In Ruins: A Dark High School Bully Romance (A Black Falls High Novel Book 1)

“So what’s going on with you and Cole?” Jamie tapped her foot at me, hand on her hip.

I knew this would happen. I couldn’t avoid the subject for long.

“Nothing. We hung out at that party. I guess he’s OK.” The bland excuse did nothing for my cause.

Jamie gave me a look of disbelief. “I thought you hated those guys?”

I shrugged. “I do, but I’m trying to make this year better.” I forced a half-assed smile onto my face. “It’s our last year and all.”

“Is something going on? You can tell me—”

I bit my tongue before the words tumbled out. Instead, I fixed the smile on my face better. “Everything’s fine. Promise.”

She gave me a skeptical look before finally nodding. We made our way into the cafeteria where we sat at our usual table in the back. Jamie brought a lunch. I had nothing and going to grab something didn’t seem like the best idea since people had been whispering behind their hands about me and Cole all morning. I scanned the room, breathing out a sigh of relief when I didn’t spot Ian. The last thing I needed was him.

Jamie was yammering away about yearbook committee when Cole’s deep voice cut into my thoughts.

“Why are you over here?”

Jamie stopped mid-sentence and darted her eyes between me and Cole, apprehension on her face.

“Uh, because this is where I sit.”

Cole glanced at Jamie before locking eyes with me. “I wanted you to sit with me today.”

While his words seemed pleasant, his eyes gave away his irritation.

“What if we sat here?” I asked hopefully, glancing at the table where all the jerks sat. I’d seen Juliet come in with her evil wenches earlier. The last thing I felt like doing was breaking bread with the bitches.

“Not part of the plan, sweetheart. Come on. Jamie, I’m sorry, but I’m stealing Rosalie.” Cole held his hand out to me.

“It’s cool. I have some things I need to do anyway.” She stuffed her half-eaten sandwich back in her bag, her lips turned down into a deep frown. “We still on for tonight?”

I nodded, taking Cole’s hand. It was movie night at my place.

Jamie smiled and got to her feet.

“Sounds good. We can, uh, talk then. See ya.”

I waved goodbye, watching as she left with her head down and allowed Cole to pull me to my feet.

“When I tell you to do something—”

“I didn’t know the kings required my presence at their table,” I snapped at him. “You never told me I had to sit with you.”

“When you belong to us, you sit where we sit. You do what we say. It’s not that fucking hard to grasp.”

I rolled my eyes. “I forgot. The answer is always yes, master. I just didn’t want my friend to eat alone.”

Cole sighed and led me through the cafeteria. “Where’s your lunch?”

“Don’t have one.”

We stopped at the table the crew occupied, and Cole pushed me down into the seat he usually sat in.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, Cole—”

He didn’t pause. He turned on his heel and left me sitting there feeling like a total loser. Sighing, I turned to face the crew, most of who stared at me like I was lost.

“You need to tell Cole to stop leaving his trash laying around.” Juliet glowered at me from Fox’s lap.

“I’ll be sure he gets the memo,” I muttered.

“How’s your day been, Sunshine?” Enzo asked, scooting closer to me.

“I’ve had better.”

“Are you and Cole dating?” Melissa butted in.

I stared at her in surprise as the table fell silent. “Uh, no.”

“Jeff Gaston said you and Cole were kissing in the hallway by your locker this morning,” she pressed.

Juliet and Tara both leaned forward. A few of the other cheerleaders stared avidly at me, waiting for a response. I glanced around at all the eyes on me. Terrence, James, Brent, Brandon, the others from the football team were looking at me like I’d sprouted a second head.

“It’s nothing.” I swallowed hard, my eye catching Fox’s.

“That’s what I thought. I told you.” Juliet smirked at the girls. “Cole isn’t that stupid. He likes the nasty girls. Maybe freakshow is just an easy lay—”

I was ready to pounce on her. Being called freakshow was getting old.

“Juliet,” Fox scolded in his deep voice as I contemplated launching myself at her from my seat. “That’s enough. Not here.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I hoped his stepping in didn’t mean I’d owe him more. It certainly hadn’t been my idea to sit there.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“She doesn’t belong here, Fox.” Juliet pouted, jutting her bottom lip out at him. “Make her leave.”

I expected to see him give in to her, but he gave her a hardened glare, his body stiffening.

“She stays,” he ground out, a muscle popping along his jaw.

Juliet’s eyes widened in surprise at his declaration. “Either she goes or I do.”

Fox’s blue eyes traveled over to me. I was already on my feet, ready to get the hell out of there, but he shook his head at me.

“Rosalie, sit.”

I sat awkwardly while the rest of the group looked like they were watching a tennis match, all eyes volleying back and forth between Fox and Juliet.

“Juliet, if you can’t handle sitting at the same table as her, then maybe leaving isn’t a bad idea.”

The stunned silence from the table made my heart race. All because of me. No way. This would make her torment a million times worse.

“Um, it’s really OK. I don’t actually even want to be here, so I’ll go.” I stood up again, but Fox shifted his glare from Juliet and focused it on me.

“I said sit, Rosalie.” The way he said it made shivers race through me.

I sat once more, deciding staring at my hands seemed like the best option.

“Are you kidding me, Fox?” Juliet’s voice shook.

I chanced a glance at the two of them.

“Do I look like I’m fucking joking?” Fox lifted her and placed her on her feet. Her eyes darted around to everyone at the table. No one met her gaze.

“Her over me?” She balled her hands into fists.

“No, Juliet. You were given the option of dealing with it. You’re the one throwing out ultimatums. I’m only answering. Cole brought her to sit with us. I have it on good authority this may turn into a regular thing, so either deal with it or leave. Pretty fucking simple.” Fox sat back in his seat, not looking the least bit perturbed as Juliet loomed over him, her body trembling. She drew in a deep breath before settling into the seat next to Fox.

“I’m staying. But if she does anything—”

“She’s never done anything. I think it’ll be fine.” Fox glanced over at me, a steely glint in his eyes. “You good, Rosalie?”

“Yeah,” I muttered.

Enzo reached out and patted my hand while Ethan offered me a reassuring smile. No one else dared look in my direction. The moment I saw Cole approaching, I darted out of my seat, practically running to him.

“Didn’t expect you to be so eager to see me,” he greeted me as I stopped in front of him. He held a tray with two sandwiches on it along with apple slices and two cartons of milk.

“Cole, please. Please, can we leave here? Don’t make me sit with those people.”

Cole looked over my shoulder for a moment before his eyes darkened. “I know they don’t like you, but you need to understand something, Rosebud.”

“What?” I whispered, silently pleading with my eyes for him to have some sort of sympathy or understanding for my situation.

“I like the torment.”

I choked down my cry of despair as he widened his dark smile at me and led me back to my own personal hell.