Archer
I stride into the staff room to find Elaine and Sophia chitchatting together at the back. They both fall silent as I walk in.
“Don’t stop on my account.”
Sophia blushes the moment my eyes land on her. The interrogation professor has had a crush on me ever since Oak employed her two years ago. She’s attractive, but not my type. Although when I told Oak that, his response was that’s because she’s not eighteen.
The truth of it is that Sophia is going to be at this school permanently. Seniors come and go and therefore there’re no strings attached, exactly how I like it.
“Morning, Archer,” Elaine says, glaring at me over her spectacles. “Are you behaving yourself this year?”
“Behaving myself?” I ask, tilting my head. “Don’t I always?”
She shakes her head. “No, you do not. I hope you haven’t set your eyes on another young and impressionable girl.”
I have, although she’s definitely not impressionable. Stubborn as a mule is the better description.
“Not sure what you’re talking about.”
Sophia looks a little disappointed as she swallows hard and looks away.
“Have you seen Bly?”
They both shake their heads. “No, he’s not been here in the last half an hour.”
I glance at my watch, as he’s usually always on time. We’re supposed to be going off campus to grab some dinner and drinks with Oak, who is meeting us at the restaurant.
“That’s unusual.”
“What is?” Sophia asks.
“For Bly to be late.”
Her brow furrows. “Maybe he’s been sent a student to discipline last minute?”
“Perhaps.” I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and send him a message.
Bly has been a bit off lately, but I can’t understand why exactly. As if the dark chaos he harbors inside is becoming impossible to control.
He worries me, especially since I know loosely the circumstances in which Oak found him.
I dial his number, and he picks up on the third tone. “What?” he barks.
“Where are you? We’re going in to town to meet Oak for dinner.”
There’s some rustling on the other end. “Fuck, sorry. I lost track of time. I’ll be there in a minute.” He ends the call.
I tap my foot on the floor and glance over at Elaine and Sophia, who are both now staring at me. “Is there a problem?”
They both shake their heads. “No, we were just having a private conversation,” Elaine says.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Are you suggesting I leave the communal staff room?”
Sophia bites the inside of her cheek. “No, Elaine wasn’t saying that. It’s just… how long will you be?”
I shake my head. “How long is a piece of fucking string? Bly is on his way.”
They continue to stare at me, so I breathe out a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll wait in the corridor.” I shake my head. “Fucking ridiculous.”
As I come out of the staff room, I bump straight into Adrianna.
Although this time she’s alone.
“We keep bumping into each other, and that time I didn’t plan it,” I murmur, my hands firmly on her hips before she can move away.
“Coach, get your hands off of me.”
I grind my teeth, my cock throbbing in my briefs as I look down at the beauty before me. “What’s your problem, baby girl?”
She growls like the feisty tiger she is. “I told you not to call me that.”
“And I told you I’ll call you whatever the fuck I want.”
Adrianna pushes against my chest, trying to get away. “This is becoming beyond creepy.”
“And I think deep down you love the attention.”
She pushes harder, freeing herself from me. “I think deep down I want to slit your fucking throat.”
I laugh. “That’s a little harsh, isn’t it?”
“Do you not know who my family is? We’re fucking insane, so stop messing with me or I’ll set my brother and father on you.”
“Oh, I’m quaking in my boots,” I say sarcastically.
Adrianna doesn’t have the guts to rat me out to her father, as she’s too scared of him. At least, that’s what I gleamed from my research into her and her family.
There’s something off though about Adrianna and her relationship with her family, and I haven’t finished digging. If I can find some dirt on her, I can use it against her.
“You should be. Don’t come near me again.” She spins around and storms down the corridor, hips swaying temptingly.
A part of me just wants to hunt her down like an animal and stake my claim now.
Adrianna Vasquez brings out the fucking caveman in me, but I have to play this smart.
“Hey, sorry,” Bly says as he approaches from behind.
I turn to face him. “Don’t sweat it. It’s just odd for you to be late.”
He nods, swallowing hard. “Right. Sorry.”
From the look in his eyes, I can tell he’s not in a good place. He hasn’t been since the start of school five weeks ago.
Oak and I discussed it. We both think he needs to go back to see a shrink, as his punishments have been harsher since we returned.
“Is Oak meeting us there?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah, who is driving?”
“Fuck driving. I’ve ordered us an Uber.”
“Good shout.” I clap him on the back.
His brow furrows as we walk toward the exit of SA. “Why were you standing outside the staff room?”
I roll my eyes. “Sophia and Elaine were having a private conversation. They practically kicked me out.”
Bly laughs. “I wouldn’t have taken that shit from those two.”
“Yes, but you aren’t me. And they wouldn’t have dared try to kick you out. Everyone is too scared of you.”
He cracks his knuckles. “Good.”
Both of us are relatively quiet in the Uber to the diner, but once we get there, I can see Bly relax a little. He’s always loved our weekly dinners here, as if they take his mind off of the sickness that plagues him, if only for a short time.