After school, I find Knox in front of the seventh tower.
Headphones cover his ears and he types away at his phone. His expression is easy, but he appears lost somewhere out of the physical world.
Heavy metal music thrums louder from his headphones as I approach him. Upon seeing me, he drops the headphones around his neck and smiles. With a click, the music comes to a halt.
“I see you’re into metal,” I tell him.
“What can I say? Heavy things speak to me.”
Interesting.
We walk down the uncovered hall separating the seventh and the eighth tower. “Not sure if you know this, but RES has ten towers. From one to three are for the first year. From four to six are for the second year. Senior year students get the four remaining towers.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why do senior year students get four towers?”
I lift a shoulder. “To reflect well on the school since they’ll be the ones admitted to colleges.”
“You sure it’s not because of their rich parents?”
Laughing, I shake my head. “That’s exactly the reason. You’re going to fit in here just fine if you learn the hierarchy of things.”
“Is that important?” He fingers his headphones.
I stop at the threshold of the eighth tower. “What is?”
“Hierarchy. You can switch it up if you don’t like it.”
I resume walking and he joins me. “It’s been this way for centuries. It can’t be just switched up.”
“You never know until you try.” He searches our surroundings. “Where is your friend with the green hair?”
“Ah. Kim. She has to pick up her brother so we can go to a party.”
“Did you just say a party?”
I look Knox up and down, and a crazy idea comes to mind.
An idea that might end the ill-fate between me and Aiden once and for all.
I promised him that he’ll regret it and I meant it.
The more he tries to smother me, the harder I will fight.
The more he suffocates me, the stronger I’ll search for air.
This time, he’ll be the one hurt, not me.
“Do you want to come?” I ask Knox.
“To a party?” He grins. “Hell yeah.”
“Kim and I will pick you up.”
“Can I do that?” He runs his hand through his hair. “I don’t like it when someone drives me.”
“Sounds good.” I laugh.
“What?”
“We’re the complete opposite. I don’t like driving. I didn’t even apply for a licence.”
“Why not?”
“It makes me nervous, I guess.”
“Well, if you need a ride, I’m here.”
“Aww, thanks.”
“It’s me who should thank you, Elsa.” His eyes soften at the corners. “It sucks to be the transfer student, but you’re making it easier.”
“I’m happy to. You kind of saved my life, remember?”
“You certainly aren’t going to let me forget that.”
“Hell no. I’m indebted to you for life.”
He bends over, grinning. “I’ll hold you to that.”
We resume walking and I show him the best places to find calm and peace, which aren’t much.
I glance up at him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“When you found me in the pool, did you notice anything strange? Or anyone?”
He hums. “Not really. I was lost and found myself in the pool area and then I noticed a body floating upside down. Imagine my shock.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault.” He pauses. “Did you really trip and fall?”
“Yes.” No. I don’t know.
According to my nightmares and my episodes, the hand that pushed me could be a figment of my imagination.
That scenario means I’m hallucinating and have a worse mental state than I thought.
It scares the shit out of me.
I opt to change the subject. “Where did you use to study?”
“In another private school.”
“Really? Students in private schools rarely transfer, especially during the senior year.”
“We had to move because of my father’s work.”
That makes sense.
As we step outdoors, I lock gazes with Xander. He narrows his eyes on Knox like he’s trying to see past his skull.
Before he can make a move towards us, I tell Knox, “Let’s go.”
He lets me lead him to the garden.
I have no doubt that Xander will tell Aiden all about this.
Doesn’t matter.
Aiden will see the present himself tonight.
“You look hot. Like I’d totally do you, girl.” Kim stares me up and down as we stand in front of the mirror in my bedroom. “Why haven’t you been dressing up before, again?”
I add another clip to my hair, letting the ponytail fall to my back and straighten.
I wore a sleeveless little black dress that hugs my breasts and waist and falls to a little above my knees. I also put on mascara, lip gloss, and Aunt’s Nina Ricci’s perfume.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea, though?” Kim meets my gaze in the mirror. “You never dressed like this even when you were with King.”
My lower lip trembles and I thin my mouth in a line.
With Aiden, I always felt the need to be myself. I loved being myself and how much Aiden liked it.
Or that’s what he made me believe. It could be a game like everything he played thus far.
“King doesn’t matter,” I say.
“Then who does?”
“No one.”
She takes my hands in hers, making me face her.
Kim opted for skinny black jeans and a white top that drops off her shoulders. Her hair falls on either side of her face, the green highlights shining under the light.
“Ellie, talk to me. What’s going on?”
“I’m changing, Kim. Just like you changed in the summer.”
“What’s your excuse?”
“My excuse?”
“I had an excuse to change. I was done being an outcast and decided to do something about it. What’s yours?”
“I was hurt.” I laugh with a bitterness that slices straight through my chest. “My heart was stomped upon, Kim. All this time, I’ve been a bloody joke. A plot. A game. I feel like if I don’t blow off steam, I’ll explode.”
Her bright green eyes soften. “Is it because of King?”
“You know, people react differently when someone breaks their heart. Some would lick their wounds and run. Others would keep their distance and hide.”
