All the Little Truths (English Prep 3)

s hair as she bolted. I snarled as I watched the man stare after her while still pretending to listen to Headmaster Walton.

“Hayley and Piper, go check on Madeline. I know you don’t like her”—I gave them both a brief pleading glance—“but it’s important.”

They both got up right away.

“Eric,” Christian warned, coming into my vision. “Whatever you’re about to do, stop. I see that look. I know that feeling. Reel it back. I cannot get you out of whatever you’re about to do. Headmaster Walton is right over there.”

I pushed past him and set my eye on the target.

“Eric.” Christian’s hand clamped on my arm, and I tore it away, ready to deck him.

“If someone raped Hayley, what would you do?” My question came out full throttle. It was like I'd metaphorically smashed a blunt object on his head.

“I’d kill him.”

I was only a couple of yards away from the duo of men when I turned and looked at Ollie and Christian. “Stop me before I do. I don’t want to go to prison.”

Both of their jaws went slack.

Ollie shook his head. “Dude. Are you sure he…?”

“Yes,” I snapped. “You both wanted to know what I was hiding. Here’s your fucking answer.” Part of it.

Rage was beginning to blind me as I tapped the man on the shoulder. He and the headmaster both turned around, their eyebrows furrowed.

“Eric…” Headmaster Walton looked behind my shoulder to address Ollie and Christian. “Boys. What is it?”

“Sir,” I calmly started, ignoring the headmaster. “Do you drive a red Porsche?”

He was confused at first. “I do, why?”

“Then,” I laughed menacingly. “You know who Madeline is, correct? The blonde you just winked at?”

The man’s chin jutted forward, his eyes giving me a warning that I snatched and threw behind my shoulder.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

I wound my arm back and pounded him in the face so hard my hand went numb.

That rage that was beginning to blind me before? Well, it completely took over, and everything went dark.

Chapter Forty-Five

Madeline

This is karma. I should have known that karma wasn’t finished with me. She was a sneaky bitch, and the very second I had let my guard down, she came back around like a black cat in an abandoned alleyway.

Why was he here?

Sweat trickled down past my forehead, leaving a streak of wetness all the way to my chin.

Did he come here on purpose?

My body trembled in the empty stall, my hands resting on the navy tiled wall above the toilet.

Was it a coincidence?

I couldn’t breathe. Oxygen was nonexistent. Images and ugly feelings of fear and guilt and weakness were coming down on me hard, and there was no way to protect myself.