Good Girls Don’t Cross The Line

Episode 8

ANNALISE

The next day at school was a total masterclass in pretending.

I walked the busy hallways like nothing had even happened, like nothing had changed over the time between Knox and I. If it had, I refused to acknowledge it because what one didn't know always found it hard to harm them.

It wasn't easy.

But, I had spent an entire year before now learning how to keep my face still and cold around Knox Mercer, so I told myself that this was not going to be different in any way because it was still the same school, the same hallways and the same boy who thought that the entire world owed him a loud standing ovation.

Well, maybe today would be different, and he would leave me alone after last night shenanigans.

Guess who was wrong?

Me.

I spotted him across the quad during the morning break where he was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He was flanked on all side by those his rubbish team mate friends.

And the moment his dark eyes found mine, he straightened up just slightly and smiled the kind of smile that meant something was coming for me from him.

I groaned inwardly and cursed out my rotten luck this morning.

"Hey, tic-tac," he called out. "Nice of you to show up at school today with that hair. Sleep well?"

His friends snickered on cue.

"Better than your grades," I called back without breaking stride.

Someone in the small crowd that had gathered made a sound of amusement and Knox's stupid smile didn't even waver.

But I saw his jaw tightened by a fraction when I spared him a glance. And I filed that expression away and kept on moving.

No stopping for banter.

It was what he wanted and I could not dare to give him that.

I kept walking, forcing myself not to unconsciously reach for my hair which I had folded into a tight ninja bun I was sure was cool when I last looked in the mirror.

He's just trying to make you feel insecure, I assured myself.

The rest of the day wasn't any better because I kept running until that it pompous empty headed fool, and it went like that.

First it was the corridor outside the science block, when I was walking past with my bag hanging low on one shoulder.

I had my long notes pressed to my chest when he fell into step behind me with two of his friends.

"Tic-tac," he called out. "You've got a little something on your shirt."

I looked down.

There was nothing.

I facepalmed internally, calling myself a fool because I should have known he was lying.

Knox was a clown.

I looked back up.

He was grinning.

"Oh wait," he continued with his perfect thirty two on display. I couldn't help but notice how perfect they were. "Never mind, that's just your nasty personality."

His friends wheezed.

I turned around without breaking stride and walked backward for three steps before I stopped.

"That is really funny coming from a block head whose only known personality is just daddy's money and a sports title. Take just one of those away and what is left? A very tall nobody?" I retorted.

His friends doubled over with laughter and pointed at him in jest, unable to believe their eyes.

Knox's grin stayed on his face in utter embarrassment. But, I saw when his eyes narrowed slightly before I turned back around and continued to my destination.

That served him right.

Let him feel exactly what I felt each time he tried to put me down in front of multiple eyes.

I arrived at my chemistry class which was the one for this period and sat through it, absolutely absentminded and tired.

My mind dwelt on Knox.

And that stupid kiss.

Fuck him!

I shouldn't be thinking about the way my step brother and I had locked lips in the dark last night.

If I hadn't been, I would have heard the teacher calling out to me repeatedly to get my attention.

But I didn't.

Well, until Jessica who alwasy sat behind me to copy my class work during class reached out and tapped me on the shoulder.

My body jolted.

“What?” I mouthed at her. She simply pointed at the teacher with a small smile in her face.

Mrs Adams was glaring at me at the front of the class room.

“Did you leave your attention at home, miss Annalise?” She asked in a slightly acerbic tone.

I abruptly stood to my feet and apologised for being distracted during the lessons.

“Is it because I'm boring?” She snorted with raised brows.

Panic shot through me.

“No, no, no, Mrs Adams!” I flailed my arms. “You're not.”

Anyways, I was able to convince Mrs Adams and scaled through the class without letting my mind travel to some place where Knox was residing anymore.

After the class, I headed to the library to read up on a few topics before the third period.

Unfortunately, or not, I crossed paths with Knox just outside—of all places to come across him.

What the f**k was he even doing lurking around a library?

He was leaning against the wall when I came around the corner, and he straightened the moment he saw me like he had been waiting.

My brows raised.

“Are you stalking me now, Mr Mercer?” I demanded.

He let out a stunned guffaw.

“You flatter yourself too much, Miss goody two shoes.”

“Then, why on earth do you appear everywhere I go?”

A tic hit me out of nowhere, my eyes rolling back subconsciously as my shoulders twitched twice.

He shook his head.

“I was here first—just in case your tics come with memory loss.”

I eyed him maliciously.

"I've been thinking—" he started to say. I let out a harsh hiss.

"Don't strain yourself and your poor brain, captain," I said.

He continued to talk as if I hadn't just interrupted his sentence.

"—your hair looks different today in that rough looking bun."

I slowed down slightly.

"And?"

He shrugged.

"And nothing."

He tilted his head.

"I was just trying to figure out if you dressed in the dark or if that's just actually a choice you made while conscious," he added.

Anger flared in me because the few passerbys burst into rancous laughter around both of us.

I looked him up and down once.

"I would rather dress in the dark than spend forty minutes in front of a mirror and still look as average as you do," I said, gesturing to his outfit with my hand.

The two girls passing behind me burst out laughing. Knox pointed at me like that one was good and he was filing it away for later.

“Captain,” one of his friends called out, coming out of the library with a cheerleading girl on his arm.

My brows raised.

That's why they were there. To set up meetings with girls. I see.

“Let's go,” Knox said to him and turned away, walking away from me without even a single glance, as if I didn't exist to him anymore.