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I jerked to a stop, realizing that I wasit was hooked on the handrail, I turned to liberate it and was alht in his fist

I gasped and h the an pounding like heavy machinery in my chest He stepped up to the stair just beneath me--and sneered down at me "Hey Jackie" Bile rose in my throat at the sound of his voice, and I sed "Or no I guess it’s Jacqueline now, right? Isn’t that what you said? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…" When he leaned closer, I tried to back up the stairs and tripped, sprawling I used the opportunity to scramble backwards and up toward the door, but he reached down and pulledmy shoulders

"Don’t touch h he was hypnotizing s with me "C’mon, Jacqueline, don’t be like that You’ve always been real nice to me I just want you to be a little bit nicer, that’s all"

His words weren’t slurred this time He was sober and resolute, and the malevolence in his eyes told ht of the party I would pay for what Lucas had done

I shookno, Buck Just like last time"

His eyes narrowed, and I could barely hear the curse he hissed froh my ears Run Run Run, it see, and it fell at our feet

"I knohat happened that night wasn’t your fault" He shrugged "You’re a pretty girl, and obviously that guy had the saot the ju" His breath fell over my face, hot, not a trace of alcohol He wouldn’t trip if I twisted frorip and ran "So did he fuck you in your truck, or did you let him take you back to your rooht Just like she’ll be tonight"

I flinched frootten a text fro with Chaz tonight, or that Buck would know before I would

One ar it painfully The pain was nothing coainst my will

"The stairwell is rank and uncoo to your rooood for you, baby"

His threat was obvious If I said no, he would rape ht here "S-someone could cohed "True Too bad you aren’t wearing that little skirt you had on the other night I could put you against this wall and do you in twooff of you"

My head spun I strained against hi to move, even just a little, but couldn’t

"Wouldn’t be the first tiht with some hot little freak in an off-the-wall position And hey--bonus--if you want to get Kennedy back for du, anywhere, with anyone, would ed "You already started with that piece of shit--and who knoho else? So we can do it here, if that’s what you want"

"No," I said, and his eyes flared "My room" My breath panted out, shaky and hopefully mistaken for horniness in his pea-brained assessment He smiled, and I almost threw up I’ve never wanted to voht it down instinctively

Arrabbing the laundry bag fro to do what I was about to do If I was prepared to screaht and claw him in the hallway, humiliate myself in front of everyone, in hopes that he wouldn’t succeed in getting me into my room If he did that, I was done for The walls weren’t sound-proof, but everyone was used to hearing all sorts of noises e over their aed into the hallway, and I evaluated the people I was about to depend on My roouys at the opposite end of the hall were practicing kick-flips on a skateboard Olivia stood in the uy from the fourth floor When she spotted us, her mouth dropped open before she snapped it closed, and Joe looked over his shoulder, lifted his chin at Buck, and turned back to her with a low chuckle This was bad

Kimber, who roomed two doors down, came into the hallith her laundry I stopped It was now or never Buck took a step forward before realizing I was holding round He turned back towardinto my rooistered on his face Ki to witness firsthand whatever was about to go down

Buck’s hand was at o, babe Let’s have this talk in private" He tried to pull me forward, but I wrenched my arm frolared,

Indecision played across his features Five people atching He put both hands up, palms out "Don’t be mad, okay? I tried to tell you that brick would be cold and rough It’s notover my shoulder, he said, "Call irl" He bumped fists with Joe and sauntered to the stairwell, and I waited until he disappeared through the door to , I unlocked my door while Olivia whispered not-so-discreetly behind od, they just did it in the stairwell? She had soht! I wonder if she was screwing around on Kennedy and that’s why he--"

I shutTears skated in tracks downI wanted to run away To go hotoo inexperienced and stupid to deal withit twice that he’d not gotten what he wanted, and he was pissed Popular and good-looking, he could alirls, and froe to the fullest I was no prettier than girls like Olivia, who constantly threw themselves in his path There was no reason for him to fixate on me

There had been some early rivalry between Buck and Kennedy, but I couldn’t re that happened when they were pledges Would he harass ainst et under Kennedy’s skin by doing it

I was going to have to tell Erin She would be furious withthis to myself, and I dreaded her reaction, but I had no choice Not anymore

Me: I need to talk to you