“What camp are you?”
“Neither. I choose to fight for my freedom. I owe myself that much, don’t you think?”
“You do. I understand that more than anyone.” She hugs me from the side. “But be careful. King doesn’t lose.”
“He will now.” I wrap my arm around her. “I promise.”
Because I don’t have any more chances to lose.
As agreed, Knox picks me and Kim up.
During the ride, he jokes with us about the number of times he got lost in RES in one day.
Kim, who’s not big on making conversation with strangers, engages him and laughs at his easy humour.
“So she took the wrong sign?” Kim asks him.
“Imagine this.” Knox doesn’t take his eyes off the road. “I’m lost between those towers shit and there’s no human in sight. Even the cats look at me funny as if they want to exorcise me. Then, I spot a blondie and I run up to her, but she thinks I’m asking her out. She readjusts her glasses in a smart way and tells me, I’m sorry, Mr Van Doren, but I’m married to math. Thank you for your interest, though. It made me happy even though it doesn’t show right now.”
Kim laughs from the back seat. I wince, pretending to scroll through my phone.
The girl sounds so much like me once upon a time.
“And did you correct her?” Kim asks.
“Nah, I just followed her from afar to find my way back to civilisation.” He pauses. “Now that I think about it, that probably hurt my case, didn’t it?”
“Oh, man.” Kim giggles. “She’ll probably tell her friends that she turned you down and you still stalked her.”
“Bloody hell.”
I smile at his comically shocked expression.
We step into Ronan’s house together. After exchanging all types of social media and contact information, Kim and Knox continue joking about his day in RES.
As expected, most of the school’s student body is here. Some Spanish music thumps from the speakers, but it’s not loud enough to drown out the dozen conversations floating through the air.
Ronan’s lounge area smells of alcohol and a mixture of expensive perfumes — but mostly alcohol.
A butler passes us by, wearing a black suit and white gloves.
This is the upper class.
Ronan’s father is an earl. He’s not only loaded like the upper middle class, Kim, Aiden, and Xander, but he’s also a nobility.
I always forget that part because Ronan doesn’t act like an aristocrat at all. He’s more vulgar and spontaneous than commoners.
Kim perks up and grins at me mischievously. “I’m not driving today.”
“Not that it stopped you before.”
She stands between me and Knox and interlaces her arms through ours. “You should drink, too.”
“Pass.” Not only is drinking not good for my heart condition, but I also don’t like the taste.
It’s bitter and burns. No idea why people like alcohol so much.
“Come on!” Kim urges. “This party is in your honour, remember?”
“I’m sure that’s just an excuse Ronan used to throw another party.”
The three of us push through the bodies grinding to the music.
“Isn’t it Ellie and Kimmy?” Ronan cuts in front of us, a sloppy smile painted on his lips. “You can’t be late to your own party, Ellie.”
A strong whiff of alcohol and expensive women perfume comes off his Elites jacket. Is that lipstick on his T-shirt?
“And who are you?” Ronan’s smile drops like a bad habit as he watches Knox quizzically. Almost in the same way Xander did earlier.
Like he’s a threat.
“I’m Knox,” he offers with his signature easy smile. Either he doesn’t feel the threat or he doesn’t care.
I’d be impressed if it’s the latter.
“Thanks for having me,” Knox says.
“I didn’t.” Ronan deadpans. “I don’t remember inviting you.”
“Hey.” I elbow Ronan. “I invited him. Isn’t this my party? I have the right to invite whoever I like.”
Ronan’s gaze slides from Knox to me as if he’s calculating something, then he murmurs to me, “You’re playing with fire, Ellie. You might burn.”
I’m already burning.
Aiden has set fire to my life since the first day I walked into RES.
Now I have to do what I should’ve done back then.
Stop the fire from spreading.
Stop the mortal disease from eating me from the inside.
“Come on, Knox.” I pull at his sleeves. “Let’s find something to eat.”
Kim gives me a discreet nod and takes Ronan in the opposite direction. As soon as they disappear, I let Knox go and motion at the reception table. “You’ll find anything you want here.”
He goes straight to the scones and scoops two of them before taking a bite.
My gaze strays in the hall even when I don’t feel him there.
I’m not naive to think that Aiden will let all this slide.
I straighten.
So what if he doesn’t?
Why the hell am I acting like I’m doing something wrong? I properly ended whatever we have. It’s not my fault that he thinks otherwise.
“Did I land in a weird situation?”
My attention snaps back to Knox. “What?”
“I seem to have made an enemy out of your friends.” Still chewing on the scone, he motions behind him without looking. I follow the direction and find Cole and Xander glaring at Knox’s back.
Or more like Xander is glaring. Cole just stands there, nonchalantly leaning against the doorframe, ankles crossed.
Both of them wear Elites jackets like Ronan as if they dropped here right after practice.
Neither of them meets my eyes. Instead, their entire attention is on Knox.
Despite Cole’s nonchalant expression, they appear kind of intimidating.
I ignore them and face Knox. “They’re not my friends.”
They’re Aiden’s friends. When it comes to choosing sides, the knight and rook always protect their king.
