Chapter 50 Audrey

The moment we stepped out of the auditorium doors into the bright hallway, my friends were already swarming me like moths to a flame.

"Audrey, what the hell happened?" Tina demanded, her eyes as wide as saucers as sh reached up to gingerly touch the spot on my temple where a little bit of blood had dried. "Why did you show up so late?" I flinched away from her touch and quickly dabbed at my temple with a tissue.

"Linda..." I began, swallowing hard. "Linda and her friends attacked me in the bathro before the ceremony. Smashed my phone, locked me in a utility closet..." My voice began to quiver as I recounted the details. As I continued to tell the story of what happened, my friends' faces went pale, Avis's hand flew to cover her mouth in shock. Tina gasped loudly. Betty's jaw dropped, and Gavin's eyes narrowed.

"That's low, even for Linda," Gavin growled. "Why would she do something like that?"

"She said it was to keep me from making it to the next round." My stomach twisted at the thought. "To get revenge, I guess."

Tina huffed to herself. "I guess because of what happened with you

and Claudia Klein.

I nodded quickly, my eyes flickering down the hallway toward where it all happened. Linda and her friends had long since slipped away like ghosts in the crowd. "Is there any evidence?" Avis asked. "Did anyone see?"

I shook my head-even though Edwin had shown up, he didn't see it actually happen. Without real, tangible evidence, then it would be my word against Linda's.

An uneasy silence fell over the group as we processed that harsh reality. If it was just my

word against Linda's twisted version of events, chances were she would find a way to

wriggle out of facing any real consequences-even if Edwin vouched for me.

my reverie, and I turned to see Edwin approaching with his hands curled up into fists at his sides.

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Chapter 30

to the security office, Miss Thatcher," the security

down the winding hallways toward the main security office. Edwin walked beside me, his arm

each one showing footage from various spots around campus. The security guard slid into her chair and tapped a few keys, pulling up the

with no cameras," she explained as she sped

There I was on the screen, walking down the empty hall with my friends before breaking off from the group and disappearing off-camera into the bathroom. A few minutes passed before a mousey head poked out of the bathroom

few moments later, Linda and her friends appeared

carried me down the hall. I thrashed and kicked, but she easily overpowered me, throwing

camera caught it all, even Linda using one of the janitor's keyrings-likely stolen-to lock me inside. My hands shook as I watched the three girls turn and

at the backs of my eyes as the security guard froze the video, with Linda's wicked grin taking up the

disciplinary action for this," she stated

leaving Edwin and me alone in the small office, a heavy silence fell over us. He was staring at me again with that intense gaze that made me feel like he could see straight through me, straight

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his knuckles over my bruised temple. I shivered at his touch, holding still as he inspected

as I watched him pause halfway down the hall, those dark eyes of his flashing a brilliant gold for just a split second. He was frantic, searching every door and classroom desperately until he

swept me up and pulled

I had felt so safe, so... right. Like nothing else in the

later, Edwin stepped out as well and stalked after me with his hands in fists at

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