They don't play to win. They play to hurt.
Sterling Academy's irresistible reputation all came crashing down last year when a list of the 'top thirty girls too...' had been anonymously published.
Now recovering from the pits of hell the media dragge...
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my tears ricochet | taylor swift ❝ if i'm dead to you, why are you at the wake? cursing my name, wishing i stayed look at how my tears ricochet ❞
"WHAT HAPPENED, VALS, why weren't you at the school?" Caleb completely ignores the notification outburst, when I look over at Nayelie as we walk down the steps she shrugs. "What are you doing holed up at Principal Leightons's place?"
"I—" my voice comes out too scratchy so I give up on talking. It's when I come into the light at the front porch that Caleb stops talking. He's eyeing me like something horrible has happened and I don't know how he's managed to read the text. Then I release I've been crying and my face is most likely tear-stricken.
He crosses the distance in less than four steps, cupping my face with his hands that wipe away at the tears underneath my eyes. My heart seizes at the action and I feel as more tears begin to fall.
"Who did this?" He asks, voice growing dangerous bordeline homocidal.
"Caleb I have to tell you—" I have to come clean, before he reads the article, before someone beats me to it. I need to be the one that does.
Yet, when he cuts me off I'm thankful to put it off for another second.
"Who fucking did this to her?" He looks at the girls, and I savor the care in his features because I know it's the last time he'll ever look at me like this.
"Caleb, really I've got to tell you something." I begin again, fighting the selfish part of me that says not to tell him. A few more minutes, it pleads, just a few more seconds where he still cares.
He looks down at me, his face softening, "just one second, okay mon rêve?" Pressing a soft kiss to my forehead he welcomes me into a tight embrace, my figure slipping into his and I'm finally able to process his appearance. He looks how he feels...achingly comforting.
"No Caleb, really, I have to tell you something!" I don't know whether it be the tone in my voice, or how I can somehow sense Nayelie and Caleb conversing above me that causes him to step away from me.
"What is it, Vals?" I'm sick with regret when his words come out gentle, coaxing.
This is it. I have to tell him.
"When were you going to tell me!" The familiar voice's yell catches everyone off guard and even I have to peer over Caleb's shoulder to see the silhouette.
"Salem?" Nayelie is the one to voice as the girl marches up the pathway leading to the large estate. She's in a gorgeous fitted red dress.
