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

don’t want to hear you say a word about it, because if you do, I swear you’ll regret ever meeting me.”

I lowered my head. This time, I was unable to hide from him even behind the thick strands of my hair. My fingers were clutching the metal railing too tightly, and it hurt, but the physical pain couldn’t compare to what I felt inside. I was a sobbing mess. I tried hard to hold back my tears, but I couldn’t.

I wished I could turn back time. I had thought I’d be ready to suffer the consequences, but I wasn’t, and it was hard seeing him look at me like this. Just like in the beginning.

“I was such an idiot.” He let out a short chuckle. “And here I thought you were someone I could actually trust. I let myself believe maybe, maybe if our lives had been different, we could’ve been together.” He shook his head. “I should’ve never let you in.”

I cried out. It was too much. His words, his hate, the distance between us…it was too much.

“I want you to get out of here and never talk to me again.”

I couldn’t look him in the eyes, scrambling away, but I halted when I noticed Daniela standing next to the pond. Her brows were tightly drawn together as she observed us with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Blake? What is this commotion about?” she asked, shifting her gaze between Blake and me.

I couldn’t stay there a second longer. I hurried away, blind with tears.

I arrived at school with a heavy weight in my stomach on Monday morning. I’d spent all of Sunday locked up in my room crying, unable to get my mind off the betrayed look on Blake’s face. I’d effectively ruined my chances of getting him to trust me, and even though I knew I should just let it go, I couldn’t. I couldn’t be okay with how things had gone between us. I wished he could know I’d never wanted to hurt him with my foolish act. So I kept looking for him around school, feeling the burning need to apologize, or just explain myself.

I didn’t see him before U.S. history. I’d thought I could try to talk to him then, but he entered the classroom right before the teacher arrived. He didn’t look in my direction even once as he headed for his seat, and my heart contorted so painfully.

The teacher announced a pop quiz, and the classroom erupted in groans and sighs. My heart, however, sped up for a totally different reason. My hands started shaking when the students passed the papers back and I took them from the student in front of me. Slowly, I turned to give them to Blake.

His eyes were on his desk as he reached out, much to my disappointment. But then our hands brushed, and his eyes flitted to mine. I inhaled sharply. There was pain in them, but it was mixed with something else—something that stirred me from the inside out. However, it was so fleeting I could’ve easily imagined it. His gaze hardened, and he snatched the quizzes away from me, dousing any warmth I’d felt.

The teacher announced the start, but I couldn’t concentrate. I was getting jittery. It was torture sitting so close to him, being aware of his every move. Foolishly enough, I hoped our bodies would touch accidentally, my breath catching in my throat each time he leaned closer to me. But they didn’t, and that left me with an empty feeling that only grew stronger by the end of class. I could practically feel his hostility emanating toward me.

My courage to apologize almost fizzled out when the bell rang. I picked up my stuff with trembling hands as I thought about what I could say to start a conversation, but he rushed out of his seat and the classroom before I could even call out to him.

I sighed as I stood up and followed Marcus out. He was telling me something as we walked in the direction of Blake’s locker, but I wasn’t paying attention to him as I watched Blake open it.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

“I think I totally failed that quiz.”

I pressed my books against my chest. “That’s too bad. I hope I didn’t. I answered all the questions, but I don’t know if I got them right.”

“Ms. Gentry does this all the time. Will she ever get tired of it?”

“I don’t think so.”

His phone chimed, and he grinned when he looked at the screen. “It’s Kev.”

I smiled. “Oh? What does he say?”

“He’s waiting for me at my locker.”

“You two are so cute.”

Kev and Marcus were a couple now. They’d gone out on Sunday and started dating, and I couldn’t have been happier for them. It was hard to miss how Marcus’s eyes started glowing; all his worries disappeared as if nothing mattered in the world for him but Kevin. A dull pain pervaded my chest. It looked so easy—having someone who could bring you the sun when there was only rain. Someone who wouldn’t make your heart beat with pain and longing more intense than anything.

His grin got bigger as he texted Kev back. “You think so?”

My eyes moved over to Blake, who stood with his back turned to me as he rummaged through his locker. “Absolutely.”

“It’s all thanks to you,” Marcus said.

“What do you mean?”

“You told me to talk to Kevin. I didn’t have the guts to do it, but you helped me, so thank you for that.”

Aww, he’s sweet. “No need to thank me. I just pushed you in the right direction a little, that’s all.”

“Still, you’re like our Cupid or something.” I chuckled. “I’ll be going now. Can’t keep my man waiting.”

My man. So, so cute.

I winked at him. “Sure. We can’t let that happen.” He laughed, waving goodbye.

My smile diminished as he disappeared down the hallway, my gaze shifting to Blake. Only a few feet separated us now as I