I hear a rustling noise to my left. Turning my head, I see the outline of three guys. Fucking Sinclair and his band of merry men lurk in the shadows. They just stand there, watching. His icy blue eyes stare into my own, unyielding, uncaring.
“Are you going to help me or what?” I scream into the night, but my words are carried away with the howling wind. I know they heard me, but they ignore my words. They just watch me like some sort of creepers.
They continue to watch me as I sit here shivering. The cold bite of the rain making my skin burn. My skin red and sore from the cold.
“What the fuck is wrong with you people.” I shout. They ignore me. Again!
I keep repeating to myself, they won’t leave me here, they won’t leave me here. This is just some sort of hazing, a joke, right? Fucking hell, even I don’t believe my own words.
I splutter out more curse words, as they just watch. They don’t come any closer, they just stand under the umbrella’s they are carrying. If they think I am going to ask for help again, they have another thing coming. So, I just go silent and pray they won’t leave me here.
I watch them, they watch me. This goes on for a while. So, I just turn my head, looking into the dark lake below. I hear them whispering to each other and I ignore them, keeping my gaze towards the lake.
I hear movement, my head snaps back to their direction. They are leaving. Like what the actual fuck.
“GET BACK HERE, YOU FUCKERS.” I scream until my voice is hoarse, I scream until I’m panting for breath. My whole body shaking from rage and the cold.
Roman pauses, he looks back, then leans in to talk to Sinclair. Sinclair shakes his head, and Roman storms off ahead, throwing the umbrella to the ground and stuffing his hands in his pockets. I watch his retreating form disappearing into the night.
Sinclair looks back, a crack of lightening making me jump. But it lights up my surrounding and I see the cold calculating look in his eyes. Sinclair just shrugs, turns his back on me and leaves through the trees. The darkness swallowing him and Lawrence up.
Tears prick my eyes. I hate this school and I hate Sinclair Silverlake. I lean back into the cold wet bark, resting my head and closing my eyes. I take in a shuddering deep breath, trying to hold back the tears.
I wish my mum was here, she would know what to do. I still blame my dad for her leaving us. If it wasn’t for him and his demands, his lack of care for her then she would still be here.
Two years ago.
Walking back home on that sunny day, was the worst day of my life. I was happy in that moment. I just got accepted into the best writing school in the world. I sent off my work, they loved it and wanted to see me about a possible scholarship into the school. Not that I needed one, but it would look good on my college applications.
I bounce into the house, looking for my mum to share the news that we have both been excited about.
I race up the stairs, heading towards her room. I knock gently, feeling an odd sense of unease. I open the door, but she isn’t there. I can hear water running, so I go to the bathroom and again she isn’t there.
I creep back to her room, looking around for anything out of place. The balcony door is open. I force myself to walk forward. The conversation with my mum from this morning coming back to me.
“Never give up on you dreams.” My mum says.
“I never will.” Is my reply. I give her a kiss on her cheek, she gives me a big smile.
“Go get that scholarship little one.”
I smile back, heading to school that day without a care in the world.
My feet move forward, my pulse racing. That’s when I see it, the rope tied to the railing. I move faster, screaming her name. I come to a halt, seeing her there, hanging.
I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe. I just stand there, screaming. The maid comes out to the garden and she too starts screaming. Then it’s just chaos, people moving about, my father arriving and shouting to get her down.
My world fell apart in that moment. My world just left me, broken and shredded. My heart broke, it has never been the same since.
I must have passed out, because when I wake, I am not on the cliffside, I am in a bed. Not my bed, but someone else’s. I scramble upright, looking around. It is a male’s room, the clothes littering the floor tells me is it. It has weights in the corner, obviously they work out. A desk sits under the window, a laptop sits open and books next to it. Other than that, it is quite bare.
The door to the bathroom opens and Roman steps out. He is topless, a towel wrapped around his waist. Water is still dripping down his body. I can’t help but look the hard plains of his muscled chest, the toned stomach that is flexing as he walks in. My eyes flick back to his chest that is a mass of muscle, they twitch as I take him in. My eyes track a droplet of water that is running down the middle of his chest to his stomach, his abs glistens in the sun that is coming through the window.
I look up into to see him smiling, my face heats and I turn my head away. Feeling embarrassed for staring. I look down, frowning at my half naked body. Thank god I put on decent underwear. I lift up the quilt as I see him looking.
“You removed my clothes.” I say lamely. I refrain from rolling my eyes at my own stupid question.
Roman doesn’t bat an eyelid. “I did.” His deep timbered voice resonates around the small space.
I jump slightly and he laughs. I hardly ever hear him speak. The deep rumble of his laugh sends shivers down my spine. I look back at him, he is still watching me with a smile.
“Your clothes were wet, so I had them dried for you.” he gestures to my uniform laying on the chair by the door. “I used my body heat to warm you up, but you might want to have a shower to ease your muscles.” He moves closer to me.
I wince when I stretch, my sore aching body stiff from being out in the cold. I roll my sore shoulders and neck. I must have fell asleep at an awkward angle. Though I was tied to a tree.
“Thank you, I’ll get dressed and go back to my room.” I move to stand; his eyes track my every movement.
I cross my arms over my chest, keeping my wrists out of view. I don’t want him to see the scars that mark my wrists. I can see him looking, probably accessing me, looking for something else to use against me. Though he did undress me, so he has probably seen them already. I drop my arms with a sigh.
“You can shower here if you want, it might be best until everyone is in class. I have sent an email saying you are unwell.”
The timber in his voice does things to me. I quake under his intense gaze. My body shivering when his eyes roam up and down before settling back on my face.
He steps forward, I have to tilt my head back, looking into his eyes. His wide body leans over mine, the warmth of him heating my skin. He trails a finger down my arm, touching me in such a way I gasp. My breath hitches, my lips part. He doesn’t say a word, but he does watch my lips as I lick them.