Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
I’m just about to disappear into the storage room when a couple of students cut in front of me, one of them slamming their shoulder into me, knocking the box out of my hands and onto the ground. I watch in horror as a stack of napkins, and about a hundred straws go flying across the floor in every direction.
“Oops, sorry,” the guy mumbles but doesn’t even stop to offer to help pick up the mess be caused. Cursing under my breath, I drop to my knees and start picking up the stuff, tossing it into the box with an angry vengeance.
“Here, let me help you,” a female voice pierces my ears, and before I can look up, a girl appears next to me. Crouching on the hard ground to help me pick up what I dropped, she mutters with a frown, “What a jerk, right?”
“Oh, it’s okay. You don’t have to help me. This is my job.” I tell her.
The last thing I need is to be reported for ruining some Blackthorn royals lunch. I need this job; my livelihood depends upon it.
“It’s not your job to deal with meatheads like him though,” she jokes, and for the first time today, I smile. While I’m picking up the napkins, I peek over at the beautiful girl helping me. It doesn’t take much for me to know that she is definitely a student here. Manicured nails, a designer handbag hanging off her arm and, perfectly curled black ringlets of hair that makes her appear as if she just got back from a high-end salon.
She looks like the typical Blackthorn student, rich, beautiful, and successful. Everything about her screams high class. The only thing that is different is that she actually stopped to help me, instead of walking by like she was better than me.
“Willow…” Some guy calls out from behind us, getting our attention. I look up to find the mystery guy standing at the door, holding it open with one hand. There is a darkness in his eyes, and he watches me like a frog might watch a fly as it flies around its head. “We’re going to be late for class.”
“Oh crap, I got to go,” the girl tells me and dumps what she had picked up into the box.
“Thank you!” I call after her before she grabs onto the guy’s hand and gives him a kiss on the cheek. I watch her, and the guy who is obviously her boyfriend, disappear, the door falling shut behind them. Stupidly, I let my mind run rampant with thoughts and wonder briefly if she knows how lucky she is to have all the things she has. Hurrying, I pick up the rest of the stuff and tell myself to stop thinking of a life I will never have.
I spend the rest of the day washing dishes, peeling potatoes, cutting onions, and carrots. Usually, I wait to get the trash until everyone is gone, but today I don’t. I go around the cafeteria and empty out every last trash bin, gathering them all by the door, so I only have to go outside once. Part of me wants to ask Paul to do it, but I know better. It’s my job, so I’ll suck it up and do it. It’s not like it’s dark out yet.
Grabbing the bags, which, by the way, feel like they weigh more than me, I shove through the back door. I look both ways and hurry over to the trash can. I start to toss the bags into the dumpster, the sound of shoes crunching against the asphalt pierces my ears. Like a crazed woman, I whirl around, one of the bags of garbage still in my hands.
Lord, please help me. It’s the two guys from last night. They’re standing near the only entrance into the building. My only exit. Have they finally come to kill me? Tears well in my eyes. They have, they’ve decided that I can’t keep my mouth shut.
4
Easton
“I… I didn’t tell anyone,” is the first thing that comes out of her pretty little mouth. Big pale eyes and golden blonde hair that curls at the ends give her an angelic look. I remember how soft it felt in my hands last night, and I have the urge to touch it again.
I can’t take my eyes off of her. We’ve been on the lookout for her all day. I barely slept last night, wondering if we made the right choice. And I’m not talking about killing James, that was no doubt the best choice for everyone. The guy was a total creep and a number of other things. No, I’m talking about letting that blonde-haired angel go. If she talks, we are in some seriously deep shit.
And that’s exactly why we’re here right now. We need to make sure she keeps her pretty little lips sealed.