Chapter 11

“Yesterday, Jessica broke into Shana’s locker and stole her personal belongings,” Lucas explained, gesturing to me. “Specifically, she stole her diary and began to pick on Shana in front of the whole school.”

The dean’s eyes narrowed as he listened to Lucas with rapt attention. “Did she now?”

“That’s not true!” Jessica shouted with a stomp to her foot.

Lucas’s eyes flashed at Jessica. “Shana tried to defend herself, but some students pushed her to the ground and her head began to bleed. That’s why she’s wearing a bandage.” Lucas pointed at my forehead. “She also has bruises all over her ribs because Jessica kicked her.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Jessica quipped, still trying to defend herself even though it wasn’t looking good for her. “I didn’t lay a finger on her!”

“She’s lying!”

“I’m not!”

“Enough arguing!” the dean looked back and forth between Lucas and Jessica. “Do you have any proof of what you’re claiming, Lucas?”

“I had to take Shana to the hospital yesterday after Nurse Rebecca told me Shana should seek medical attention.” Lucas stared at the dean with an unwavering gaze. “You can ask Nurse Rebecca. She’ll tell you the same thing.”

I looked at Lucas anxiously.

There’s no way that Nurse Rebecca would lie to the dean for us.

She could get in trouble for even attempting to do that, and as much as she may have liked me, she wouldn’t risk her job.

The dean took Lucas’s advice and immediately called Nurse Rebecca into his office.

“Is Lucas telling me the truth?” The dean asked Nurse Rebecca after he relayed all the information.

“It’s true,” she admitted without hesitation.

I had to stop my jaw from opening in shock.

My eyes landed on Lucas. He was already staring at me and offered me a sneaky wink as if he knew his plan would work all along.

How did he convince Nurse Rebecca to help us?

But then I remembered how Nurse Rebecca had known Lucas. They were friendly with each other, and she admitted that he was one of her favorite students.

It was clear that Nurse Rebecca was on our side.

However, my satisfaction was short-lived when I noticed the death glare Jessica was giving me.

I realized that now she knew I lied about skipping class with Lucas yesterday. And apparently, she left like she had some hold over Lucas. Like she was entitled to control who he hung out with.

“Jessica, I want you to return Shana’s belongings to her,” the Dean ordered, rather than requested. “And if I hear any more about you treating Shana unfairly or cruelly, the consequences will me more dire than just a warning. Shadow High doesn’t tolerate bullying.”

Jessica glanced at me.

“Now,” the Dean ordered again with a louder voice.

Jessica ran back to the classroom and brought back the diary. She shoved my diary at me but I can still see the hatred in her eyes.

The Dean asked Nurse Rebecca to stay in his office as he allowed Lucas, Jessica, and I to leave, ordering us to return to class.

Just as his door closed behind me, Jessica grabbed Lucas’s arm.

“Lucas, I need to talk to you.” She looked at me venomously. “Alone.”

“No, I don’t want to talk to you.” Lucas shrugged her off him. His eyes were laced with concern as he looked upon me. “Shana, I need to talk to you.”

I had a suspicion that he wanted to talk to me about what happened yesterday. We hadn’t spoken since our argument.

Jessica noticed the way Lucas was looking at me and stepped forward. She captured Lucas’s cheeks in her hands and turned his face towards hers, planting a kiss on his lips.

I felt my jaw slacken as her lips worked over his. The kiss seemed… familiar at least on Jessica’s part. And suddenly, I imagined the two of them in more intimate scenarios…

I clenched my jaw as pain stabbed my chest.

I knew that Lucas and Jessica had once been together before but seeing them together was different than hearing about it.

I hated to admit it, but the two of them looked good together.

But at the same time, I’d never understand Lucas if he chose to be with someone like Jessica.

She was all sorts of wrong.

Jessica opened her eyes mid-kiss, staring at me as if she wanted me to see.

I turned my head away from their kiss as the shock raged through me.

It felt as if it had gone on for hours even thought it was probably only seconds.

Even though Jessica attempted to get Lucas to reciprocate the kiss, he was frozen, like he was in shock just as much as me.

He pushed Jessica away from him, wiping the back of his mouth in disgust.

But Jessica doesn’t notice since her eyes were focused on my expression. She looks from me to Lucas with a greedy smile.

“I’ve missed us, Lucas,” she confessed. “Let’s get back together.”

Lucas’s laugh was dry and devoid of any humor. “Jessica, we were never even together in the first place.”

“Yes, we were!”

“We slept together,” Lucas said. “Once.”

Even though they were only together once, irritated bubbled inside of me at the fact.

Jessica had always been cruel, it’s in her nature. I couldn’t imagine why Lucas had ever entertained her.

Sure, she was pretty, but it made no sense to me.

Jessica looked annoyed with Lucas’s nonchalance. “It was more than once!” Her eyes flitted over to me. “So, what? You’re into wolfless girls now?”

Lucas rolled his eyes. “Leave Shana out of this. She’s important to me.”

“Important why?” Jessica pressed. “Are you guys together? Did you sleep with her?”

“Enough!” Lucas shouted. “First of all, that’s none of your business. And even if it was, what I do shouldn’t concern you. Who I spend my time with is up to me.”

Jessica’s eyes wavered as Lucas shouted at her, surprise crossing her features. She turned on her heel and stomped away before I could see a tear fall.

As I watched her retreating form, I felt that annoyance inside of me simmer. Having to watch them kiss and hear about their intimate confession made me upset. I’ve already been questioning how much I knew Lucas, but this made me even more skeptical.

Was he truly a good person like I remember? Or is he just like everyone else?

“Shana,” Lucas started, stepping closer to me.

When I looked up at his deep blue eyes, they looked worried. I realized that every thought in my head was clear on my face. He knew I was upset.

“Lucas, I’m not in the mood to talk.” I turned to walk the opposite way, but Lucas’s arm snaked around my elbow, drawing me back to him.

I looked up at him with annoyance. “Let me go.”

“I’m not letting you go until you tell me what’s wrong,” he said. “Is it about yesterday?”

That was part of it, but right now, I was just upset about him and Jessica. The two of them together made no sense. It was as if the devil wanted to be in a relationship with an angel. The two didn’t mix, and yet, they had been together.

Once, or more than once, I had no idea.

I didn’t want to think about it.

Instead, I mustered up the courage to ask Lucas the question that was at the forefront of my mind. “Why did you sleep with Jessica?”