It didn’t sound like a question, so I didn’t answer.
I had enough altercations with girls just like Bella under my belt to know that whatever I said could and would be used against me.
It was safer to remain silent.
"Do you know who I am?" she finally asked.
I nodded.
"Do you know who he is?"
I nodded.
"Now, do you know what you are?"
I shrugged.
"A nobody," Bella said softly. "You are nothing, little girl. Not to him. Not to me." She stepped closer and I had to force myself not to flinch. "So whatever game you're playing, you need to back the fuck up because –" She paused to brush a hair off my shoulder, smiling sweetly down at me, "whatever little drama you were having in that bathroom cubicle will pale in comparison to the hell I will reign down on you if you even think about going after him."
"I don’t want him," I choked out, feeling close to fainting.
And he doesn’t want me.
Bella threw her head back and laughed.
"Everyone wants him," she finally replied, still laughing humorlessly. "And here's a heads-up: you are nothing special. Johnny's only being nice to you because you were a stupid, little bitch who got herself tangled up in one of their training sessions and caused him a ton of hassle."
My heart sank.
"You thought I didn’t know about your little display on the pitch that day?" She arched a brow. "I know everything that happens around here."
"It was an accident," I whispered, feeling my eyes well up with tears.
"As if," she sneered. "You were looking for his attention and you got it."
"No," I mumbled. "I wasn’t."
"Oh, please," she hissed. "Ever since you showed up here, you've caused him nothing but problems. Fighting with Ronan McGarry?" She arched a brow. "I bet you loved that, didn’t you?"
I shook my head, mortified.
"I hope you know that he's being nice to you because he has no choice," she added, glaring at me. "Because your mommy tried to have him suspended and he needs to keep his nose squeaky clean for The Academy."
My mouth fell open.
"You thought I didn’t know that, either?" She laughed softly. "I know all about you. All your little secrets. All the skeletons in your closet."
"I don’t…I haven't…It's not–"
"Save it," Bella snapped. "Your little poor-me victim act won't work on me. I'm letting you know that what those girls in that shitty school you came from did to you will feel like a walk in the park in comparison to what I do if you don’t back off." She gave me a hard look before adding, "This is me being friendly, Shannon. I won't be so nice if I have to tell you again."
"You won't have to," I strangled out.
Not giving her a chance to respond, I slipped around her and bolted out of the bathroom.
I needed to get the hell out of here and fast.
Because it was lunchtime and raining outside, the corridors were filled with other students taking shelter from the weather.
With my heart hammering rapidly in my chest, I maneuvered through the crowd with my head down and my mind set on the exit.
I only made it five feet from the bathroom door when I crashed into a wall of hard muscle.
The impact caused me to bounce backwards and land in a heap on the floor.
"Whoa, shit," a familiar voice grunted. "Sorry about that."
Two large hands wrapped around my arms and pulled me up.
"I didn’t see you there, Little Shannon," Gibsie chuckled as he set me on my feet. "Are you okay?"
I had done enough stalking to know that wherever Gerard Gibson was, Johnny Kavanagh was never far behind, and vice versa.
That was a worrying concept considering the war that had been just declared on me.
I nodded once and tried to sidestep him.
Problem was, Gibsie intercepted my move and blocked my path.
"Hey," he coaxed, tone suddenly serious. "Are you okay – did I hurt you or something?"
"I'm f-fine," I sniffled, desperately trying to keep my sobs at bay.
It didn’t work.
The minute he crouched down and made eye contact with me, a huge sob racked through my body.
"Shit," he muttered, looking around nervously. "I did hurt you."
"N-no, you d-didn’t. I just n-need to g-go h-home," I spluttered, crying like a baby right in front of him. "Right n-now."
It was all too much for me.
The blood.
The threats.
The panic.
It was too much and I was freaking out.
"Should I hug you?"
I shook my head.
"Should I take you home?"
I shrugged helplessly.
"Right now?"
I sniffled in response.
"Yeah, uh, okay," Gibsie replied, tone laced with confusion. "I'll take you home now."
"Shannon?"
The sound of my name being called out, followed a few moments later by Johnny coming to stand beside Gibsie, only confirmed my theory about the pair traveling in a pack.
"What's wrong?" Johnny demanded, eyeing me with concern. He turned to Gibsie. "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing lad," Gibsie quickly replied, holding his hands up. "I swear."
"She's fucking crying, Gibs," Johnny snarled, squaring up to his friend. "You obviously did something."
Panic roared to life inside of me, urged on by the sight of Bella standing outside the bathroom door, observing our interaction with a dark expression.
I knew that look well.
It came with a promise of pain.
"Shannon," Johnny growled, turning his gaze back to me. "What happened?"
"Please don’t talk to me," I choked out before sidestepping around him.
Johnny's reflexes were much quicker than mine because his hand shot out, fingers wrapping around the curve of my elbow. "Shannon?"
"Don’t touch me!" I hissed, panicked, and yanked my arm free.
Johnny reeled back like I struck him. "What's your problem?"
"Johnny lad," Gibsie interjected, trailing after us. "Maybe you should listen to her –"
"Gibsie, maybe you should fuck off and leave us alone," Johnny shot back heatedly. "This is private."
"Suit yourself, Bulldozer," Gibsie chimed before sauntering off.
"Shannon, what's wrong?" Johnny repeated, his entire focus on my face. "Is it because of what happened last night? Because you don’t need to –"
"No," I strangled out, begging the lord to take mercy on me and not have Johnny bring up last night in the middle of the school. "It's not about last night."
"Then what's wrong?" he demanded. "Talk to me!"
"I just need you to leave me alone," I choked out, moving to step around him again.
"I will –" Johnny caught ahold of my arm once more when I tried to duck around him, and pulled me back before finishing, "Once you tell me what the hell is going on?"
My gaze flickered to where Bella was glaring daggers at me.
I flinched at the sight of her menacing expression and Johnny noticed.
He craned his head around and his whole body visibly tensed.
"Jesus Christ," he growled, running a hand through his hair in what looked like obvious frustration. "What did she do?"
I shook my head. "Nothing."
"Shannon, tell me what she said to you." He turned his hard gaze on me. "I know she said something to you."
When I didn’t answer him, Johnny shook his head.
"Fine," he snarled, turning his back to me. "I'll find out for myself."
"Wait –" catching ahold of the back the navy hoodie he was wearing over his uniform, I dragged him back to me, "Please don’t say anything."
"Don’t say anything?" Johnny gaped down at me. "Shannon, if she's giving you shite then I most definitely am going to say something." He turned back to glare at Bella. "A lot of fucking somethings."
"She didn’t!" I lied, desperate to defuse the situation and stop this from exploding. "I swear."
"Don’t even think about lying to me again," Johnny shot back, looking furious. "You're crying and there's a girl over there with a vendetta against me shooting fucking daggers at us." Narrowing his eyes, he bit out, "I'm doing the math here, Shannon, and two plus two equals a bad bitch."
"No, you're wrong, I just–" My words broke off and I grunted as a sharp pain ricocheted through my belly.
"Shite." His hand shot out and clasped my elbow, steadying me. "Are you okay?"