Page 39 (1/2)

"Mr Caruthers" Madame Lyon stepped out fro her arms over her chest "I assuht now"

Madoc placed one hand over his chest, while the other hand gestured to me "Nowhere but by her side until the end of time," he answered

I cleared my throat as I took my seat "Piss off," Ihis lips, Madoc backed out of the door and disappeared

As soon as the door closed, I heard so sonotifications at the same time?

"Mettez vos telephones off, s’il vous plaît!" Madame told us to turn our phones off It was a school rule to keep the instructional time, but everyone carried theirs on the to coh to actually check their notifications covertly

As I went to lower my volume, I saw that it was a text froh my chest, and I hid e

When I opened up the video he’d sent, I nearly choked on my own air

I couldn’t move I couldn’t breathe My hands shook as I watched a video on ht I could tell it was Saturday night fro

What the…?

My stomach rolled and putrid bile rose up to the back of myoff the oxygen trying to get in

Us Having sex We were recorded

And there I was, perfectly visible and extremely nad as I straddled Jared

Oh, my God I wanted to screa on?

Snickers, snorts, and whispers popped up around hed out loud She smirked, with her phone in her hand, and I could only stare in horror as she flashed me her screen No, no, no The same sordid video played on her phone

As I looked around,the saled to take in breath after breath ason My eyes burned with tears that didn’t fall, and I felt like I was on another planet

No, this is not real It’s not…I shook hters I glanced back down tothe reat fk Who wants her next?"

My chest shook with dry sobs

Jared

The e came from his phone It was sent to everyone

Madaet the class focused, "Écoutez, s’il vous plaît"

I stood up shakily, pulled hs and taunts behind me were like white noise They were there They were always fking there Fuckcomfortable

Why didn’t I listen to my instincts? I knew I couldn’t trust hi to hold back the cries, wails, and screas felt stretched fro

That video was everywhere! And by tonight, there wouldn’t be one person in Shelburne Falls who hadn’t seen or heard of it

Jared My head was splitting trying to take in the betrayal of what he’d done He’d been patient and clever and waited for his revenge He’d ruinedoverould discover that video on some sordid website and when it would happen

And I loved hi like this? My heart felt like it was tearing in two

Oh, God My stomach hollowed out, and I couldn’t hold back the sobs anymore

"Tate," a voice panted

I stopped and looked up,Madoc’s He’d just come up the stairs, and I saw his phone in his hand

"Tate, Jesus" He reached for rily I should’ve known better Madoc would be just like Jared He’d fooled me, too And I couldn’t trust either of theain, slower, like he was approaching an animal

I wanted him away frorading innuendos No--scratch that--I wouldn’t listen to any et you out of here, okay?" Madoc inched towardsht him in the face with my palm

He quickly stepped in front of ht as I struggled and cried

"Stop it" He jerkedand sincere "I’ to hurt you"

And I wanted to believe hi from the heavy breaths "Why did he do that to oing on We need to talk to hi I tried to do with Jared this year helpedhad ended any hopes I had for happiness

Soht he really cared When I thought he really loved me I believed every stupid lie he spewed Maybe he was never abused He probably didn’t even have a brother