Chapter 22
The next morning, Ryder drives us all to school but stops on the way to my house to pick up some essentials that I need for school, and spare clothes that I'll wear for the next few days. I also check to see if my mother arrived home safely from work, and felt relieved when I saw her sleeping peacefully in her bed.
On the way to school, nobody said a word and it made the atmosphere in the car almost unbearable, I wonder if it could've been for a number of reasons. The first option that crosses my mind is the death of Terry on Saturday, but it wouldn't make sense considering I was the only person close to him, but could it perhaps be that his body was found on their property and it makes them somehow feel responsible? The second option is obviously the harsh words exchanged between Silver and Ryder last night.
Could situations like that really cause this much of an awkward situation between them? And lastly, could the reason be why no one's talking because they somehow know that I spent the night with Ryder?
They couldn't possibly know, could they?
Ryder doesn't seem like the type to brag about who he sleeps with, so what could be the reason for the silence?
When we arrive at the parking area, as soon as the car stops, Silver gets out of the car, slams the door and marches away.
I'm going for option two.
“She's mad at you, man.” Bane whistles from the backseat.
Ryder sighs. “Tell me something I don't know.”
“We tried to calm her down last night but every time we tried to get a word out, she'd hit us, and for a girl she can actually hit pretty hard.”
“You're such a pussy.” Bane chuckles.
Kellan looks taken aback. “Says the one who just stood there and didn't do shit.”
Bane shakes his head. “You don't get girls do you, Kellan? You let them talk for however long they need to, then when their rant is over that's when you talk.” Bane gets out of the car followed by Kellan.
Ryder turns to me and smiles brightly and places his hand gently on my knee. “You okay?” Something tells me that he's asking me if I'm okay after what happened last night.
I smile back at him. “Never better.” “I didn't hurt you, right?”
I lean forward in the passenger seat and press my lips against his. “It did hurt, but only for a little while.”
“Any regrets?”
I kiss him again. “Nope.”
He kisses me back and we both leave for class.
As I make my way towards English and round the corner, I see my best friend waiting casually outside the classroom. I call her name to see her looking not so impressed with me. “You know, best friends usually call or text each other on the weekends, but nothing from you. I may have to find another best friend.”
I run my hand through my hair. “I know, I'm such a terrible person. It was quite a weekend.”
Maybe now's not the time to say what happened to Terry.
She peers at me and inspects me from head to toe. “You sure seem different.”
Did it have it written on my forehead that I slept with Ryder or something?
The last time Sam and I spoke was at my house after bringing Max there from the party, and she didn't seem happy with me at all and we never argue, but you see with Sam, she forgives and forgets a lot quicker than most teenaged girls.
“I look different?”
She smirks as she whispers to me. “Were you by any chance with a boy this weekend, Alice?”
I was with several actually, but one boy in particular. I shrug. “You could say that.”
She gasps. “You were with a boy, were you? And I'm guessing that it's either Max or Ryder because they're the only two guys that you talk to, but I'm telling you right now that you better not have touched a single hair on Bane's head because he is mine!”
“I wasn't with Bane.” I grimace.
Ew.
She takes a deep breath. “Oh thank god. I genuinely thought for a moment there that I was gonna have to bitch slap you.”
“You wouldn't.” I roll my eyes.
“Of course I wouldn't, but could you at least tell me who you were with!?”
“I'll tell you later Sam, okay?” I check my phone and look at the time to see that we have a minute to get to class.
“But I really want to know! This is exciting stuff!”
“I'll tell you everything later, but we have a class to get to.”
“Fuck class. I want to know all the dirty details.”
I chuckle, grab her by the arm and pull her into the class. “I promise to tell you everything after English.”
“Fine!”
We enter the classroom just as the bell rings to signal the start of the lesson. Mr. Edmund glances from the clock to us and points towards our seats. I look at the front row to see four of the chairs empty.
Where are they?
“Before we start, has anyone seen Kellan and Silver?” Mr. Edmund asks in an uninterested tone.
Students start murmuring amongst each other.
“Alice?” My head swings to my teacher, he looks at me as though I know exactly where they are.
“Yes, sir?”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Do you know where your new found friends are?”
“I haven't seen either of them since this morning.” I say truthfully.
He waits for a few minutes then nods. “They've most likely dropped out considering that Bane and Mr. King have been excluded from this class.”
More murmuring.
He moves to the back of the classroom and hands out a reading book to everyone. After giving out all of the books, he stands at the front where he gathers the attention of the students. “By the end of this lesson, I'd like everyone to read from chapter one to five. Make sure that you read these chapters very carefully because tomorrow I'll be asking each and every one of you a question.
They're short chapters so you shouldn't have a problem.” Mr. Edmund walks to his desk where he opens up his laptop. The whole classroom reads in complete and utter silence.
At lunchtime, Sam and I sit at the back of the cafeteria so that our conversation won't be heard, the last thing I need is for people knowing my business.
The moment we sit down, Sam immediately starts asking me questions.
“So, who was it?” She wiggles her brows. “And you better tell me because that whole hour was torture!”
I roll my eyes. “I am gonna tell you it's just, I still can't believe it myself.” I feel my face redden.
“But you had sex, didn't you? Your face is telling me everything I need to know!” She squeals.
How does she know these things!?
I cover my face with my hands and groan. I swear she's a psychic sometimes.
“We had sex, yes.”
