A Slave to Love

Chapter 40: Old Rival

"If you feel that guilty about it, then dump Landon's ass already so that way when it happens again you won't feel so bad."

When it happens again. Not if. My, my, he sure was confident, was he?

He probably wasn't wrong, but still. 

Lucky for me, with Blade's excessive speeding we were already rounding up to the front gate of school, which meant I could finally torture him a little like he'd been torturing me the last few months.

"You know, Blade," I said as I undid my seatbelt and gathered my bag, ready to make a break for it as soon as he stopped the car by the curb. "I already did."

As he turned to reply, confusion knotting his brow, I leaned towards him, pecked him on the lips, and leapt out of the car like it was about to explode, and sprinted away, to hell with my stitches.

"Holy shit." Wheezy laughter bubbled out of me. Who knew kissing Blade and getting one up on him could be such a rush?

When I was sure he wasn't going to follow, either too confused and stunned or wise enough to know I wouldn't flake on class just to hang out with him, I slowed to a walk. My leg was definitely aching, but it was worth it to see the split second of utter astonishment across his face. If I'd stayed any longer, he would have been all over the topic and would have probably spent a large amount of time trying to convince me to blow off school and do devious things.

I headed to first period Drama, a bit more of a limp to my step than a bounce thanks to all my exertions this morning, but even that couldn't dent my good mood. Things were looking up and I had so much stress off my plate that I'd forgotten what it was like.

"Good morning, sir!" I chirped as I mentally pranced but physically limped passed my teacher's desk.

"Good morning, Kiana," he said, blinking at me in surprise. Probably since he wasn't used to me being in such a good mood as I wasn't usually such a morning person. Though I'd greet and talk to people, I definitely didn't have this kind of chipper energy on a regular basis. Or any basis.

Arriving at my seat, my good mood wavered at the sight of Landon. Mild surprise and a touch of dread hit me, too caught up with this morning to remember that I'd be seeing him first thing after our break-up and I cautiously sat down next to him like usual.

It was one thing for him to say things were okay and we could still be friends in the moment, that's just what people said to be polite. He easily could have changed his mind after he had slept on it, realized I was an evil vindictive bitch who broke his heart, and hate me for the rest of our lives.

But he only looked up and smiled, small and shy, with a soft "hey", and it was a relief.

Any awkwardness between us disappeared after a few minutes of chatting, re-orienting ourselves as our dynamic had once again changed, and we slowly slid back into an easygoing relationship. We were still friends so nothing really changed about us, except now we didn't hold hands or kiss.

The morning passed relatively quickly and then lunch came, and with it, the return of a familiar and famous face.

Jill.

A wave of sickness washed over me at the sight of her. She looked okay, hell she still looked as gorgeous and perfectly done up as she always did, but there was something different about her. Sure she acted the same way, flirting with all the guys who mobbed around her and chatting to the girls and everyone who was asking her questions. Physically, you never would have guessed she'd been attacked and hauled out on a stretcher, soaked in blood, while everyone questioned whether or not she'd survive.