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.

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

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Chapter 30

us to the security office, Miss Thatcher," the security guard

look with my friends, I followed the security guard down the winding hallways toward the main security office. Edwin walked beside me, his arm brushing against mine with every other step until

campus. The security guard slid into her chair and tapped a few

cameras," she explained as she sped through the footage. "But luckily, there was a camera just around the corner that caught most

swallowed hard, exchanging a glance with Edwin before we both leaned in closer. 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

later, Linda and her friends

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

keyrings-likely stolen-to lock me inside. My hands shook as I watched the three girls

the security guard froze the video, with Linda's wicked grin taking up the

O'Malley and her friends are going to face disciplinary action for this," she stated firmly, already rising from her

us. He was staring at me again with that intense gaze that made me feel like he

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Chaptes so

alright?" he murmured, taking a step closer and gently brushing his knuckles over my bruised temple. I shivered at his touch, holding still as

flashing a brilliant gold for just a split second. He was frantic, searching every door and classroom desperately until he seemed to pick up on something. Then, his head whipped around toward the utility closet. He hesitated for only a moment before he suddenly broke into an

in the corner, trembling and petrified. And without a word, those strong arms had swept me up and

as I watched the footage over his shoulder, remembering the feeling of being enveloped in his warm arms. I had felt so safe, so... right. Like nothing else in the world mattered. Like this was how it was supposed to be-just the two of us,

the auditorium. A moment later, Edwin stepped out as well and

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