Trapped (Bullied Book 4) (Bullied Series) Vera Hollins (best large ereader txt) 📖

music colleges in Hartford and New York. I still didn’t know how to break the news to my parents.

“Yes…”

“You did? Why didn’t you tell us anything? What did they say?”

I shrugged, my eyes downcast. “I wanted to surprise you?” I gave another shrug. “I’m still waiting for some responses, but so far, I’ve been admitted to three of them.”

“You have?” She clasped her hands together, her face a picture of joy. “Oh, dear!” In a second, her arms enclosed me in a tight embrace. “I knew it! I’m so proud of you, Jess. I knew my sweetie would get in.” She kissed the top of my head and looked at me with pride in her eyes. This only made my chest ache.

I forced a smile on my face. I couldn’t tell her now. I didn’t want to see her face fall with disappointment. “Yeah.”

“We have to celebrate! I’m going to call Owen and tell him the great news. He’s going to be thrilled! And wait until I tell your grandparents!”

I smiled more widely, feeling like I was getting deeper into a mud trap with no way out. My stomach churned when I got into my car. There was no way they would ever accept me going to a music college.

They’d never thought much of my passion for singing. They were full of praise for my voice and liked to boast about it to our relatives, but they never regarded it as something serious. Dad had once told me singing couldn’t pay bills and I should be realistic, claiming becoming a lawyer would be the smartest and most responsible thing to do. I never mentioned wanting a singing career again.

I parked in the school’s parking lot as I sang along with “What the Water Gave Me” by Florence and the Machine playing on the radio. I was instantly calmed by the notes coming out of my mouth and could breathe more easily. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the headrest, buzzing with energy as I hit the highest notes. At this moment, I was invincible, and the best years of my life were about to come.

I got out of my car with a smile and headed into school, trudging through the snow that had accumulated overnight. It was the first day of March, but the weather was unforgiving and promising more cold days to come. I rubbed my gloved hands together and picked up my pace until I reached the foyer.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I drew it out. It was Dad.

Mom just told me the news. Congratulations, Jess! We’re going to have a big celebration.

I grimaced at the message. They would most likely have a barbecue in our back yard and call all our relatives. I was under more and more pressure.

Thanks, Dad. Maybe just us three can celebrate for starters. I’m still undecided on which college I’ll attend.

That’s just a minor detail. We’ll help you decide which option is the best for you.

I stopped at my locker with heaviness in my chest. My thumb hovered over the keyboard before I gave up on answering and shoved my phone back into my pocket. I had to tell them before this became a bigger mess.

I opened my locker, but someone slammed it shut and caged me in with his body, flattening his palms against the lockers on both sides of my shoulders.

“Don’t move,” Blake growled into my ear before I could make a sound, creating flutters deep down in my stomach. My body stirred at his nearness.

“What do you want?”

“I want to make sure you won’t open your fat, ugly mouth and say anything about yesterday.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and inhaled a long, raspy breath. I may have been pushing my luck, but I wasn’t going to keep quiet anymore. I suffered whether I stayed silent or not.

“Which part? You being a jerk all the time or you running away like the coward you accuse me of being?”

He slammed his fist against the locker and got in my face. “Shut the fuck up.”

“What? The truth hurts again?”

He grabbed my chin and made me look at him. “I think you forgot you shouldn’t talk back to me because if you do, I’ll get back at you and it will be real ugly.”

“More than it already is?” His fingers pressed into my skin, and I winced. “It…hurts,” I said through my gritted teeth, frustrated that he was using aggression to subdue me.

He lessened the pressure, but he didn’t remove his fingers from my chin. “That’s what you get when—”

“That’s what I get?!” I chuckled, but it didn’t contain even an ounce of joy. It was an expression of utter pain that resided in my heart because he was so cruel and merciless. “Do you even hear yourself? So when you can’t win using words, you use aggression? What’s next? Are you going to raise your hand against me? Beat me?”

He released me and stepped away, and I spun around to face him. I pressed my back against the lockers as I took in his frown and lips pressed together in an unforgiving, thin line.

“Is that what you think of me? You think I would beat you?”

My heart fluttered at the brief display of hurt that shadowed his face, but I didn’t allow that to stop me from saying what I’d kept inside for so long.

“Are you seriously asking me that? You’re a bully! I expect the worst from you! And how could I not? How many times have you pushed me around? How many times have you grabbed my arms or shoulders so hard it left me with bruises?”

He staggered back with widening eyes, but instead of feeling satisfaction at seeing him like this, I only felt more pain.

“You keep threatening me whenever I piss you off, which is always, so I’d be a fool not to expect you to hit me or worse.” I clenched my fingers around the hem of my shirt, holding back the