Twisted Protection

*** TRIGGER WARNING ***

This book features graphic violence, sexual assault, abuse, sexism and misogyny, torture, and death.

Prologue

UNKNOWN

He sits in the back of the diner watching them. No one notices him, no one ever does. He is always the one who sits at the back of the classroom fading into the background. You couldn't even call him the weird, loner kid. That would mean someone would notice him. He is just ordinary. A face in the crowd that fades quicky from every person's memory. But he sees all. All the fake smiles and shallow conversations. All the plotting and planning. All the schemes to target one person and tear them down. It makes him sick. He would ignore all of it. All the bullshit of high school unless it was aimed at one particular person. Her. Kasey Watkins. He has been watching her for years from a distance. Following her. Always on the edges of her world. Today he was paying extra attention. Someone had posted a photo of her taken in the change rooms with some degrading comments. It had made her sad. He hated that. She deserves to be happy.

He watches as her fake friends all try to tell her it will all be ok. Telling her all the fake things people say to make it better. But nothing will. It is out there now. It always will be. She pretends to smile, but he can see the pain in her eyes. He clenches his fist so hard his knuckles crack. He looks at her best friend, Skye. Hate blazing in his eyes. He has never liked her fake cheerleading ass. He knows Kasey deserves better than that. People like that should be grovelling at her feet, begging for a minute of her time. It is only that they have been friends since they were young that she is friends with Kasey. And her so called best friend would ditch her as soon as she can't use her anymore. Unfortunately, high school is full of these types of people. Thank God it is almost over with graduation just around the corner.

The girls stand up and hug, slowly breaking apart. All are trying to be sympathetic but have no idea what she is going through, just glad it didn't happen to them. The group slowly move towards the door and gather outside. The best friend hangs back taking a call. He slowly moves closer getting ready to follow too but holds back pretending to look in his bag for something. Outside the girls are chatting about all the graduation parties they could go to. Kasey doesn't seem to be really listening or paying attention. They group slowly dwindles as one by one they leave. Kasey lingers waiting to walk with Skye as the live in the same area. By the time Skye comes out of the diner everyone has left and Kasey is standing all alone.

"Sorry, Tommy called. I didn't mean to take so long. You ready?" Skye asked.

"Yeah, I suppose." Kasey replied flatly. 

They walked toward the shortcut to their neighbourhood. Kasey looked up to the top of the trees of the small forest and took a deep breath.

"Oh, Hun. You need to forget about it. It will be old news by the end of the weekend." Skye said in an overly sugary voice. He followed at a short distance and rolled his eyes at the fakery. "Besides, with Tommy's party this weekend, everyone will be focusing on that and not care about some dumb post online."

"Can we just talk about something else." Kasey pleaded.

"Sure, I was just trying to help you process it. We should try to find out who did it. I mean someone had to take the picture, right?" Skye continued

"Skye, please. I don't want to talk about it." He could tell she was trying to hold her emotions in check. Skye didn't seem to notice, or she didn't care. Which honestly was more likely.