Sins And Chastity

Proper Introductions

MARNI

When the bell rings at the end of class, I’m out of my chair, cell phone in hand, and darting towards the door, desperate to flee and find Lexi so I can tell her all about my living nightmare.

But I don’t make it one foot out the door before Jethro is there to snatch the phone out of my hand with an arrogant tut, “I’ll be taking this.”

“Give it back, Jethro.” I huff, unable to hide my irritation this time, and reach out for it. He’s got about a foot and a half over me, so he laughs at my pathetic attempt.

“Hello?” He speaks into the phone, all smug and carefree, catching my eyes, “Yeah, sorry not sorry, but Marni cannot come to the phone right now... she's busy. Bye.” He ends the call and then types something into it. A few seconds later, his own phone buzzes in his pocket.

“Baby, we’ve got your number.” He taunts me by singing an 80s song his way. “I’ll see you at lunch, but you’ll be hearing from us much sooner than that, little rose.” He gives me a wink while depositing the phone back into my hand, overlapping his over mine, infecting my skin with his overbearing heat. He gives it a nice squeeze before sauntering away down the hallway.

Once he disappears around the corner, I feel like I can finally breathe again...

Until my phone begins to ding in my hand as I try to call Lexi back. And my heart free falls when I read what’s on the screen.

JETHRO (PRIDE): BOYS, I WANT YOU ALL TO SAY A NICE HELLO TO MARNI ROSE.

JETHRO (PRIDE): OUR NEWEST TOY. 🌹

KINGSTON (WRATH): WHAT UP, WHAT UP? 👋

SPENCER (GREED): YO! 🙏

DAMON (LUST): WELCOME TO THE PARTY. 🎉

JETHRO (PRIDE): DON'T BE RUDE, LITTLE ROSE.

JETHRO (PRIDE): SAY HI TO YOUR NEW MASTERS.

Masters? As if. As f*****g if.

KINGSTON (WRATH): YEAH, DON'T BE SHY...

KINGSTON (WRATH): WE DON'T BITE.

KINGSTON (WRATH): THAT HARD.

Despair makes me stumble back into the classroom. I lean against the first desk at the front of the class, my feet growing heavier with each message that appears.

JETHRO (PRIDE): YOU'RE NOT BEING VERY NICE, LITTLE ROSE.

JETHRO (PRIDE): AND WE DON'T LIKE WHEN OUR GIRLS AREN’T NICE TO US.

Well good because I’m not one of your girls, Asshole.

SPENCER (GREED): IT MAKES US NOT SO NICE.

KINGSTON (WRATH): TALK TO US, MARNI.

KINGSTON (WRATH): WE'VE ALREADY ASKED YOU ENOUGH TIMES.

DAMON (LUST): COME ON, JUST GIVE US SOMETHING.

DAMON (LUST): OR WE’LL HAVE TO COME FIND YOU.

My blood moves faster through my system when I read the threat, and I glance out the doorway into the hall to search for them, expecting to be bombarded any second now.

JETHRO (PRIDE): WE KNOW YOU'RE READING THESE, THE LITTLE CHECK MARK TELLS US AS MUCH.

JETHRO (PRIDE): WE WERE GOING TO GIVE YOU A BREAK UNTIL LUNCH, BUT IF YOU WON’T PLAY ALONG...

I feel my heart thunder behind my ribcage as my fingers type as fast as I can. Fine. I’ll give them something. One word to appease their egos.

ME (CHASTITY): HI.

Chastity? Really? That’s the nickname they’ve decided to bestow upon me. Not pure or virgin or something clever like un-f****d? How about toy or pet? Or even Rose like my last name—and the name that Jethro has already dubbed me.

Not even a second passes before there’s a swarm of new messages.

KINGSTON (WRATH): THAT WASN'T SO HARD, WAS IT?

JETHRO (PRIDE): ANSWER HIS QUESTION, LITTLE ROSE.

I’ll give you a little rose, asshat!

I type out a sarcastic response before I can think the better of it, but thankfully, Lexi comes running into the room to stop me from sending the damning message.

“Marni, what’s going on? Stacy told Ellie in the library that Jethro marked you last period. Any truth to that?” She places her hands on my shoulders and brings my attention to her face. She has chin-length short black hair cut sharp and sleek.

Word has already spread that fast? It’s only been an hour or so.