The thought of having the three of them turn on me makes my chest hurt more than I like to admit.
“I don’t mind making enemies.” Knox takes another bite and chews leisurely. “Let me know if you have any trouble with them.”
“No, Knox. You don’t want to make enemies with the four horsemen in RES. They’re kings here.”
I’m sounding just like Kim on my first day in RES.
If I ran away at that time, would I still end up like this?
I inwardly shake my head. It’s worthless to think about what-ifs when all is said and done.
Besides, Aiden would’ve found me sooner or later no matter how much I hid or ran.
“It’s cool,” Knox says.
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t come to this school in search of glory.”
“Could’ve fooled me with this morning’s introduction.”
“Well, it doesn’t hurt to be accepted.” He grins. “But seriously, it’s fine if I don’t. RES is only a stop on my way to Cambridge.”
My jaw nearly drops to the floor. “Mine, too.”
“You’re going to Cambridge?”
I nod several times.
He offers me a scone and takes a bite of his own. “I knew we had things in common.”
It feels kind of warm to meet someone who’s using RES as much as I am to get to our dream university.
“There you are.”
My smile drops and a tremor shoots down my spine and straight to my chest.
No matter how much I try to erase his voice from my memory, it’s still engraved deep within like a curse.
I can recognise that slight huskiness at the end and the deep tenor even with the music.
Aiden wraps an arm around my waist from behind and pulls me to his side.
He might as well have wrapped a noose around my throat.
My lower lip trembles with frustration as I stare up at him. Just like in the classroom, he appears calm. Nonchalant, even.
He’s wearing dark jeans and a grey T-shirt that brings out the colour of his eyes. Like the other horsemen, he’s also wearing Elites royal blue jacket with the Lion-Shield-Crown logo on the pocket.
It’s almost like he’s making a statement.
No. Not ‘almost’ like. He’s certainly making a statement. Aiden’s moves are always calculated to a T.
That doesn’t mean he gets to touch me so casually as if nothing happened.
I bite my lower lip to stop the profanities from spilling. Instead, I elbow his side. He doesn’t even budge. It’s as if he doesn’t feel — or if he does, then he doesn’t care.
“Van Doren, right?” Aiden smiles and offers his hand. “Aiden King. It’s nice to meet you.”
What the…?
Is Aiden shaking hands with Knox right now? I think I heard him say that it’s nice to meet Knox.
No. He couldn’t have figured out my plan.
I meant to throw him off by coming with Knox. Instead, I’m the one thrown completely out of my element.
Knox shakes Aiden’s hand with a smile. “Same. It’s kind of hard not to hear about you around here.”
“Hmm.” Aiden’s smile doesn’t falter, if anything, it widens. “Then you must’ve heard that Elsa is mine.”
My eyes widen. “I’m not —”
“I don’t react well to anyone who threatens what’s mine.” Aiden cuts me off. “If you understand that, welcome to RES.”
“I told you that I’m not —” Words die in my throat when Aiden’s lips slam to mine.
He grabs my jaw with harsh fingers and squeezes hard. He’s trying to make me open my mouth.
I keep my lips in a thin line and claw at his chest with my nails.
It’s like he feels nothing. Not even when I scratch his collarbone.
His other hand wraps around my nape, imprisoning me. He brings me flush against his hard chest, crushing my hands and my resistance.
It’s his way to tell me that I can’t resist him. That, if he wants, he can kill any of my attempts.
I’m like a wave, no matter how high or wild I get, I’ll always crush against the unmovable rock at the shore.
Because that rock?
That rock is where waves like me go to die.
When I still don’t open, Aiden bites my lower lip so hard, I’m surprised no blood comes out.
A whimper escapes my throat, but I keep my mouth sealed shut.
A part of my body melts, wishing for friction. For something.
Anything.
But that part is a fucking idiot.
That part is why I’m in a losing battle against the damn rock.
I attempt pushing him away, but he has me under his perfect control as he ravages my mouth.
The kiss is a punishment as much as it’s a claim.
It’s a brute force and bruising without an ounce of tenderness.
Not that Aiden does tenderness, but he used to at least deceive me before.
He used to try being gentle.
The mask dropped and he’s showing his true colours now.
He’s playing the real game.
But it takes two armies to go to battle.
I bite his lip back the hardest I can. A metallic taste explodes on my tongue.
Aiden stops for a moment as if he’s taken aback. I seize the chance and shove him away.
Blood oozes on the side of his mouth, and I try not to get caught in the sight.
I made him bleed.
I made Aiden King bleed.
I can still feel the metallic taste on my tongue and stuck between my lips and teeth.
That itch to wash my hands overwhelms me out of nowhere. It takes everything in me not to bolt out of here.
If I do, Aiden would think I’m running away from him and I promised I’d never do that anymore.
He wipes the slight injury with his thumb slowly then stares at it as if it’s a wonder.
Or a curse.
“You and I are over, King,” I announce loud enough for everyone in our surroundings to hear. “Stop being a clingy, annoying ex.”
A few gasps erupt around us.
While he’s still watching the blood on his thumb, I hit my shoulder against his and walk out with my head held high.
