Chapter 68 CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
Scarlett’s POV
Blue turned his head to look at me, his face shifting back into that familiar, unreadable mask. "Go to sleep, Scarlett," he said, his voice flat. "I need to take care of something."
Before I could even think about asking what was going on, he stepped out of the room with Stan, the door clicking shut behind them. Did he mean for me to sleep here? In his room? Well, it wasn't like I minded much. The thought of walking all the way back to my dorm room in my current state didn't appeal to me anyway.
Instead of going back into his actual bedroom, I walked over to the large sofa bed in the living space. I pulled a blanket over my shoulders and lay down, staring at the ceiling. To keep my mind from racing, I started going over the safe-cracking sequence in my head. Pop the plastic cover. Find the override cylinder. Steady pressure on the tension tool. Listen for the reset button. I repeated the steps over and over until I was sure I had it down perfectly.
Once the technical stuff was locked away, my mind inevitably flitted back to the heated moment we had just shared on the rug. My skin still felt hot just thinking about it. It had been incredibly satisfying, and a little terrifying, how quickly things had escalated. Before long, I fell asleep wondering what time Blue would return.
When I woke up the next morning, the room was completely silent. I sat up and looked around, but the space was empty. A quick check of his bedroom confirmed that Blue hadn't returned after all. What did he do all night?
I didn't have time to dwell on it. I quickly used his bathroom to freshen up, splashing cold water on my face, and then hurried back to my own dorm room. I needed to change my clothes. It definitely wouldn't look good to show up to morning lectures wearing the exact same outfit from the day before. People here gossiped if you so much as breathed differently.
When I got to my room, Rachael wasn't around. She must have had an early class. My first lecture didn't start until 9:00 AM, so I took my time getting dressed. I wasn't feeling too dressy or motivated today, so I just pulled on a fitted black long-sleeved top and a pair of comfortable grey joggers.
The morning classes passed slowly. I couldn't focus on a single word the instructors were saying. My mind kept bouncing between what I was supposed to steal from Miller's office later today and the unresolved tension between me and Blue.
By the time lunch rolled around, my stomach was growling loudly. I walked into the dining hall, grabbed my tray of food, and started looking for a place to sit. But as I scanned the room, a commotion near the far wall caught my eye.
A crowd had formed a loose circle. Inside, one of the newer girls was being beaten up badly by Skye and her usual goons. The girl was on the floor, trying to shield her face while Skye kicked her side. The saddest part about the whole scene was that everyone else was just passing by. Students walked right past the circle, carrying their trays and chatting like nothing was happening. Nobody wanted to bring trouble down on themselves, and those who weren't scared of Skye simply didn't care enough to do anything about it.
I felt a surge of anger hot in my chest. I wanted to step in and help, but a warning voice in my head stopped me. I shouldn't push Blue's covering. If I started fights, I would put Blue in a precarious situation.
I forced myself to look away and turned toward the empty tables. I had only gone a few steps when a figure stepped directly into my path, blocking me.
Katie.
I glared at her, my grip tightening on my lunch tray. "What do you want?"
Katie smiled, that fake, sweet expression that always made me want to punch her. "Skye asked me to invite you to sit with us today, Scarlett."
I scoffed openly. "And that makes sense to you how, exactly?"
Katie just shrugged her shoulders, completely unbothered by my attitude. "I’m just delivering the message."
I rolled my eyes and made a move to push past her. But the second I stepped sideways, Katie’s hand shot out, reaching toward my hair, probably intending to yank me backward by the scalp.
I reacted instantly, slapping her hand away before she could touch a single strand. "You had better not touch me," I hissed, leaning in close so only she could hear. "It might be hard for me to do anything about Skye right now, but what about you? Think very carefully about your next move."
Katie blinked up at me innocently, completely unfazed by the threat. "You might really want to come though," she said softly.
That tone was what I hated most about her. Her entire persona was designed to lull you into a false sense of security.
I let out a harsh sigh, my appetite completely vanishing. "Just lead the way," I muttered. "Let's see what she wants this time."
Katie turned and walked back toward the corner of the cafeteria. As we got closer, I noticed the girl Skye had been beating earlier was gone, likely crawled off to the infirmary. The other goons were off doing God knows what, but Skye wasn't alone. She was currently standing over another table, her fingers wound tightly into the hair of a girl who was sitting down.
It was Rachael.
Oh no, you don't.
Rachael’s face was flushed, her jaw set in a defiant, angry line. I knew for a fact that Rachael was physically strong enough to beat Skye to a pulp if it came down to a fair fight, but she was sitting there taking it, clearly terrified of the backlash and losing her chance at release.
I didn't think twice. I marched over and slammed my lunch tray down on the table, the metal rattling loudly.
"Get your hands off her. Now," I demanded.
Skye slowly turned her head, a vicious smirk playing on her lips. "Are you talking to me?"
"Yes, I'm talking to you."
I didn't wait for her to comply. I stepped into her space and shoved her shoulder hard enough to break her grip on Rachael’s hair. Skye stumbled back a step, startled by the physical contact. I quickly grabbed Rachael’s arm and pulled her up, moving her behind me so I was standing between them.
By now, the entire cafeteria had gone completely silent. Dozens of eyes were locked on our corner, sensing a massive blowout.
Skye let out a loud, disbelief-filled laugh, adjusting her jacket. "You dare push me? You really think you’re untouchable now?"