Blood Money (1) | The Inheritance Games

XXVIII. white horse

"Cause I honestly believed in you, holding on, the days drag on, stupid girl, I should've known, I should've known that I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale."

Spencer.

Since Christmas break I'm pretty much giddy with the excitement of all the time Noah and I have spent together. He's seemed so much more laid back and positive all week. Maybe it's because he's been home alone the whole break. 

I'm in the locker rooms when an uneasy feeling disperses itself around my stomach. There are whispers. Only a little more than usual, but it's enough to make me overcome with worry.

It's just Kassidy and her friends, they're giggling. They always are right enough, but I can just tell something is different.

Finding Maja after class, I run to catch up with her. "Hey Maja." I call out to grab her attention. She doesn't turn around. 

"Asshole, I'm talking to you." I try again firmly, not harsh just teasing.

"Spencer.. You're a really good person." She blurts. "Not really, but thanks I guess?" I laugh nervously, clinging to the two straps of my backpacks as we fall into step.

"I swear I really like you." She confesses. "This where you tell me you're in love with me?" I mock. "Gross. No. I just.. You need to know that I don't hate you." She tells me.

I grin, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I don't hate you either Maja. You're a really good girl too, you just don't show it." I nudge her teasingly.

She goes ghostly pale and breaks away from me, heading to the bathroom.

"I'll see you." I smile at her, earning merely a nod in return.

That was weird. But really sweet.

I get to my next class of the day, Literature with Mrs Treusch. Slumping into my seat beside Jameson I offer him a grin. "Someone's happy." He teases, elbowing my ribs.

"Beyond." I smile.

"A week into school, you'd think you would be exhausted but you look chirpier than ever." He smirks. "Noah's still completely home alone. He's invited me to spend the night at his place tonight. Just the two of us. It's like.. the first time we're having a sleepover as a couple." I grin with excitement.

"I'm very happy for you, when's the wedding?" Jameson mocks. "Hopefully soon. I swear, the second we're both 18 we're getting married." I declare.

"Ambitious thinking considering you've been dating for merely a couple weeks." He exaggerates. "We started dating on the 29th of November, Jamie. It's now January 11th. And before that we were pretty close anyway for a couple months." I argue.

"A month and a half." He corrects himself with his hands up in surrender.

Someone's phone pings. Another ping from a different phone. And within a minute, every single phone in this class is buzzing, vibrating and pinging.

"The hell?" Jameson glances to me sceptically as we both pull our phones from our pockets. I look down and see a message sent from an unknown number, potentially a burner phone. It's nothing but one image.

I click on the photo and wait for it to load. Once it does I feel my heart shatter into a million pieces. All eyes turn to me.

My breathing hitches in my throat and my entire body tenses up.

A photo of me. Naked. Nothing but lacy underwear covering my body. The photo I sent to Noah. Only Noah.

I look up to confirm that everyone was sent the same thing.