has everything mixed up.
He’s Cloud003. He doesn’t want what’s best for me.
He’s lying.
The sound of a familiar voice stops me in my tracks. I’m in the backyard near the garage.
I tiptoe toward that voice, my heart bleeding and ripping to pieces.
Asher crouches in front of a stone painted with faded pink. He’s wearing a suit, sharp and black. His jet black hair is combed back.
I hide behind a tree, gripping it with trembling fingers.
“It won’t be long now, Ari,” he says to the stone. “I’ll make Reina pay for what she did to you even if it’s the last thing I do.”
I stumble and fall on my ass.
Flashbacks of what happened in the last couple of weeks assault me.
The rooftop, the classroom, and—last but not least—yesterday.
Asher wasn’t there to save me.
He orchestrated the entire thing.
Time for the grand finale.
TO BE CONTINUED.