Chapter Twenty
The bell rang, signaling the start of first period, and I rushed down the hall, my mind still spinning from the news of the test. As I entered the classroom, I spotted Logan lounging in his usual spot at the back, his legs stretched out in front of him like he didn’t have a care in the world.
Lucky him.
He looked up when I walked in, and his eyes flickered with amusement as he caught sight of the panic on my face. I ignored him and slid into my seat, rummaging through my bag for my notes. Tanya’s words about the test echoed in my head.
As I frantically searched through my bag, trying to find my notes, I felt a presence hovering next to me. I looked up to see Mal standing there with a curious expression.
“Hey, you good?” she asked, her head tilting slightly as she studied my stressed-out face.
“Not really,” I admitted, sighing as I slumped in my chair. “There’s a test today, and I didn’t even know about it until this morning.”
Mal raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
“Really? I thought you were always on top of things like this.”
I shook my head, my stomach churning.
“Yeah, well, not this time. I was… distracted yesterday.”
Mal sat down in the seat next to me, her eyes flicking towards Logan before settling back on me with a knowing smile. “Let me guess-distracted by a certain someone?”
I felt my face flush slightly. “Not like that. I was just… busy.”
“Oh well, I hope the test gets canceled,” Mal said with a shrug, her lips curving into a teasing smile. “Wouldn’t that be a miracle?”
Ilet out a dry laugh, shaking my head. “If only. I don’t think we’re going to get that lucky today.”
“Yeah, probably not,” Mal agreed, leaning back in her seat. “But hey, who knows?
Stranger things have happened.”
I glanced over at Logan again, catching his eye as he smirked from his spot at the back of the room. He seemed completely unfazed by the test-or anything else, for that matter.
Typical.
“How does he do it?” | muttered, more to myself than to Mal.
“Do what?” she asked, following my gaze.
“Act like nothing ever bothers him,” I said, my eyes still on Logan as he leaned back casually in his chair, looking like he hadn’t a care in the world.
Mal chuckled softly. “That’s just Logan. He thrives on acting like the world revolves around him.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” | replied, rolling my eyes.
“Must be nice.”
“Don’t worry,” Mal said, nudging me with her elbow. “You’ll survive this test, and everything else, too.”
The teacher walked in then, carrying a stack of papers that immediately squashed any hope of a cancellation. Mal gave me a sympathetic look as the test papers were handed out.
“Good luck,” she whispered before turning her attention to the exam.
I glanced down at the test in front of me, my stomach tightening with nerves. It was going to be a long hour.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the rising panic as I scanned the first question. My mind was a complete blank, and I could feel my pulse quickening as the seconds ticked by. I hadn’t even had time to prepare.
My eyes darted around the room. Most of the other students were already scribbling away, including Mal, who seemed unusually focused. Logan, on the other hand, was twirling his pen between his fingers, not even pretending to care. I stifled a groan, shaking my head.
Focus, Audrey. You can’t fail this.
I forced myself to read the first question again.
It was something about the industrial revolution… or maybe it was the
Enlightenment. I couldn’t even remember what class this was. My head was spinning, and I started to feel a little lightheaded.
The minutes dragged on painfully, and I barely managed to string together a few answers that might pass for coherent thoughts. Every now and then, l’d glance over at Mal, who looked completely unfazed, and then at Logan, who still hadn’t written a single thing.
Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Relief flooded through me as I dropped my pen and slumped back in my chair. I glanced down at my test, feeling the pit in my stomach grow even deeper. It wasn’t my best work-not by a long shot.
Mal stretched beside me, turning to give me a supportive smile. “See? You survived.
How’d it go?”
I groaned, rubbing my temples. “I don’t even want to think about it. That was brutal.”
“You’re overthinking it,” she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Trust me, you’ll do better than you think.”
I wasn’t so sure, but I gave her a weak smile anyway. “Thanks, Mal.”
As I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed toward the door, trying to shake off the weight of that awful test, I felt a presence behind me. I half-expected it to be Logan, ready with another smug comment, but when I turned around, it wasn’t him.
It was Warwick.
He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his intense gaze fixed on me. His presence, as always, sent a shiver down my spine-not in the same way Logan did, but something darker, more unsettling. His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile.
“How was your exam?” Warwick asked, his voice smooth, but there was an undercurrent of something else in his tone, something predatory.
I blinked, caught off guard. I hadn’t expected him to approach me, much less make casual conversation. “Uh… It was fine, I guess,” | replied, trying to keep my voice steady. I didn’t want him to know just how much that test had gotten to me-or how much he unsettled me.
“Fine?” he repeated, tilting his head slightly, his dark eyes scanning my face. “You don’t sound very convinced, Audrey.”
I forced a smile, though I was sure it didn’t reach my eyes. “Just wasn’t prepared, that’s all!.”
Warwick pushed himself off the doorframe, taking a slow step closer to me. “You seem a little distracted lately,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “You should be careful.
Distractions can be dangerous.”
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding. Was he talking about the test, or was this some kind of veiled threat? With Warwick, it was hard to tell.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I muttered, moving to step around him. But before I could, he shifted, blocking my path.
“What’s the rush?” he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I’m just trying to make conversation.”
My pulse quickened, and I could feel the tension in the air thickening. I glanced over Warwick’s shoulder, hoping someone else would walk by-maybe Mal, or even Logan.
But the hallway was empty.
“I have to get to my next class,” | said, trying to sidestep him again.
Warwick’s smirk deepened, and he leaned in just enough to make me feel trapped. My pulse raced, and I could feel the tension in my body winding tighter with each passing second.
“I have something to tell you, Audrey,” he said, his voice smooth but laced with an undercurrent of intensity. “Something… important.”
I blinked, surprised. “What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice wavering despite my attempt to sound calm.