Chapter 123
HANNAH
I had a little trouble concentrating on the notes I was supposed to be writing. Mia's face kept floating in front of the pages of my notebook. With a sigh, I gave it up, shut the book and put away my pen and let my mind roam freely.
Days after meeting Mia, I still hadn't been able to shake off the feeling that her face looked very familiar. But try as hard as I could, I still couldn't figure out where or if I had ever seen her before.
The feeling was a little... disturbing to say the least and now she wanted to be friends.
My cell phone buzzed in my lap. I glanced down to see a text from Willa.
‘What do you plan to tell her?’
By 'her' she could only mean Mia.
My fingers hovered over the screen for a moment and then I typed, ‘I don't know yet’. I waited a beat, then added, ‘What do think I should tell her?’
Willa viewed the message almost immediately. Her reply came at once.
‘She seems nice but remember that she's a transfer student. Could be posing as anybody.’ A couple of emojis with masks on followed this. ‘At this point, it isn't safe to trust anyone... especially people you don't really know.’
Leaning back in my chair, I read Willa's message again. I completely agreed with her. With packs all around the world, literally thirsting for my blood, it would be stupid to let a stranger into my inner circle.
For all I knew, Mia could be a spy. I started to text Willa back when the public address system came on, the principal's voice so magnified it startled me. The phone slid out of my hand and onto the desk.
'Will Hannah Baker come to the principal's office immediately, please?'
I sighed inwardly as a lot of eyes, which hadn't really strayed from me in the first place, turned to me.
Why the hell was I getting so much attention when I wanted so badly to blend in? And why did the principal even want to see me? What was so important that it couldn't wait until after my class or better still, after school?
I left the classroom with my head held high, pretending I didn't feel their stares boring into my skin.
I had hardly knocked when the principal's loud, slightly high-pitched voice called for me to come in. I walked in to find him nervously rearranging the plaque in front of his desk with his name, Mr Thompson, written in gold letters.
"You... wanted to see me?" I said slowly when he just sat there, blinking at me from behind his spectacles.
"Oh yes. Yes. Please sit." He waved me into a chair and cleared his throat fussily.
Then he drew a small bowl of paper clips towards himself and began to mangle them. I sat very still and tried not to look too threatening. The principal looked like he would bolt right out of his chair if I so much as frowned.
"So um- I expect your classes are going well so far, right? Of course they are," he added, answering his own question in the same breath without meeting my eyes. "I- I called you to discuss something important. Because of the er- incident that happened during the skill contest, the Lycan Royals have asked you to re-enter pageant competition again."
It took a few seconds for this to sink in.
"What?" I shouted, completely forgetting my resolve to keep this conversation nonthreatening.
Mr Thompson jumped about a foot in the air.
He scooped up a couple of more clips and that seemed to give him the courage to continue. "The thing is since you defeated Julia, one of the champions, you are er- sort of expected to take her place in the contest, see?"
I shook my head. "No I don't see. I quit the contest for a reason and I have no intentions of continuing with it."
The principal went a little pale. He spread his hands. "I'm sorry. I'm just a messenger. The order for you to go on competing came from the Lycan royals themselves. There is nothing I can do about it. I- I will advise you to start preparing for the next stage of the competition since it's in two days."
A knock sounded on the door just as I opened my mouth to say something. It was with a sense of acute relief that the principal called out for the person on the other side to come in.
In another moment, he jumped to his feet, bowing. I stood more slowly, surprised to see Edward.
"Your majesty," the principal said with another bow. "I wasn't expecting you-"
"Yes. I came to tell Hannah the news myself," Edward broke in. To me he said, "Please come with me."
I followed him, more than a little dazed at what the principal had just said. Edward and I had hardly taken a dozen steps when we came face to face with Asher.
Seeing him for the first time since I had killed Julia gave me a jolt. He didn't look at all like I had pictured him whenever I thought of him.
Asher looked well, perfectly normal even. He didn't turn away like I half expected him to. He came to a stop in front of us. A second or two of very awkward silence followed.
"Asher," Edward said softly. "I heard Julia meant... something to you. How are you holding up?"
"You are obviously siding with her so how I'm doing shouldn't be your concern. Your majesty," he tacked on with a little sneer.
Edward's dark eyes hardened. "The fight between Hannah and Julia was a fair one. If you weren't so blinded by your hate and whatever is crawling around in that mind of yours, you would see that." Edward's muscled flexed beneath his jacket. "And if you are looking for a confrontation, you should know that you are no match for me."
Asher laughed. It sounded forced and very, very hollow. He dragged his eyes from Edward to me.
"I came to deliver a message to you," he said quietly. "Fifteen days."
Without another word, Asher turned and headed back the way he came. I stood stock still, staring at his retreating back.
Fifteen days! What did he mean? What sort of message was that and most importantly who was it from? Was it some kind of... veiled threat?
Edward's nose flared angrily. He seemed to be restraining himself from going after Asher. "Do you want me to deal with him?"
"No," I said, only it came out as little more than a squeak. I cleared my throat and tried again. "No. It's fine. I can handle him."
Edward nodded, gestured for us to walk on. From around us came the drones of classes in session.
"My parents want you back in the contest," Edward said. "They believe it's due process if you take Julia's place since you defeated her in the duel."
"Blood duel," I corrected hotly.
"Calm down, Hannah-"
"The fight Julia and I had had nothing to do with the competition. It was something personal."
Edward lifted one broad shoulder in a shrug. "My parents consider it as the same thing. This contest is a very important tradition. They feel it must go on with as little hitches as possible. Also..." He stroked his chin and shot me a sideways glance. "Since you are the white wolf, they want to see your abilities first hand."
Into my head came the words of the man that had tried to kidnap me. What was that he had said?
Even the Lycans are talking about her. You know that is not a good sign.
I felt my heart stop. Then it banged so hard against my ribcage I felt out of breath.
Edward was a Lycan. So were his parents. So were the hundreds of others who would come to watch the contest.
There was nothing most people wouldn't do for ultimate power. What if Edward was in on another plot to kidnap and kill me for my blood?
I thought he was nice but the truth was I didn't know him too well. Hell! I didn't even know him at all!
15 days Asher had said.
Could that be how long I had to live?
I was vaguely aware that I had stopped walking. It suddenly hurt to breathe. It felt like the walls were closing in around me.
Their faces- Asher's, Julia's, Edward's, Dawson's- all crowded my mind. They raced. They spun faster, blurred around the edges until I felt I would go mad. I pressed a shaky hand to my head.
Edward reached for me. It seemed to me that his hand was dripping with blood.
I slowly backed away, turned and ran.
"Hannah! Stop!" I heard him call.
I only ran faster, my legs flying over the marble floor.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
