78

We pulled into the school, and the first two classes went as planned. None of the other students seemed to notice I was gone.
My third class was another story entirely. I had almost forgotten that I shared this class with both twins. The moment I walked through the door, their eyes were on me, burning into my skin. The guilt bubbling within me nearly made me nauseous.
I walked slowly, my eyes guarded as I looked into theirs. They seemed to have seen better days. Their eyes were darker, almost black, with deep rings lining them, making it look like they needed a good night’s sleep.
Kieran was as gorgeous as ever, his hair tousled on top and short on the sides. His long-sleeve shirt clung to every dip and arch of his body. Ethan looked stunning with his longer, tousled hair, and his typical leather jacket was in place. For a change, they were sitting next to each other, giving me a chance to spend the class without being touched.
I needed to resist the pull I felt towards them, but now it felt stronger than ever. Something had definitely changed. The urge to be near them was not just mental torture; it was now physical. My body ached, shivering at the longing I felt. I wasn’t sure how I’d get past this class, but I was determined to try.
“Well hello, doll,” Ethan’s dark eyebrow lifted, his obsidian eyes roaming over the dress I had chosen. My cheeks flared under their attention, but I chose to ignore his comment.
“We heard you had quite the week,” Kieran spoke smoothly, his eyes running over my face.
“Yes, I did,” I nodded, keeping the conversation as bland as possible.
“You moved in with Sebastian ?” Ethan quipped, and my heart fluttered. It made my insides warm when Ethan called him Sebastian. Everyone else had almost slipped up and called him my “Dad.”
“They know how you feel,” Silver murmured. “If you’d open up to them, you could feel their emotions too.”
“People don’t feel each other’s emotions,” I rolled my eyes. “If they did, Lauren and Darren would’ve never treated me how they did.” Silver sighed and retreated to the back of my mind, clearly tired of arguing with me.
“It’s not like I had a choice,” I frowned, my eyebrows furrowing together in a grimace.
“That must be quite the adjustment,” Kieran frowned, looking troubled.
“How are you holding up, doll?” Ethan’s frown matched his brother’s, and I felt myself stiffen in my seat.
“I’m acclimating,” I nodded.
They both sounded so sincere, so conflicted about what I was going through. Something shuddered within me, something that linked me to these two brothers. I nearly gave in to that feeling, but I reminded myself why I couldn’t. I couldn’t see myself building a life here, not with Lauren and Darren nearby.
I bottled my feelings, shoving them deep down. I could deal with them once I was out of this state altogether.
I struggled to get through the class, keeping my eyes from flickering to the twins. They made little comments, asked me small questions. I answered the best I could, keeping a tight hold on my emotions. The class ticked by slowly, their eyes leaving tracks along my body. I was out of my seat before the bell rang, scrambling to get to my next class.
I was thankful Kat was in this class, keeping me safe from Jessy. Ethan approached the front of my desk the moment I sat down, a frown still playing on his face.
“You can talk to us, doll,” Ethan frowned, his dark eyes glinting sadly. “In case you ever need someone to talk to.” I mumbled my thanks, ignoring the heated glare from Jessy. I wouldn’t let her glares hurt me any longer. I was safe here in school, surrounded by people. As long as I remained with other students, Jessy couldn’t hurt me.
My fourth class passed, and I squirmed in my seat every time Ethan glanced my way. Kat and I talked about nothing and everything. She didn’t push me to talk about what was going on in my life, letting the topic of conversation change freely.
I managed to get to gym early, heading into the locker room before everyone else. I changed quickly, my eyes peeled to each student that flocked into the locker room. I was just about to exit the locker room and head into the gym when a familiar face approached me. My stomach twisted in fear, but Silver somehow stifled the emotion. A strange surge of strength washed through me. The strength wasn’t physical but mental, just enough to get me through this without turning into a quivering mess.
“Sophia, I need to talk to you,” Lilian spoke in a hushed tone, the words spewing from her mouth quickly.
