I take a quick shower and throw on a pair of leggings and a hoodie. When I head to the mirror to brush out my hair, the other shower is still running. Someone’s been in there for a long time, but I’m not hanging around to see who it is. I need to get home for dinner before my mom freaks.
Outside, the chill of the air bites into my skin, and I’m second-guessing myself for not drying my hair. But as I step onto the empty field, I’m regretting staying so late even more. It’s dark, and it’s hard to see on this side of the building. I don’t realize why until I glance up at the light, only to realize it’s broken. And it isn’t the only one.
“What the—”
Something crashes into me, knocking me to the ground so fast I can barely comprehend what’s happening. As I cough and sputter for air, the crushing weight of the shadowed figure on top of me sends a surge of adrenaline through my veins. I open my mouth to scream for help, but he backhands me so hard, stars burst into my vision. I’m still stunned and disoriented as he scrambles to his feet, but I try to squint up at him, preparing for the worst.
I can’t make out his face, but it’s impossible to miss the baseball bat in his hand. Several terrifying seconds seem to move in slow motion as he wrenches his arm back.
“Wait—”
Crack.
The aluminum collides with my ankle, crunching the fragile bones as a blood-curdling scream erupts from my throat. I don’t even have time to blink before he swings it again and smashes the same target with so much violence, I’m convinced this is the end.
I can’t breathe. I can’t even see through my blurry eyes as I try to crawl backward, only to wilt under the horrendous shock of pain.
“Demon slut,” he hisses under his breath.
And then, he’s gone.
Tears drip down my cheeks as I try to sit up to assess the damage, but the agony is unreal. My ankle is already swelling like a balloon. There’s no doubt it’s fractured in multiple places. Whoever did this wanted to destroy me. They knew what an injury like this would do to a dancer. It’s the end.
I choke on my sobs as I fumble around for my phone, but I must have lost it when I fell. I can’t move. I can’t do anything. I’m not sure how long I sit there before another shadow exits the girls’ locker room. My body falls completely still when the person pauses a few feet away. I don’t know who to trust anymore.
“Oh, my god.” The soft voice whispers, and I recognize her face when she shines her phone light at me.
“Kailani?” Alexa approaches me carefully. “What… what happened to you?”
“Someone just came out of nowhere with a bat…” My voice breaks.
She clutches her stomach as though she’s going to be ill. “Again?”
Again?I don’t understand what she means.
“My ankle.” I point at the shattered bones. “Please, can you help me? I can’t find my phone.”
For a second, I’m not even really sure she will. She seems frozen, trapped in a different time and place, the same way she always is when I talk to her.
“Alexa?”
“Oh god, yes. I’m sorry.” She fumbles with her phone screen. “I’ll call for help.”
23
Landon
I’m sitting in the parking lot at BMA when my phone rings. My publicist’s name flashes across the screen again. It’s the fifth time he’s called me, and that’s excessive, even for him.
Already, I know what’s coming. I’ve been waiting for it since I left Kail’s pool house. It took longer than I thought, but this must be it. This is the fatal blow.
I dial him back and watch the other students filter inside. I’m completely numb.
“Landon?” He answers breathlessly, and I can hear him punching buttons to slow the treadmill in his office.
“Yeah?”
“Hold on.” The phone shuffles around a bit, and the volume rises as he adjusts his Bluetooth. “We have a problem. Have you seen the headlines?”