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

and my guitar. I could make my dreams come true. I would make my dreams come true.

“Jessica, that was wonderful!” Ms. Donovan told me. “I know talent when I see it, and let me tell you—you’re going to be a major star one day.”

Her praise meant so much I didn’t have the right words to express it. So, I just said, “Thank you, Ms. Donovan.”

Mrs. Aguda announced the end of the program, and everyone started dispersing. I stepped off the stage with the other choir members, wearing a permanent smile as they congratulated me on my performance. My steps felt lighter when I reached my friends and let them engulf me in their hugs and shower me with compliments.

“You did a good job,” Hayden told me. There was no smile on his face, but I saw approval in his eyes.

“Thanks,” I replied sheepishly, and then I finally allowed myself to look in Blake’s direction. However, his seat was empty.

My eyes searched for him around the gym before I could stop myself. I couldn’t find him anywhere, and my lips went downward. Well, I couldn’t have expected him to congratulate me or compliment me, now could I?

My parents approached me and pulled me into their embrace.

“You were amazing, honey,” my mom said into my hair, her arms holding me tight. “Your voice is one of a kind.” She drew away and rubbed her upper arms. “I still have shivers!”

“We’re so proud of you,” Dad said with a soft smile as he ruffled my hair.

“Dad! Don’t do that!” I pulled away from him and ran my hand over my hair to flatten it. “I spent lots of time fixing it.” He let out a chuckle.

“Your solo was the best,” Mom told me quietly, checking to make sure Shelly and the other choir members weren’t nearby. “The others did well too, but there was something special about your performance. And the song!” She placed her hand across her chest. “So beautiful! So emotional.”

I averted my gaze. “Thanks, Mom.”

My parents’ encouragement meant a lot. It drowned out the previous flare of disappointment that Blake was gone.

For now, his absence didn’t matter. I’d managed to break through my fear and win against myself, and nothing was going to ruin that.

I was helping Mr. Maynard set up some of the props for the next day’s conference in the gym, so I stayed at school way after the festival activities were finished. I worked alongside him quietly, counting the minutes until we were done and I could head to Mel’s place for another sleepover.

“That will be all, Miss Metts,” Mr. Maynard said after a while. “Thank you for your help.”

I brushed my dusty palms against my jeans. My legs were killing me from standing the whole day, but not even exhaustion could dull my sense of accomplishment. It had been a great day.

“You’re welcome. Have a nice rest of the day!”

“You too.”

I headed to the parking lot. I left my jacket unbuttoned because the weather was warm. I was close to my car when I checked my phone for any messages from Mel or Sar, but a sudden chill rushed down my spine, and I stopped.

I looked around. I noticed a few students here and there, but no one was looking in my direction. There was nothing suspicious, yet my body was buzzing with a strange awareness that someone was watching me.

I hurried to my car, glancing over my shoulder every few seconds, but I didn’t see anyone. I chuckled at myself internally. I was being paranoid for no reason. No one was watching me. I was just imagining things.

I stopped next to my car and fumbled around in my backpack in search of my keys. Just then, I glanced at my driver-side window and spotted a fuzzy reflection of a vaguely familiar male figure with a cap twenty yards behind me. He was staring at me. With a gasp, I spun around to face him and shrieked when someone’s chest materialized right in front of my face.

Pressing myself against my car, I snapped my eyes up and met Blake’s gaze.

“B-Blake?”

His face carried a broken expression that made my stomach sink, and my mind filled with countless questions that added to my apprehension. Had the figure been him? No, it couldn’t have been because that person had stood in the distance and Blake wasn’t wearing a cap.

I peeped around Blake to find the mysterious figure, but there was no one. I shook my head. I hadn’t imagined it. I couldn’t have…

“What…what are you doing?” He didn’t answer; his eyes studied every inch of my face closely, and my cheeks warmed. Only now did I notice his eyes were red. “Blake?”

“You had to make it even harder for me,” he said in a hoarse voice. “You had to…”

My chest clenched at how torn he looked. He placed his hands against the roof of my car on either side of my body and hung his head low.

“I don’t want to trust you. I don’t want to want you… I…” He closed his eyes, his heavy breaths falling upon my cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

My breathing quickened. “You’re sorry? For what?”

He half-smiled, but it was empty. “For many things. For everything. For always being an asshole. For not having a clue how to feel. After last Saturday, I told myself you were going to stay in the past, but that’s a lie, and then that song… Fuck. That song.” A tear slid down his cheek, and I just stared dumbly at it, shocked that he was crying. He wiped it away swiftly and leaned back.

“What about the song?” I wanted to hear his answer badly. I wanted to know exactly how he’d felt when I sung it.

Another tear escaped his eye as he returned my gaze. “You and me…trapped. Having feelings neither of us want. Going in circles because we can’t stay away from each other.”

He cupped my cheek. I knew I should move away, but I couldn’t. I