Even as she speaks, my phone dings some more, convincing me that it’s never going to stop.

I don’t bother to look at the messages before I set the phone down on the desk, “See for yourself. “ I shrug.

She swipes the phone and holds it up, gasping when she finds the group chat. “That’s so f****d up.” She pops a black brow as her finger swipes across the phone. “Oh my god, they are relentless.”

Yeah, I know they are.

“But you’d better respond or do something, because according to this last message, Jethro has just left Gym class.”

Panicked, I grab the phone and scan the text on the screen.

SPENCER (GREED): TICK TOCK. TICK TOCK.

KINGSTON (WRATH): TIME IS RUNNING OUT. ⏰️🏃‍♂️

JETHRO (PRIDE): TICK TOCK, LITTLE ROSE.

JETHRO (PRIDE): TICK.

JETHRO (PRIDE): f*****g.

JETHRO (PRIDE): TOCK.

DAMON (LUST): COME ON. WE’D HATE TO HAVE TO TEACH YOU A LESSON SO EARLY ON.

DAMON (LUST): WELL...NOT JET. I’M SURE HE’D LOVE THAT. 😈

KINGSTON (WRATH): STOP BEING STUBBORN AND PLAY WITH US ALREADY.

JETHRO (PRIDE): ALRIGHT, LITTLE ROSE.

JETHRO (PRIDE): YOU WIN.

JETHRO (PRIDE): I’LL COME TO YOU THEN.

KINGSTON (WRATH): OH s**t!

SPENCER (GREED): YOU’VE DONE IT NOW.

DAMON (LUST): YOU BETTER TRY AND RUN GIRL...

JETHRO (PRIDE): YEAH, PLEASE DO.

JETHRO (PRIDE): RUN.

JETHRO (PRIDE): I f*****g LOVE A GOOD CHASE. 😉

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The threat to chase me down must have been empty because somehow, I make it halfway through two more classes without being caught by the Sins.

But my phone still buzzes non-stop in my book bag, lighting the screen with more obnoxious texts from the boys who claim that I belong to them.

It’s so distracting that I can’t focus on anything else, but I wait until Miss Gates turns her back to write a problem up on the whiteboard before leaning over to peer down inside my bag. The screen is lit with a new message, but it’s not what I expected. At the top of my notifications is a text from Lexi, so I carefully reach down, grab the phone, and place it on my lap to use after Miss Gates is lost to the world of mathematics, tapping on the notification to read her message.

LEXI: O.M.G MARNI, ARE YOU OKAY? HAS ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENED SINCE YOU TOLD ME ABOUT JETHRO MARKING YOU AND TAKING YOUR PHONE?

No, I am not okay. I am furthest from okay. Matter of fact, I am freaking the f**k out.

Even as we speak, my phone vibrates some more, the sins becoming more belligerent with each second that I don’t respond or play their game. Or give them the attention they’re used to receiving. Attention the girls and everyone else in this school have spoiled them with. Taught them to expect.

Trying to ignore them, I attempt to reply to Lexi, but a message pops up and I accidentally tap on it instead.

JETHRO (PRIDE): HOW’S MATH GOING, LITTLE ROSE?

So they do know where I am right now. And they could come find me if they want to. Those might have been empty threats before, but how long until one of them—or all of them show up to drag me out of class to make good on their word?

I know I should respond again to save myself the trouble, but I don’t know what to say.

Because I don’t belong to them.

Miss Gates turns back around now, an arm stretched wide out in front of her as she points a dry-erase marker to a student in the far right of the room, “Miles, how about you come up and solve this for us.”

Miles, a scrawny black-haired boy stands at once, a confident grin pushing his cheeks up into his red-rimmed glasses as he walks down the aisle and plants himself in front of the Algebra equation, going to work immediately as another message appears.

KINGSTON (WRATH): HEY, I HAVE A MATH EQUATION FOR YOU.

KINGSTON (WRATH): YOU+US=... WHAT?

KINGSTON (WRATH): WHAT DOES IT EQUAL, PETAL?

Petal? That’s different. I haven’t heard that one before, and I’ve heard a lot. I’ve been called Rose—yeah, Jethro isn’t as crafty as he thinks he is—I’ve heard flower, pinky, Rosey-mosey (my mother’s personal favorite), and even Rosé—yup, just like the French wine.

