Betrayed, Then Back For Blood

Abbie and Mia were momentarily stunned by Briar’s sudden outburst, but they quickly sprang into action, rushing to help Lydia, who was clearly in pain and barely able to stand. “Lydia, you okay?” they asked, voices thick with worry.

“Briar, how could you lay hands on her? That’s so low!” Abbie snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at Briar.

“We were trying to talk to you like civilized people. You brush us off and start throwing punches the second you don’t like what you hear? Seriously, how could you be so rude?” Mia piled on, her tone sharp with indignation.

“My back hurts so bad,” Lydia whimpered, tears streaming down her face. She wasn’t faking it–Briar’s shove had left her rattled, her back throbbing like it was already bruising.

She thought to herself, ‘Is this Briar even a woman? What kind of girl hits that hard?‘

“Let’s take a look,” Abbie said, lifting Lydia’s shirt with Mia to check her back. Then, they gasped in unison.

“Oh my, your whole back’s red, and it’s turning purple in spots!” Abbie exclaimed, wide–eyed.

“This is serious! You need to go to the infirmary right now. What if something’s seriously hurt?” Mia added, her voice urgent.

“I’m reporting this,” Lydia said through clenched teeth, pointing at Briar in fury. “You think you can come in here, start fights, and walk away? I’m going to tell our advisor. You’ve crossed the line!”

Briar stood there, arms crossed, watching their melodramatic performance with a mix of amusement and disdain. When Lydia threatened to tattle, she shrugged. “Go for it. Take it straight to Mr. Goodwin. Maybe he’ll kick me out on the spot.”

She wasn’t scared of trouble or of escalating it. These girls had come at her with their petty games, and Briar wasn’t about to let small–time scheming run her out of a place like Shoneport University.

this!” Lydia

catfight would only bring them down to her “level,” and they had too much pride for that. So they turned, helping Lydia

them hobble off, leaning on each other like they’d survived a war.

door had been wide open the whole time. The noise had

lingered near Room 2015, peeking inside. They quickly spotted Briar- the star of today’s forum gossip–standing

exhibit. She locked the dorm door with a scowl and

backpack over her shoulder and made her way to the campus gates, bound for her place at Moonspring Estate. A quick nap sounded like the perfect

nonsense.

off for half an hour

number. Groggy and annoyed, Briar silenced it without a second

surprise, the caller was relentless, ringing again and again. By the fourth call, Briar’s patience was gone. She answered with a growl, “Hello? Who is this? You

11 Aug

Chapter 44

off, and after a brief

this Ms. Briar Jennings from

tell her harsh greeting had rattled the girl. She shut her eyes, tamping down her irritation from being woken up. “Yeah, it’s me. Who are

the fact that the caller knew she was