The Forbidden Mark (Book 1)

Chapter 6

DEIDRE

Her cheek burned. The pain was worried. She had been slapped once. Her ex-friend who had had enough of her behaviour. But that was four years ago. This felt unfamiliar. Ursula had long nails. There were cuts. Tears burned in her eyes. She had never been good at handling her own emotions.

"Aw, are you crying? Are you going to cry?"

Deidre snifled, wiped a fallen tear from her cheek, then shook her head.

Ursula laughed, mocking her. "Thomas won't want a crybaby, he won't even want you. You cry over pointless shit. Who will want you with this?"

Deidre had no chance to reply since a shout fulfilled the room. "What is going on here?" 

Erin. Her bodyguard.

The rebel girl stormed through the double doors that led from the gym. "Ursula, what the hell are you doing?"

Ursula scoffed after Erin had pushed her off, coming to a stand in front of the crying girl. "She was asking for it. It's her problem for being such a slut."

"And how is she a slut? Why?"

"Because she's trying to steal Thomas from me!"

"Are you kidding me? How can you be so desperate? You two have never even spoken. I doubt he knows you exist."

Ursula scowled. "Wow, what a great friend you are! Such a backstabber."

"I am only telling the truth."

"Well, I am not surprised either. You are friends with the whore of the school. No wonder, you are a pack of sluts. You with Jonathan and Deidre with my Thomas."

"Seriously?" Erin laughed. "Damn, Ursula, how can you be so dumb? Jonathan and I are together, he is my boyfriend and mate! Deidre and I are only with one person. We do not throw ourselves at every guy at school."

Ursula rolled her eyes. "Whatever. But she is a girl who spreads her legs for every guy, anyway. She throws herself at everyone. She wants to get laid. And she goes after people's men. Girls, be careful or she might steal your boys!"

"Like you?" Erin asked.

The audience laughed.

"How can you not see the truth? She parades herself as this little innocent baby. When in reality she is nothing more than some attention craving, dramatic whore!" She snuck a glance at Deidre. "Right, honey?"

Deidre blinked away the tears. "N-No."

Ursula pouted. "Aw, you're going to cry again. You are so pathetic."

Deidre did not think twice. She pushed herself out of that room, knowing well enough she would have a breakdown. She let the tears fall. She had to get over herself. She could not let Ursula bring her down.

Her peace was disturbed by a collision when she had rounded a corner. Her wrist was grabbed, avoiding a nasty fall. Her head crashed to a steel chest. The tingles alerted her of the person without needing a look. Thomas stared down at her with a frown, then cupped her face in his big hands. "Hey, what happened?"

No way was she telling him. He would have a fit. This day had turned bad enough. She had no urge to control him now. "Nothing."

"Tell me," he demanded. "Who made you cry?"

A sob flew past her lips. "Just get out of my way, please."

Thomas shook his head, his hold firm. Yet, his eyes turned stormy at the focus on the possible red mark on her cheek. "Who the fuck hurt you?"