Page 2 of Unleashed

As if he needs anything. His family is the wealthiest in town. His dad is some bigwig attorney who’s never lost a single case. Hunter drives a Bentley; the last thing he needs is more money.

“I think loser pays for prom night,” Tyler suggests. “The limo, hotel, booze. Those stupid corsage things we have to get our dates. What do you think, Connor?”

“Damn, I may rethink my guess,” he chimes in, and my stomach twists up tighter.

Hannah’s going to be left with a memory she’ll never be able to erase. She’ll always remember how she gave her virginity to Hunter Sorent, and how he ditched her the following day for his next trophy. She’ll be left with guilt and regret, and shame. And the monster will go on thinking he’s the king of the world because he got another girl to give up her cherry.

I can’t let that happen. I have to put a stop to it. When I get home, I’ll type up an anonymous letter warning her of his plan. He doesn’t know I’m in here so he’ll never know it came from me. He’ll probably think it was one of his buddies trying to sabotage him so they don’t end up having to foot the bill for prom night.

“Nah. You can’t go back on your guess now,” Hunter states. “I’m at a week. Tyler two. And you who must forget who the fuck I am said a month.” He sounds peeved by the fact. “We’ll see what happens. And no one better tell a soul, or you will fucking pay.”

A shudder runs through my shoulders. I know what that threat means, and the ache in my body is proof they don’t want to be at the end of his wrath. But that’s why they’re friends with the jerk in the first place—for fear of finding themselves on his bad side. Why else would anyone want to be friends with a guy like that?

“Fine. It’s a bet,” Connor states, sounding a bit on edge. He knows he’s going to lose, because Hunter is going to get exactly what he wants. And Hannah is going to end up being the biggest loser of them all in this wager. “Got my glasses. You guys ready to go to lunch?”

“Yeah. I need to get started on my wooing.” Hunter’s smug voice unnerves me further, but it’s a relief to know that they’re leaving now. “Let me just grab a football so we can scrimmage after school.”

A cold sweat breaks out over my body as I look at the storage closet where all the footballs are kept. The panic sets in as the footsteps start to draw closer. My heart rate pounding in my ears again.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I can’t tuck myself in any further. I can’t make myself invisible. I should’ve hidden in the shower. They never would’ve found me in there. They weren’t supposed to find me back here either. They aren’t even supposed to be in here.

“Well, look at what we have here.”

My mind starts racing as the panic sets in. The pair of three-hundred-dollar sneakers have stopped right by my side. Sneakers that may look clean to the observer but have my DNAhidden in the crevices. The monster’s shadow shrouds me in a haunting darkness as I feel him practically breathing down my neck, looming over me, ready to unleash his fury. I’m nearly crippled by the fear. There’s nowhere for me to run. No one here who will hear me crying for help. No one to stop him from attacking.

I lift my head, trying not to show the fear that’s got me locked in its clutches, but my voice reveals every rattled nerve shaking through me. “Hey, guys! I’m just in here trying to get ahead on some work that’s been assigned in our class,” I lie, hoping Hunter will go easy on me if he thinks I’m trying not to get caught doing his schoolwork for him. “What are you guys doing in here?”

Hunter cocks his head. His eyes casting a terrorizing glare. “This locker room is our domain, you little shit. You don’t belong in here. Little book nerds belong in the library where all the books are.”

The sudden burn of my scalp as I’m yanked from the ground has me shouting out in pain. “It gets noisy in there at lunch.” I struggle to gasp out another lie. As soon as Hunter found me hiding out in the library, he started waiting for me outside the doors, ready to launch his attack. Always pinning me up against the lockers, his arm braced around my neck, cutting off my airways. Making sure I haven’t forgotten who’s boss in this school.

I’d end up headfirst in a garbage can, spending the rest of my school day covered in slime. So, I sought out a new place to hide. But now I’m regretting my decision. I should’ve gone to the library. At least I know what’s in store for me there.

“Listen, you little faggot.” That word rattles through me more than all the rest of the names he’s ever called me. “You tell anyone you saw us in here, and you’ll end up in a body cast. Understood?”

His spit hits my cheek as I’m tossed back onto the floor. My tailbone feeling the hit, knowing I’m going to be left with a bruise to go along with all the others. “Now, get the fuck out, faggot. Run along to where the losers belong.”

I crawl back over to my bag, fighting back the stupid, weak tears in my eyes. I quickly grab my things and make a run for it before he does worse. He let me off easy today. But I think he was afraid Coach would walk in and catch him in the act. From now on, I’ll be spending my lunch period in the library. I’ll never cross him again or he’ll make things worse for me.

* * *

As soon asthe final bell rings, I charge down the hall toward the exit, tucking tail like the scared little coward I am, praying I’m fast enough and can get out of the building without another run-in with the monster. As soon as I’m tucked inside my vehicle, I lock the door, breathing a giant sigh of relief. But it’s not until I’m out of the school parking lot, pulling onto the main road, halfway to my house that the knot in my gut slowly starts to unclench, giving me my first reprieve since the moment I woke up this morning.

Another day down and just sixty-one more to go. Then I’m free from hell. No more sleepless nights and waking up with a pit of anxiety in my stomach. No more watching over my back every step of the day. No more pain. No more working double time and living in fear that I’m going to get caught doing Hunter’s work. No more lying to my mother.

Every time I have to look her in the eye and come up with another excuse for why I’m limping, it pains me with guilt.

I wonder if once I’m in college the nightmares will stop too. Waking up in a sweat. Tears streaming down my cheeks. Having to run to my mother’s room to make sure it was just a dream,making sure she’s still breathing. Hunter’s threat is always in the back of my mind.

“If you ever rat me out again, I will kill your mom. I’ll cut her brake lines and she’ll end up wrapped around a telephone pole.”Hunter knew exactly what to say to keep me quiet. To keep me locked under his thumb. But as soon as he’s halfway across the country, too busy with his football team and frat parties, and I’m no longer living in the same town as his family, it will all be over.

I pull into my driveway, ready to lock myself in front of my computer for a few hours and shut it all off. Hunter’s homework is finished and sent to his email, so I only have half the load to complete tonight. My work can wait until later, after Mom gets home. Right now, I need a distraction from the hate loop running on repeat.

Loser. Faggot. Waste of space. God, you’re so pathetic. No wonder your dad ran out on you. He couldn’t handle having a weak little twink as a son. Your poor mom. She had no clue she gave birth to a girl. Or maybe she did since you don’t have a set of balls.

“You are one stupid little faggot.”