Amber Eyes

FORTY FIVE

Chapter Forty Five

On Tuesday evening, I skip dance practice.

I lie here in my room with the laptop screen open, still staring at the unopened mail before shutting it down for fifteenth time today. No matter what, I can't make myself open it even if I want to. With a sigh, I lift myself up from my bed and walk outside, making my way to the bathroom. I didn't expect anyone to be here at this hour, but there is someone - someone who makes me mad just by looking at them.

Hayette's eyes flick to me as she gets up. Maia follows, though there is a look of uncertainty in her eyes. "Heard you ditched Iris?" she asks me. "Is that what makes you happy? Watching others break?"

Oh, you have no idea about what makes me happy, bitch.

I choose not to say that out loud for her. I make my way to the sink, opening the tap to let the water flow. Before I can wash my face, I feel Hayette grab my arm rather harshly. Irritation runs under my skin and I'm literally one step away from hitting her in her face even though my hits never have an effect on anyone.

"I'm talking to you, Harley," she snaps, "or am I too low to talk to a first ranker like you? Which one is it?"

"Maybe I just don't like hearing your fucking voice, Hayette," I retort, struggling to get free from her grip but she's stronger than I am. I roll my eyes, looking her dead into her eyes, finding only one emotion in them - annoyance. She's annoyed by me and I don't know why that makes me so happy. "Let go of me."

"Oh for God's sake," she mutters under her breath before shoving me against the wall roughly. A rather sharp pain emerges from my back and I realise that I hit a nail - a fucking nail. I groan but before I can react to anything, her fist collides with my cheek. My head jerks sideways and I see Maia's mouth drop as she grabs Hayette's arm, asking her to stop.

"Hayette," Maia says loudly. "Don't hit her."

She raises her eyebrows. "Are you on her side or mine?"

"That's not the point here! She'll fucking snitch and you'll get suspended."

Hayette rolls her eyes, her lips curling into a smile that I hate more than anything. She grabs my chin and I let her, not bothering to protest now that I'm in a situation like this without having the willpower to snap back at her now. She leans towards me and in that moment, all of Maia's words fade away and I only see her, realising that it isn't irritation that's stopping me from reacting - it's anger.

"Now, here's what you're gonna do, Harley," she whispers. "You're gonna text Iris. And you're gonna tell her that you will perform with her. I don't give a shit how bad your performance is but you will perform with her because I'm telling you to do it." She grabs the collar of my shirt, trying to make me feel helpless but deep down, I know that she knows that she can't make me do anything. "And if Iris loses any fucking point because of you, I will fucking hit you again and you can go fuck yourself and snitch on me. Nothing's going to happen to me, that's for sure."

"You're blackmailing me?" I ask her, holding her gaze.

"Damn right I am." She loosens her grip on me. "Iris is my friend and you're not. Makes the whole situation a loss better to understand, doesn't it?"

She drops me and steps back, brushing her hands. She waits for me to say something in return. I don't know what she expects from me, but I'm not giving her what she wants. Because she gave me what I needed right now - enough anger and guts to open the email that's been in the spam for almost two months now. When I don't reply, she sighs.

She gives me a sharp look before walking away with Maia, leaving only me in here. When the door slams shut, I shake my head, my lips forming a small smile. I lift myself up and lean on my palms against the counter. My fingers reach my back, to the small tear on my shirt. Touching it, I found blood. I straighten my shirt before looking at myself in the mirror, at my cheek that is swelling at this moment.