She squeals again. “Oh my God! Do I know him? Was he gentle? Was he any good?”
I bit my lip and sigh in contempt. “Yes, yes and yes.”
Sam looks at me with a big smile. “I'm so happy for you but this waiting for a name is killing me, Alice.”
Both of us start laughing when suddenly, I feel a slight shift in my mood making me feel more aggressive than I've ever been, and it's something that I've never experienced in my life. From the night I was bitten to the day Terry's body was found, I've never had the feeling of wanting to hurt somebody so badly. Maybe she can sense something that isn't right, I know this anger isn't directed at Sam, but who else could've raised such a response like this from me.
A shadow approaches our table, I feel myself burning with hot rage when I see who the person is walking in our direction. When Sam notices me looking at who is coming, she turns around and welcomes Max to our table.
After what happened yesterday, does he still think that we're friends?
“Hey.” He smiles as if nothing's happened. I don't return his smile or his greeting.
“Hi.” Sam smiles back at him. “You sure look better than you did Friday night.”
“I do, don't I? And it's all thanks to Alice here.” Max grins.
Sam chuckles. “Be grateful, otherwise you still wouldn't have a pretty face if it wasn't for her.” She nudges me to which I ignore.
“I'm grateful that she helped me when no one else did.”
I don't say a word and Sam notices straight away. “Alice? You okay?”
I look away from both of them. “I'm fine.”
“What's the matter, you've gone all quiet?” Sam looks at me with a frown.
I stand from the table. “Can we just leave, please?” I ask only to Sam.
Max looks taken aback. “Do you have a problem with me, Alice?”
Sam looks between Max and me.
“I just don't want to be in the company of a liar, and after yesterday I don't want to be seen associating with someone like you.”
Sam eyes widen. “Okay, what happened between you two?”
Max and I just look at each other.
“Should I tell her or do you wanna say how you and Ryder broke into my house and interrogated me like I did something wrong?”
“Go ahead and tell her everything about what happened, but I won't be here to listen to you.”
Sam looks at the two of us in confusion. “What the hell's going on? Can someone please explain to me what happened this weekend?”
I point at Max. “He's a liar, Sam. And it's taken us this long to figure that out.”
“Okay, what's he lied about?”
Max scoff. “'I've lied about a number of things apparently.”
“Don't act like you're innocent in all of this.” I spit. “You told me that your mum works at the hospital on the first day you came to school.” I look at Sam. “Friday night, I saw him at the hospital and he looked at me like I was the one that shouldn't have been there. On that same night, I asked my mother if she knew someone with his surname, and she said no.”
“Maybe I had a reason for going to the hospital that night. Didn't you ever think of that?”
I scoff. “And you couldn't have said that to me yesterday?”
He shakes his head. “I couldn't even think straight yesterday.”
My voice shakes. “Whatever. Keep up the lies, Max because I'm done trying to understand you. You've had so many chances to talk to me about the truth but you didn't even try once. There's something that you're not telling us and for whatever reason that might be, you've already lost me as a friend.” I gather my things and walk away until Sam stands too. “Why would you say that your mum works there when she doesn't? Just tell us that.”
“Not you too Sam.” He looks hurt. “But what did I expect? You're obviously gonna stick up for your friend.”
“Then prove us wrong! Here's your chance to rectify yourself.”
Max just stares at her without saying anything. “Well?”
He just ignores her, causing Sam to shake her head in regret. “I honestly thought you were better than this, but it's obvious that you're not the person I thought you were.”
She grabs her bag and walks with me through the exit of the cafeteria.
We walk in silence to her car when realisation dawns on Sam. “Why were you at Ryder's house this weekend anyway?”
Now's still not the right time to mention what happened to Terry, and the pictures taken of me. It would only make her worry about what's out there. I'll keep what happened to Terry and the pictures a secret. For now.
“We were just hanging out, that's all.” “So, you weren't with Max this weekend.” “No, I wasn't.”
She nods to herself. “So, it can only be one other person.” I wonder how she'll react when she figures it out.
“You dirty little wolf. You gave up your v-card to Ryder King, didn't you?” She doesn't look surprised at all.
“Don't say it like that.” I wait for her to unlock the car.
Sam grins. “But you did though! And you wanna know something? That night I caught you kissing Ryder in my bedroom, I wondered how long it would take until you two hooked up.”
I roll my eyes. “Sam, open the door.”
She unlocks the door and murmurs. “I wish that a wolf found me attractive enough to sleep with me.” She sighs in disappointment. “'What is happening to the world?”
When I arrive at my home, I call in sick at work and take out today's homework. I take out the book Mr. Edmund gave for us today and start reading. The story centres on a father and his complicated relationship with his troubled teenaged boy.
From the very first page, I'm so engrossed by the story that I don't hear the phone ringing. I leave the book on the coffee table and hastily walk to the phone.
I pick it up but silence is met on the other end. “Hello?” I ask.
There's only silence. “Hello?” I repeat.
The sound of my mother's voice speaks. “You need to come to the hospital, honey.”
I frown even though she can't see me. “Is everything okay?”
“I need you to come here right now!”
Why does she sound like she's on the verge of crying?
“Mum? What's wrong?” My voice starts to shake with worry.
She sniffs again. “It's Sam, honey.”
I hear my heart beating in my throat and I feel as though I might throw up.
“Is she okay?”
“She's been attacked, and it's not looking good.” And that's when the tears start to fall.