Chapter 240 Chapter Two Hundred And Forty

Chapter 240 Chapter Two Hundred And Forty
JACE'S POV

I stormed through the halls, searching for Allison with single-minded focus. My hands were already curled into fists, and I had to actively remind myself not to put them through a wall.

"Hey!" Marcus jogged up beside me. "I thought you were writing a test? Where the hell are you storming off to?"

"I'll get to it later." I didn't slow down. "Have you seen Allison anywhere? I need to talk to her."

I was furious—completely nuts in my head—angry at Allison for throwing a wrench in our perfect plans. It was one thing for us to squabble or compete. That was just the natural order of things at Westbrook, the hierarchy we'd all grown up in. But to actually get Lena expelled? To destroy her entire future? Absolutely fucking not. That was way too far.

I mean, I'd always known it was a risk, considering her father was Senator Cooper—powerful, influential, and conveniently sitting on the school board. But her actually having the nerve to go through with something this nuclear? She was inhuman.

Marcus tensed beside me. "Hey, what the hell's going on?"

"Allison just got Lena expelled."

Marcus' eyebrows shot up. "Are you fucking serious? Like, actually expelled? Not suspended or—"

"Expelled. Done. They already called her mom." I clenched my jaw. "I need to find her. Where the hell—"

"Ha ha ha!"

That tinkling, artificial valley-girl laugh floated down the hallway, and I immediately zeroed in on the source. Allison was holding court in front of the trophy cases, surrounded by a small crowd of her humble servants—girls who hung on her every word like she was dispensing gospel truth.

I got closer and heard her say, "Can you believe she's not even actually that smart? Yeah, I was there. I literally saw her cheat on the history test."

She conveniently didn't mention that she was the one who'd reported it, because obviously that would make her look like the vindictive bitch she was. Instead, she continued, "I was just passing by the office when I overheard Mrs. Sinclair saying that Lena had apparently been cheating on tests since freshman year."

"Oh my God, no way!"

"That's insane. I can't believe it."

"I mean, I always thought something was suspicious about her grades. Like, nobody goes from nothing to valedictorian that fast."

"Exactly!" Allison beamed at the validation. "She's been pretending to be some kind of genius this whole time, just for clout. And to think they were just about to give her the recommendation letter from the board—you know, the one that should've gone to one of you guys who actually deserves it."

"Fuck," Marcus muttered beside me.

I pushed through the crowd like they were smoke. "All of you, fuck off. Now. I need to talk to Allison."

The girls scattered immediately, shooting nervous glances at each other as they hurried away. They knew better than to stick around when I was this pissed.

Allison looked annoyed that I'd dispersed her audience, but she immediately plastered on one of her million-dollar grins and called after them, "Don't forget to vote me for prom queen, guys! Unlike some people, I'm not a lying bitch!"

I got right up in her face, invading her personal space. "I know you're the one who got her expelled. Get back in that office and undo whatever the fuck it is you did. Right fucking now."

Allison blinked up at me with fake innocence, trailing her manicured fingers down my chest. "I don't know what you're talking about, babes. Where were you yesterday, anyway? I missed you."

I smacked her hand away like it was a mosquito. "Don't touch me."

"Oh, come on, Jay Jay." She pouted, stepping closer. "You're just mad because you fumbled all of this—" She gestured to herself, running her hands down her curves "—and settled for a wannabe fraud instead."

Out the corner of my eyes I could see Marcus watching her, it was like watching someone fall under a spell

"Do what he says, Ally." Marcus stepped forward, his voice tight with something I couldn't quite place. "Come on. There's no need for this. Just fix it."

Allison whipped around to glare at him, and something passed between them—some loaded look heavy with intimacy and shared secrets. But I was too fucking enraged to process what it meant.

"We both know there's no way Lena cheated on that test," I said, my voice dangerously low. "This has nothing to do with her and everything to do with you being a sore loser. Fix it, Allison. Now."

Allison tilted her head, her expression shifting to something calculating. "Assuming you're right and I'm really the one who orchestrated this—which I'm not saying I did—why would I undo it? I'm the victim here, Jace. All I ever do is mind my own business while that girl systematically tries to steal my entire life."

"Are you fucking insane?"

"Do you know what it's like to not be captain anymore?" Her voice rose, taking on a hysterical edge. "To have to handle those pathetic nerds on the school newspaper, writing their dull little stories about sick people with cancer or whatever the fuck? Instead of being on stage where I belong, shining at the top where I was born to be?"

She stopped, her wistful smile fading. Her face went cold and hard, like marble. "Lena's just getting her karma. Stop getting in the way of the universe, Jay Jay."

I took a step toward her, my vision tunneling. I was genuinely amazed at her justification for ruining someone's life so mercilessly over something so goddamn trivial. Like a high school cheer position actually mattered. Like it was worth destroying Lena's entire future over.

My eyes were blazing, and I could see fear flicker across Allison's face as she took an involuntary step back.

But before I could get any closer, Marcus moved between us, blocking my path with his body.

"Get out of my way," I growled.

Marcus didn't budge. He defied me—which he never fucking did—his jaw set, his stocky football player frame firmly planted between me and Allison. His expression was tense, protective. Desperate, even.

"I won't let you touch her."

I stared at him. At my best friend since freshman year. At the guy who'd backed every play I'd ever made, who'd never once stood against me.

Then I looked past him at Allison, who was watching us with wide eyes, her hand pressed to her chest.

Then back to Marcus. To the way he'd positioned himself like a human shield. To the possessiveness in his stance. To that intimate look they'd exchanged.

And suddenly it clicked.

The little blonde thing jumping out of Marcus' bedroom window the last time I'd come by his house unannounced. How he'd been so weirdly secretive about who he'd been hooking up with lately, which he never was—Marcus usually broadcast his conquests like breaking news. The guilty way he'd avoided my eyes when I'd asked him about it.

Allison and Marcus. Marcus and Allison.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I said slowly.