Chapter 1
Rainey's POV
The late afternoon sun filtered through the dense pine branches, casting shadows across my face as I clutched my worn backpack tighter. I should have known better than to walk this way after school.
"Rainey!"
Fuck. Sarah's voice cut through the forest air like a knife. I kept walking, pretending I didn't hear her, but my heart was already hammering against my ribs. Please just leave me alone. Please just this once—
"I know you can hear me, you little bitch!"
Her heels clicked against the damp ground as she caught up, Brad Miller and Devon Clark flanking her like loyal attack dogs. I stopped walking because what was the point? Running would just make it worse. It always made it worse.
"Turn around." Sarah's voice was sickeningly sweet.
I turned, keeping my eyes on the ground. The forest floor was littered with pine needles and last year's leaves, all soggy from the constant Oregon drizzle. Much safer to look at than Sarah's perfectly manicured face.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you."
When I didn't immediately comply, her hand shot out and grabbed my chin, forcing my head up.
"That's better." She smiled, but it never reached her eyes. "So, I heard some interesting news today. Seems like someone thinks they're hot shit because they beat Benjamin's test score."
My stomach dropped. The AP Calculus test results had been posted this morning. I'd gotten a 98. Benjamin had gotten a 96. It shouldn't have mattered—we were both getting A's—but apparently it mattered to Sarah.
"I didn't—" I started, but her grip on my chin tightened.
"You didn't what? Try to show off? Try to get his attention?" Her voice was getting higher, that dangerous edge creeping in. "You think just because you study like some pathetic hermit, you can steal what's mine?"
"Sarah, I never tried to—"
SLAP.
The sound echoed through the trees, and my face exploded in pain. My skin never could hide marks well, and I knew there'd be a handprint there for hours.
"Don't lie to me!" she screamed, all pretense of composure gone. "You think I don't see how you look at him during study group? How you always have the right answers when he's around?"
I wanted to tell her that I always had the right answers because I actually did the work. That I studied until my eyes burned because getting into college was my only shot at getting out of this hellhole town.
"I'm sorry," I whispered instead, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.
"Sorry doesn't cut it anymore." Sarah's grip moved to my hair, yanking my head back. "You know what? I think it's time everyone saw what you really are underneath all that fake innocent bullshit."
Terror shot through me as Brad pulled out his phone. "No," I breathed, finally understanding what she meant to do.
"Oh yes." Sarah's smile was pure evil now. "Strip her down. Let's see how confident our little valedictorian feels when the whole school sees what a trashy slut she really is."
"Please don't do this," I begged, hating how weak my voice sounded. "Sarah, please, I'll stay away from Benjamin, I'll—"
"Too late for bargaining, bitch." She grabbed the hem of my cheap sweater. "Should have thought about that before you decided to embarrass me."
That's when something inside me snapped. Maybe it was the humiliation, maybe it was the thought of those photos being shared around school, but suddenly I was fighting back.
"No!" I screamed, shoving Sarah as hard as I could. "Get away from me!"
She stumbled backward, more shocked than hurt, but Brad was already grabbing me. His hands were rough, gripping my wrists hard enough to leave bruises.
"Help me!" I screamed toward the trees, not caring how desperate I sounded. "Somebody help me!"
The forest stayed silent except for my own voice echoing back at me.
"Scream all you want," Devon laughed, pulling out his own phone. "Nobody gives a shit about trailer trash like you."
Sarah had recovered from her surprise, and now she looked absolutely murderous. She picked up her half-empty Starbucks cup and dumped the cold coffee over my head. The liquid soaked through my hair, down my face, staining my already cheap clothes.
"Hold her still," she commanded, and Brad twisted my arms behind my back while Devon moved to grab my legs.
I kept struggling, kept screaming, but it was useless. This was really going to happen. They were going to strip me down and photograph me and send it to everyone, and then what? How could I ever show my face at school again? How could I look at myself in the mirror?
"This is going to be so good," Sarah purred, reaching for my sweater again. "I wonder what Benjamin will think when he sees his little study buddy like this?"
"Time's up."
The voice came from deeper in the forest, calm and low. We all froze.
A figure emerged from the shadows between the pines—tall and lean, wearing a dark hoodie and ripped jeans. A worn baseball cap shadowed his face, and smoke from a cigarette drifted around him like morning fog.
"Who the fuck are you?" Brad demanded, but his grip on me loosened slightly.
The stranger didn't answer immediately. He just leaned against one of the massive pine trunks, looking completely relaxed despite the situation. When he spoke again, his voice had this weird authority to it, like he was used to being listened to.
"Police are on their way. You've got about thirty seconds to clear out before this becomes a much bigger problem."
"Bullshit," Devon scoffed. "You didn't call anyone."
"Didn't I?" The guy took a long drag from his cigarette, and for just a moment, the ember illuminated sharp cheekbones and an angular jaw. "Guess we'll find out."
Sarah was looking back and forth between the stranger and the direction of the school.
"Whatever," she said finally, releasing my hair with a sharp tug that made my scalp burn. "We'll finish this later, Rainey. And you—" She pointed a manicured finger at the stranger. "Mind your own fucking business next time."
As they walked away, Sarah turned back one more time. "Remember what I said. This isn't over."
And then they were gone, leaving me alone with a complete stranger who'd just saved me from the worst humiliation of my life.