Page 20 of Made in Malice
“This is because of Morningstar, isn’t it?” I question, even though I know the answer.
“You didn’t tell me he cornered you in the hall.”
“He didn’t corner me. I could have gotten away,” I defend.
“But instead, you went toe to toe with him.” I can hear his disappointment.
“Better than cowering. I’m not going to let some bully push me around. He’s not the first one who’s tried, and I’ve survived.”
He mumbles something, but I can’t quite make it out, and I don’t bother asking either.
“I’ll talk to Rory and tell him I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Apparently you do, and it wouldn’t work anyway. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“We’ll see,” I counter with every intention of making Rory back off.
No amount of begging gets Alden to wait outside while I finish up my test in the study room. The man is like my giant shadow, constantly looming over my shoulder and daring anyone to get close to me. We don’t encounter Morningstar until we’re walking to the cafeteria for lunch. He’s surrounded by a small group, but it doesn’t look like he’s paying any of them a lick of attention.
I avert my gaze, hoping to pass by unnoticed like the rest of them, and it might have worked if it weren’t for Alden’s big head. “They really got you slumming it, huh, cuz?” A nasty sneer lifts Lucian’s lips, and where he seemed positively bored before, now he’s eager to entertain his posse.
Alden ignores the jab, but I can’t, not with the familiar name. Are they really related? There’s no way I would ask now, since it’s really none of my business, but I want to know if Alden is related to the guy trying to make my life hell, and if he is, how the heck did he end up working for the Umbras?
Alden urges me to keep walking with the presence of his body behind mine, never slowing. I know without looking back that Morningstar and his crew are behind us, and even the sounds of their footfalls are annoying.
I give my best detached impression and act like I don’t hear or see any of them trailing behind us. Honestly, this is such high school crap. I expected to get some flak for being new, but it would have been nice to know I would be public enemy number one beforehand, or even how I earned that position.
I doubt I’m going to be able to eat when it feels like everyone in the place is staring, but I’m not going to let them know they are getting to me. “So what’s good?” I ask Alden. If we’re stuck together, I might as well make the best of it.
“Take a look around. Do you think anyone here would settle for less than the best of everything?” He keeps his voice low enough that unless someone were right on our heels, they wouldn’t be able to hear him.
I glance at the food stations and decide on the place with a grill. My hopes for something simple I can pick at are dashed when I see the menu board offering various seafood options. “Is there any place where a girl can get some chicken nuggets?”
“Come on.” Alden leads me over to another section, where there are woks filled with all kinds of meats and veggies. Some are coated in sauces, but there’s a silver pan filled with small chunks of fried chicken. I’m thinking it’s the closest I’m going to get.
“Thanks,” I tell him before grabbing the serving spoon to help myself to a small portion.
“Whoa, save some for the rest of us,” a girl, who’s not even in line, says, which prompts me to add another scoop to my plate. It’s petty and counterproductive, but I don’t care.
“Aren’t you eating?” I question Alden when he follows behind me with empty hands.
“I’m working,” he reminds me in a flat tone.
“Oh right, how could I have forgotten?” I roll my eyes and choose a table that’s far away from anyone else already sitting down, and then I realize my mistake almost immediately—there’s room for Morningstar and his fan club to join me.
Much to my dismay, Lucian takes the seat directly across from me after plopping his tray almost on top of mine. I decide to speak to him first in an effort to thwart whatever he’s about to say to me. “I don’t remember inviting you to sit down.”
“I don’t need an invitation, Charity.”
“How old are you?” I tilt my head to the side and examine his features, wishing I could find him as ugly as his personality, but I’m sure it will come. Ugliness always shows itself.
“Why? Want to know if I’ll get drunk enough to fuck you at some point?”
I let him see how little I think of his response with my look of disdain. “No, I thought you might have had an early growth spurt that would explain your maturity level, but I can see your age doesn’t really matter.”
I would swear he wants to smile, or at least bare his teeth at me, but he pretends to be unaffected by my comeback.
Alden is standing so close to the table, his thighs are pushed right up against the wooden top, as if he might need to get between us at any moment.