Sugar

Sixteen

"Dominic won't know anything unless I tell him, and I won't. I'm sorry, you're right, we are very different. I just meant my age. I'm alone here and haven't really met anyone new yet. So I was advised that talking to you guys was a good start," I explained sincerely.

Raven had one brow raised at me before she started laughing loudly, drawing attention to this side of the room. I happened to glance at Dominic, who was watching for my reaction. So he did know what was going on. Curse Shifter's increased hearing. "So she's not only a slut but a stupid bitch too, huh?" she said to the girl next to her, who giggled into her hand while nodding. "Listen, you pathetic brat. Frankly, I don't want anything to do with you. Dominic should have screwed you and dropped you just like he does all of his human conquests. Everyone else might be cowardly enough to pretend to care about you, but I'm not going to be fake. I'll rejoice when Dominic gets his head out of his ass and sees the trash that you really are."

"Well now Dominic is listening," I mumbled, looking down at my feet.

"I don't give a flying fudge!" Only she didn't say fudge.

Instead of waiting for Dominic to come to my rescue, I started to turn towards the nearest exit. "I do not blame you for your opinion," I said suddenly. "You are entitled to it, I just wish you could find more efficient ways of sharing it. Enjoy your breakfast."

Once I was out of sight from the dining hall, I was running. I ran and ran and ran until I was alone in an empty guest room. Then I started punching the walls. I screamed in exasperation as I knocked an empty vase off of its perch, letting it shatter on the floor. It helped slightly but also fueled my need to break things. And that was the only breakable item in the room. So I resorted to more punching and kicking, repeating aloud all the awful things people have said to me since I got here.

I didn't want this either. Why couldn't they see that? Why was I getting blamed for Dominic's decisions? All of this was his fault, yet I was the one being punished. How messed up was that?

My fist sunk into the wall and went straight through. I gaped at my own strength for a split second before returning to the systematic hits again.

"Your temper is expensive," Dominic said from the doorway.

I didn't respond as I once again found a weak spot in the wall and created a hole there. "I am angry," I growled out.

He laughed. "I can see that. There's a punching bag downstairs-"

"I need to break something."

Dominic was suddenly holding my arms behind my back, pulling me away from the walls to stop the damage I was doing. "How about Raven's nose? I'd be willing to watch that."

"She doesn't deserve that," I mumbled, wriggling out of his hold and storming out of the wrecked room.

Dominic ran to keep up with me. "And you deserved what she said to you? She should be exiled." He kept alongside me as I ventured randomly throughout the hallways. "I am proud of what you said to her, though. You showed something she doesn't have."

"Cowardice?"

"Restraint," he corrected. "Class. What she did wasn't courageous. She was targeting you because she saw you were fragile. And honestly, she was probably trying to get at me as well. I used to call her around for a hookup. She might've gotten the wrong idea and-"

"Do you see a pattern here?" I snapped, stopping to glare at him.

Dominic blinked down at me, pushing my hair out of my face. "I'm not sure what you're referring to, angel."

I took a deep breath. "I am the only one who gets punished here. They don't blame you for choosing me. They blame me for being chosen. I didn't want this, I didn't ask for this to happen. I did everything I could that would turn you off from me. But you didn't let it happen and you forced this and I am in trouble for it."