I don’t necessarily hate being called Petal. It’s delicate. Shows me more respect than Little Rose that’s for sure.

KINGSTON (WRATH): WELL... I’M WAITING... WHAT’S THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION?

A nightmare, I mumble under my breath.

DAMON (LUST): I KNOW, I KNOW!

KINGSTON (WRATH): YES, MR. HUNT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING WITH THE REST OF THE CLASS?

DAMON (LUST): THE ANSWER IS A DAMN GOOD TIME.

SPENCER (GREED): YOU’RE GODDAMN RIGHT!

JETHRO (PRIDE): THE BEST f*****g TIME.

KINGSTON (WRATH): OOOOOH, SORRY MR. HUNT, THE ANSWER WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAS THE BEST f*****g TIME. YOU LOSE.

KINGSTON (WRATH): ONE HUNDRED POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN.

DAMON (LUST): WHAT MAKES ME A SLYTHERIN?

DAMON (LUST): I’M DEFINITELY A HUFFLEPUFF.

KINGSTON (WRATH): SLYTHERIN IS WHERE ALL THE COOL PEOPLE ARE.

JETHRO (PRIDE): REALLY GUYS? f*****g HARRY POTTER? 🤦🏼

KINGSTON (WRATH): ALWAYS.

SPENCER (GREED): ALWAYS.

DAMON (LUST): ALWAYS. (My sister was watching it last night.)

I follow along with the chat even though I know I shouldn’t, and a little laugh escapes before I can stop it watching the guys discuss the Wizarding World franchise. I hate to admit it—and I’ll deny it if I was ever confronted—but they are pretty funny. Almost like they could be nice, normal, gentle boys instead of the reigning Alpha-jock kings of this school who take whatever they want whenever they want it.

When they’re not threatening me with overbearing messages about what is expected of me now that they’ve claimed me, or incessantly chasing me, or invading my every thought, it’s almost easy to think that there is more to them than just s*x, sports, sins, and virgins.

Almost.

JETHRO (PRIDE): YOU'RE ALL f*****g HELPLESS.

SPENCER (GREED): OKAY, MUGGLE.

Damnit. Another laugh slips through, loud enough to draw attention, and Miss Gates pegs me with a raised brow, “Is something funny, Miss Rose? Something you’d like to share with the class, perhaps?”

Feeling my face burn with embarrassment, I shake my head and respond, “No, Mam. Just thought of something that happened earlier is all. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Her hazel eyes squint as she regards me, but she lets it go, “Just make sure that it doesn’t.”

Aye aye, captain. 

JETHRO (PRIDE): AVADA KEDAVRA, MOTHERFUCKER!

Oh. So, Jethro knows of the Wizarding world after all. And he doesn't have a sister to blame it on like Damon.

This time I cover my mouth to conceal the snort.

SPENCER (GREED): YOU JUST f*****g KILLED ME, YOU PRICK!

KINGSTON (WRATH): THEN WHY ARE YOU STILL TALKING, SPENCE?

DAMON (LUST): OH, SHOOT, HE JUST CAME BACK AS A CASTLE GHOST. YOU DONE f****d UP NOW, JET. NOW HE GETS TO TERRORIZE YOUR ASS FOR ETERNITY. 

SPENCER (GREED): f*****g, RIGHT, I DO. I’M GONNA BE SO MUCH WORSE THAN PEEVES, TOO. 

Okay. I enjoy Harry Potter just as much as the next person, probably even more, but these guys take it to another level. Do they really like it this much, or are they purposely trying to annoy their leader? I get the sense its the latter, which makes it so much funnier.

Have they forgotten about me altogether? Are they aware that they’re still talking in the group chat and that I can see everything? Do they realize that I’m watching, learning?

Maybe I should tell them?

No.

Hell no.

Bad f*****g idea.

The back-and-forth banter continues for a few minutes longer, but I decide to finish my response to Lexi now that they’re occupied, so I swipe the group chat with the sins away to bring up Lexi’s chat box, peeking up at Miss Gates one more time before dropping my head to type out a text.

MARNI: I’M OKAY... FOR THE TIME BEING. THE SINS ARE EVEN WORSE THAN WE EVER THOUGHT. THEY ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT I BELONG TO THEM NOW. LIKE, I'VE GOT A BARCODE AND THEY’VE SCANNED IT AND EVERYTHING. 

