The Elites

18 | in her wake

Chapter XIII: In her wake

INFORMATION WAS POWER. To have information was to have power. And, in Akari's hand, she had the power to destroy what should've never have started. A part of her wished Candace didn't leave, it felt like she lost yet another friend, but for most part, she was glad. Harrington was noxious. It took Akari long enough to recognise that. Something had shifted in Harrington over the past days, the environment had changed dramatically.

The news of Candace's relationship with Scarlett was the hottest topic of the week, the students of Harrington buzzed with gossip and whispers. Kaito's confused expression when he heard the news of Candace's departure was still imprinted in Akari's mind; information he didn't know first. Elijah's fingers worked quickly whilst he typed, mulling over the fact that Candace knew everything — he wasn't sure what that meant for him.

Peering over his laptop, he noticed that Akari's eye kept glancing at her phone as she twiddled her fingers — a sign of unease. He wondered why. Zane stormed into the cafeteria, his grey eyes wide and lost — he looked broken and battered. Her breath hitched when he stared at her. She knew what he wanted to know. Even in unspoken words, she knew what he was going to say. Moving her head delicately, his face fell, his shoulders slouched before he disappeared out the doors.

"What's going on?" Celeste asked, hands entwined with her boyfriend, as the pair took their rightful seats. For a fleeting moment, Bentley stared at Akari with the sudden urge to kiss her, to hold her instead of the girl with green eyes. But he wouldn't dare. Captivated by his murky eyes, words failed Akari as she neglected to answer Celeste's question.

Elijah's brows knitted together. "Candace pulled out of Harrington."

Celeste didn't speak for a minute, cocking her head to the side before a slow, deadly smirk graced her coral lips.

"Took her long enough."

*

She waited for him during lunch, leaning against his locker. His bleak, brown eyes haunted with ghosts and deceits found her in the crowd, examining her body as if she was an object, his play toy. Her fragile features, petite and feline, attracted him to her, enticing him. She was a temptation, a sin, his forbidden secret and his darkest desire. She knew that.

"We need to speak," Akari ordered. He never smiled, not unless he found something entertaining, but Bentley only found satisfaction in twisted things.

Staring at her a lengthy, suspenseful minute, he nodded. "Very well."

The classroom they entered was empty, quiet, far from peeking eyes and curious gossipers — Akari couldn't risk Celeste finding out about this interaction. She hated Akari enough and by having such a risky conversation at school would only add fuel to that hatred, tantalizing her to release those disgraceful photos and videos to the public eye.

"What is it you want?" he asked, tone level and unbothered.

He observed every movement she made, every inch of her body, every flicker of emotion. She loathed it when he did that. It affected her; her bones trembled at the sight of him, and not because she was scared, but rather out of desire.

She hated herself for loving a monster like him, she hated for doting someone who was promised to another, she hated herself, but mostly she hated how she knew she'd never have a future with him, and yet she always hoped she would. A large part of her pitied Celeste, she never understood their relationship, but she knew it was far too lethal.