the wall between us, james beaufort

chapter two.

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"ruby..." i had walked in just in time to interrupt lin catching on to her disturbed friends behavior, "everything ok?"

i dropped all my stuff down on the table with a bang, gaining everyones attention off of ruby, and started the meeting, "okay, this is the event committee's first meeting of the semester!" i got a few looks too, with how overjoyed and loud i was being, it wasnt like me, but soon people just shrugged it away and got focused.

ruby sent me thankful eyes.

"how are things looking with the welcome party?"

the group got into convo about posters, technicians needed, and the promo video responsibilities. i have to say, we were an efficient group.

i honestly dont know what truly got me to join this committee. again, i wasnt like ruby, who picked the best group to put on her resume and get the gold star for her oxford application. i wasnt trying to overachieve or wear myself thin to prove myself to these preppy teens around me.

but ruby was here, and told me about it as we got a bit closer throughout my first few months. and she liked my style when it came to clothes, i had a fashion eye that came from my mother. i never bothered much with it before here, but ruby saw value in it. and i appreciated that.

"lexington also wants the lacrosse team in the promo video, since if they win this year itll be thier third win in a row..." one of the girls gawked on about the boys, and told us she had the pictures for it covered.

another girl mocked a similar gawking face, and whispered "james beaufort all sweaty in a close up!?" and the whole group laughed.

another thing i liked about this group; it mostly held more of the chiller, less drama ridden students here at maxton. we all tended to make fun of the obsessions and trends of this school.

ruby's face suddenly went white, and i went to quickly change the subject again, but lin's did too.

"what?" i whispered to both of them.

"its james beaufort." lin said, gulping.

"he's staring at you." ruby whisper yelled and fiercely as she could.

"me?" i leaned in closer to the girl, "did you forget what happened not a half hour ago? if it's at anyone in this room, its you!"

the whole group fell silent and a loud cough made all of us freeze.

ruby just held eye contact with me, her lips tight and eyes wide. and i slowly turned to see james beaufort face, glaring into my own.

i huffed, "can we help you?" i was ready to defend my friend, i was ready to sucker punch a boy who truly needed it if i had to.

"can i borrow you for a second." he said, his eyes not moving from my own.

i settled my brows into a matching glare, "and why me?"

i was ready to defend ruby, but not take her place. i didnt deserve a scolding for accidentally revealing the scandals of the privilege, arrogant, ignorant, and sloppy it-girl of maxton hall.

"i think you know why." he stepped forward, clasping his hand around my forearm, tight.

i jerked it away, jumping off of the table i was sitting on, which pushed my hip into his, pushing him away from me.

"fine." i scoffed, ready to get whatever this was over with.

james beaufort could talk to me for two seconds out in the hallway, but he wouldnt touch me.

ruby and lin sent me both scared and sorrowful eyes. i rolled mine and james followed me out to the hallway.

"what do you wa-"

"lassie, right?"

i felt my eyes go completely empty of all the fake sympathy i was trying to put into them, "cassie."

he shook off the correction, "well you know who i am-"

"if you mean by your name, yes." i stiffled a laugh, "but im satisfied with that much, thank you."

i stood a bit taller, and something in his eyes faltered.

"and you know what you saw so," he dug deep into the chest pocket of his blue pressed blazer, pulling out a wallet, and then out of that, a wad of cash, "i want you to take this from me. and remember, what you saw of my sister never happened."

my eyes flickered up to meet his as he reached for my hand for the second time this afternoon.

i flinched away from him, staring down at the cash in his hand, and remet his gaze.

my mouth was slightly open, and i didnt know whether to laugh or scream next.

he took the hesitation as a threat, and went to reach for more money, huffing like it would actually break the bank for him and his trust fund.

"wow," i fauxed amusement, with my fakest smile and brightest eyes, and he smirked as if he had won, but my eyes turned sour quick, "youre even stupider than i thought if you expected me to take your money." i shoved his back in his chest, scoffing, "i dont want your money, and i could care less about what trouble your sister got herself in, which i didnt even see." i spit the words in his face, and his barely flinched.

he went to reach for something else, his phone, and pulled up a picture, "explain this then."

the screen on his phone showed me, walking out of mr suttons class not a half hour ago. and mr sutton, standing by his desk, hair still disheveled in the background.

"i-"

"i dont care what you saw or didnt see," he spat back, "but if anyone hears about what happened in mr suttons office, i can use this to spin the story a bit." i tried not to let my eyes show fear, but his caught on too quickly.

his eyebrows raised, "and suddenly the girl no one knows or cares about will be apart of the biggest scandal of her senior year. one week in, at that."

i wasnt worried about his threat. i knew even if he tried, no one would believe it. the picture was truly innocent, and you had to zoom in close to really see that it was sutton standing there.

but something about james beaufort threatening me had lit a fire in my chest.

and, even more so, realizing that my hand was still on his chest.

he looked down at it, "or do you want to be caught doing something with somebody else?" that stupid smirk was back on his face again, and i swore i couldve slapped it off.

instead, i pushed the money harder into his chest, sending him a few steps backwards, and away from me, "i dont want your money, i dont want you, and im not threatened by your little backstab plan."

"we're not done here," he said, walking fast toward me as i turned on my heels to walk away from him. i whipped around so fast that i caught his feet falter. even just for half a second, i had threatened james beaufort.

so i let the smirk grow on my face this time, "yes we are." i gritted my teeth, "and if you ever touch me again, itll be more than just rejecting your hush money and a look thatll make you flinch."

"are you serious?" he didnt seem fazed, but his eyes bounced between mine for another second after his words.

i just smiled, and walked away from him, trying to shake out the achy feeling in my hand from where he had grabbed it, and the ache in my stomach that had started ever since he did.