“You need to talk?” I scoffed, storming past her before another word could leave her lips. Her soft hand wrapped around my wrist. Her grip wasn’t tight, more pleading than anything.
“Please, Sophia, I-” she began, but I whipped around to face her.
“You what?” I snapped, letting Silver egg me on. Her anger mixed with my own, heightening my emotions to newfound levels. “You didn’t mean to lure me into a party? You didn’t mean to let Jessy beat me? You didn’t mean to almost let me get raped?” Lilian’s mouth flopped open, and she fought for the words to say.
I was consumed by my anger, ignoring the startled gazes from the other girls.
“It’s so good to know you didn’t mean any of it,” I snickered, yanking my wrist from her grip. “That completely excuses everything you did.”
Before she could respond, I stormed out of the locker room. My blood boiled throughout the entire class, and my vision tinted red. The disgusting metallic taste in my mouth only fueled my rage.
We were playing volleyball again, but this time I didn’t struggle. I didn’t hide from the ball, waiting for it to hit me. I sought it out, smashing it over the net with ease. My movements were confident; my body knew what to do. Silver was highly competitive, screaming expletives in my head the entire game.
We won, and I successfully ignored Ethan and Kieran’s gazes all day. Lilian didn’t try to approach me again; it seemed she had finally learned her lesson. Jessy was in class, angrier than ever. Her murderous glare stayed on me the entire time, but I managed to ignore it. I knew I was safe surrounded by students. I knew that if we were alone, she would most definitely end my life. The flicker of madness in her eyes attested to that.
At the sound of the bell, we filtered back into the locker room. I slipped on my clothes and headed out, walking down the hall to meet Kat at her locker.
For just a split second, I let my guard down. I was surrounded by students, unworried about who might approach me.
A strong grip wrapped around my wrist, pulling me into an empty classroom. The situation was all too familiar as I stared into the eyes of Ethan and Kieran.
Ethan released my wrist, taking a step back before closing the classroom door. A few students looked at us warily, their eyes flickering to the closed door. I wondered if any of them would fetch a teacher, though a small part of me hoped they wouldn’t.
“Doll, you’ve been avoiding us,” Ethan tsked, stalking forward.
“I’m not avoiding anything,” I shook my head, trying to make my voice sound convincing. My voice cracked at the end, betraying my lie.
“Sure you aren’t, sweetheart,” Kieran shook his head, his eyes flickering to his brother before he too began approaching me.
“We know what you’re feeling, doll,” Ethan smirked, something dangerous glinting in his eyes.
“Stop fighting them,” Silver urged, but I couldn’t focus on her at the moment.
“Stop fighting us,” Kieran murmured, his large hands lightly grasping my hips.
The contact sent a lightning shock through my skin, searing my insides wonderfully. I hadn’t realized how badly my body craved the touch, as if it had been going through withdrawal this entire time.
“We can’t.” The words were on the tip of my tongue, ready to flow from my lips. They refused to be spoken, refused to drift into the air.
Kieran’s grip on my waist tightened as he pulled me toward him. He stepped back until he could sit comfortably in one of the many chairs scattered about.
My body didn’t hesitate as he pulled me onto his lap. My legs straddled his lower body, and I felt my short dress ride up. Kieran’s touch consumed my thoughts. His hands gripped my waist tightly, as if he feared I’d slip away. The pressure of his growing arousal against my core sent shocks down my thighs, a mix of pleasure and relaxation.
Ethan moved behind me, pulling up his own seat. He stroked my long hair, brushing it to the side, his fingers trailing the length of my neck. A breathless sigh escaped my lips under his touch, the sparks acting like a sedative. My body had craved their touch for so long that I couldn’t pull away.
All the inner screaming and turmoil couldn’t save me now. I had deprived myself for too long. Silver wanted the twins, urging me to give in to their touches.
“Let this be our goodbye,” I murmured in my mind, letting my face drift closer to Kieran’s.