My nostrils flared at the sound of her sister’s name. Jasmine was good at getting people to believe in her and follow what she said, and it looked like it wasn’t any different with her sister. Either that or Jasmine had learned it from her to begin with.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, not meaning it in the slightest. I’d never be sorry when it came to Cade. Never. “I shouldn’t have done it.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. And if I had my way, we’d be marching to the principal’s office right now.” I heaved in a breath and hoped to hell she wasn’t going to. I could handle it, but it would mean Cade would be investigated and then— “But seeing as Cade is a very close friend of mine, I’m going to let this slide.”
I swallowed against the lump in my throat as I soaked in her words. Were they close? Had I missed something? I frowned as I thought about when I’d seen them earlier today in the hallway. Her hand had been on his che
st…
And he hadn’t moved it.
My body begged me to turn and face Cade to see if my thoughts were true, but I knew I couldn’t, not if I wanted Miss Simmons to believe what I was saying. “It won’t happen again, Miss Simmons.” I took a step toward her. I needed to get out of this room, I needed to get away from them before my act wasn’t good enough, and she saw right through it. The thought of them being close was making me feel sick, and if I weren’t careful, my mask would slip, and she’d see the truth.
“I know it won’t,” Miss Simmons replied, her lips curving up into a smirk. She was so sure of herself, and part of me wanted to blurt out what we’d done to throw it in her face, but it wouldn’t help the situation, so I simply nodded and walked past her.
My hand connected with the cool handle on the classroom door, and I pulled on it. The creak of the wood echoed around us, and just as I was about to step out, I turned back one final time. Miss Simmons was staring at Cade, her mouth moving, but I wasn’t sure what she was saying because she was talking so low.
His stare connected with mine, but it was locked down, preventing me from being able to see what he was thinking. He’d tried to bring me back from the brink, and he’d succeeded, but in the process, we now had a target on our backs, and I knew one thing as I looked at him.
I’d never tell the truth.
I’d lie to save him—to save us—even if it meant I’d never feel his touch again or hear his voice whispering promises to me. He’d rescued me from myself in this classroom, now it was time I did the same for him.
* * *
CADE
My body was frozen, my joints locked in place, my muscles motionless. I’d let her take the fall. I’d allowed her to lie for me, and the worst thing was, I’d done nothing to stop it. I should have interrupted her and told Willow the truth, even if it meant going to jail and losing everything I’d worked toward.
Because Aria was worth it.
She’d always be worth it.
But as Aria stared at me from the classroom door, her eyes clearer than they had been when she’d first entered, sheer determination shining in them, I knew I couldn’t admit what had happened to Willow. I’d made a mistake. I’d allowed myself to forget who and where I was. I’d given in to the temptation again, but I didn’t feel an ounce of remorse for it. The only thing I regretted was not following Aria out of the room as she walked out.
She closed the door behind her and walked past the classroom windows, and my heart raced in my chest. It felt like so much more than her walking away from the situation. She was walking away from me, and I couldn’t do a thing to stop her, not if I didn’t want everything to explode in my face. She disappeared from view, and a finality settled over me. That was it. We could never go back, not now.
“So pick me up at eight?”
I blinked several times, trying to clear the fog around me. Everything was happening too quickly, and my mind wasn’t able to catch up. Minutes ago, I’d had my lips pressed against Aria’s. Seconds ago, I was making silent promises to her. And now I was here, more alone than ever.
“What?” I frowned down at Willow and backed up a step. She was too close for my liking, and she knew that. She’d been cornering me every day for the last few days, but now she had something on me, and I wasn’t sure I could deny her advances any longer.
The way her blue eyes swirled, I could see she knew what had really happened in here, but she was pretending. The only difference was Aria had covered for me, but Willow was doing it so she would get what she wanted.
“You and me, Saturday night, a date.” Willow placed her hands on her hips and pushed her chest out. “You can pick me up at eight.”
“I…I can’t this Saturday,” I told her.
She was silent for a beat, her brows rising high on her forehead as she stepped away from me. Her movements were slow and methodical. “I guess I could just go and see Mr. Smegly,” she commented, her voice sounding bored. “Tell him what I saw in here.” She looked at her nails as if she wasn’t concerned. “I’m sure he’d be very interested in what I had to say.”
She was threatening me, and there was nothing I could do about it. If I wanted to keep my job and not go to jail, I needed to go along with her. I had to follow the path she was creating, no matter how much I hated it. She had me backed into a corner, and it felt like there was no way out.
“I meant…” I cleared my throat and shook all my thoughts from my head. Now wasn’t the time to get caught up in everything I was feeling. It was time for self-preservation. Time to slap a Band-Aid over the situation I’d found myself in. “I meant I have to look after my little brother and sister this Saturday. What about”—I stepped toward her and pulled my lips up into a grin, sure it would get her to melt—“next Saturday? I know a great Italian restaurant in town.”
She smiled at me, her cheeks pinking as she replied, “That sounds perfect.”
“Good.” I shifted past her and placed my hand on her arm as I did, hating the way her skin felt against my palm, but knowing that small touch would make her think there was more to it. She was playing a game, but she didn’t realize I was adept at playing them. “Are you leaving? I’ll walk you to your car.”