a's

e school gates, I already knew

e to the main doors w

didn't count, I would focus on th

my thigh until my skin broke there. The cotton of my underwear was sticking to it

w how to explain

s would ask "Isla, are you okay?" and then I would h

oot in front of the other. I've b

eps away fro

hear he

plastic rattle, a

in the side. It was fu

fully. My knees hit the concrete hard and then my hip slammed d

ing makes noise. The water tasted like I had licked the inside of a clogged bathtub drain. It was thick and slimy

ed the open wounds on my ribs and thighs. The pain was so b

well. If it i

pe of voice that belongs to someone w

he water was drippi

standing

at bounced when she moved. Her skin was clear and pink. She was wearing a cheerleader jacket that was white and clean, with

ad smell she couldn't get rid of. "I was doing you a favour. You smelled like a

ed. I heard the click of thei

oked at me. She stepped closer. Her whi

g with her toe. "You're making a mess,

ms were shaking. The water made

ic," sh

around us. Nobody said anything and nobo

r a ripped uniform, things I couldn't explain to the teachers. So I stayed down. I let the cold, dirty water soak into my skin. It burned

s on half the territory my father wanted. If Bella complained, my father would beat me worse than usual. He told me this m

hating me. So I thought, maybe if I just took it, if I sat in the filth and didn'

aid,. "She's actually

sneaker. It splashed on my cheek. I didn't wipe it

ir suddenl

ehind Bella cut off instant

them in

h. My hands, which were resting on the wet concrete, started to shake. It was a small tremor at f

ddox. Col

ce. I knew those voices. I

iving hell for three years. They were standing right behind Bella. I

trying to breathe, but the air felt

were

o him, cracking his knuckles. Colt was smirking, that cruel, twisted smile I saw in my

were all looking at me like I was something they needed to scrape o

. Three years ago, Maddox was in love with me. He was my first love. My

my face, a sound that vibrated in my chest and made my wolf cower. He looked at

er shoulder bumping his arm. She looked at me,

are you going to be mad seeing your lit

ook at Bella. He stared at me wi

he snarled. "

ldn't help it. My body remembered the pain

into a classroom where I am. If I see you near me, I won't just ignore you.

hattered into dust. I could feel

d tell him the truth. I wanted to tell him not to hate me. The

My father made me swear not to or he

boots. My eyes burned with hot te

. "I won't

d barely stand. I dragged my body toward the bathro

utes. I thought they were

ard the d

an in here like a wet r

a. And she

reathing. I pressed

ggled. "Is it true what the

a la

lowered her voice. "The first time I f

ed open in th

t?" the g

t I was experienced. He was all rough and dominant, and I just had to sit there and take it

e. For him not to know... it meant something was wron

. My sneaker squeak

g stopped

that?" a g

ice changed. It wasn't playful

d foot

the door properly,

ce was twisted in rage. B

pat. "You we

k against the toilet paper dispenser. "

ful of my hair. She yanked me forward. My head slammed

of the girls said. "

ng her wrist, trying to pull my

t care if I heard or not. She jus

r," she

ted my wrists behind my back until I gasped. They drag

ing up a bucket from the cleaning cart in the co

ad down," Be

celain pressed against my cheek. I thrashed. I kic

," Bella

eck with one hand. With the

p my nose. It filled my ears. It was freezing and it tasted like che

th black dots. I was going to pass out. I was go

close in, a hand grabbed the back of Bella's jack

nd fell to the floor, coughing up bile and dirty water. I rolle

m my eyes with a shak

back, looking furi

stop

he doorway wa

as M

re. His eyes were dark, and focused entirely on me, lying on the wet tile, cough

Maddox's voice was low. It was

le, then red. "She w

The air pressure dropped. The other girls scrambled back, pressing t

shivering. I waited for him to kick me. I wa

bucket. Then he looked at the bruise forming on my

so hard I heard

rage I didn't understand. He wasn't looking at me. H

usly. "Since when d

ng over Bella now. He looked dangerous.