LEXI: WHAT DO THEY WANT?

I don’t know why she’s asking this. She knows what they want; Me.

MARNI: WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WANT, LEX?

LEXI: BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE ONLY ONE OF THREE VIRGINS LEFT. 

MARNI: YEAH. SO DID I.

LEXI: JESSICA AND DINA BOTH GAVE IT UP OVER THE BREAK?

MARNI: APPARENTLY. OH, AND GET THIS; DINA EVANS DECIDED TO SCREW BOTH KINGSTON AND DAMON FOR HER FIRST TIME. TIMES? ANYWAY, JETHRO WAS VERY HAPPY TO RELEASE THAT LITTLE DETAIL. HE LOVED MY NAIVE REACTION TO IT EVEN MORE. 

LEXI: TWO f*****g SINS AT ONCE?!

MARNI: MY EXACT RESPONSE. 

LEXI: WHAT THE f**k?!

MARNI: ALSO MY REACTION.

The period bell sounds through the classroom not long after, indicating it’s time for lunch, but I don’t move to pack my things up just yet. Around me, other students leap into action, shoving books and folders into book bags and gathering them up into their arms. Miss Gates waits at the door, holding it open as she dismisses people, wishing them well on their way out.

LEXI: SO THEN THEY DEFINITELY WANT YOU NOW, YEAH?

MARNI: IT SEEMS SO. 

LEXI: DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE YET?

MARNI: NOPE. BUT IF I HAD TO GUESS, I’D SAY IT’S JETHRO. HE’S THE ONE WHO CAME TO MY CLASS JUST TO TORMENT ME. 

LEXI: WHAT IF... NOW BEAR WITH ME...WHAT IF IT’S TWO OF THEM? LIKE WITH DINA? WHAT IF KINGSTON AND DAMON WANT TO TAG-TEAM AGAIN? OR WHAT IF DAMON AND JETHRO WANT TO TRY? OR...

MARNI: DOUBLE TEAM. TAG TEAM MEANS YOU TAG OUT. DOUBLE TEAM MEANS DOUBLE PARTICIPATION.

LEXI: OH, WHATEVER. YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN.

I do. My stomach flips at the thought and my back itches with anxiety. That possibility had already crossed my mind a few times but I quickly dismissed it. Because surely they wouldn’t expect that? Right? And if they do, they’d never impose on a girl if she doesn’t want it. And I definitely do not want that. I don’t want to be passed around. Or shared. Or treated like some sort of trophy.

The Sins are hot, yeah, I’m not denying that, but I prefer to appreciate the pretty boys from far away, where I’m safe, where I’m not overwhelmed by their heavy pursuit, suffocating personalities, and mouths so vulgar they should come warning labels.

Not to mention their cologne. It smells so good and makes my pulse pound. Makes my brain hazy. Makes my legs—

No, Marni. No. Stop it.

I’m just about to finish the thought when Miss Gates speaks up again, “Marni, is there something that’s been troubling you today?” She asks from her desk, looking up from grading papers.

My back burns. There are words on my tongue that I want to say. That I know I should say. But I don’t, because what good would it do me? Would she even care, or care enough to go against the system to help? Would she risk her career and their wrath just to try to change my fate? The Sins own everyone around here, it’s no secret. So what makes her any different? What leads me to believe the moral clause she has works? Nothing. “No, Mam. I’m just having an off day.” I fake a smile and breathe assurance into my voice, even as my heart kicks in my chest and my legs tremble beneath the desk.

“Okay, but if there is something you need to say, my door is always open to students.” She nods, her eyes creasing, giving me just a little bit of hope. But I let it die. She can’t save me. And even if she could. She won’t. No one will.

I’m going to have to save myself. 

I will not end up being a name and a blood stain on their sick website.

The last blood stain.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t you have lunch this period?” She asks next.

And right on cue, the phone in my lap goes bezerk as more messages come through.

“Yeah, I’ll be going in just a few seconds.” I appease her with another smile, peeking down to see a flood of new texts.

But they’re not from Lexi.

Disheartened and defeated, I drop my head to read them after she returns to grading her papers, picking up the red pen beside her mug of coffee.

And my anxiety shoots through the ceiling when I see what’s on the screen.