Concentrating on school when there's a daily war inside my head isn't an easy task. My mind drifts back to the conversation with Mom and I quickly begin to zone out. Her threat rings through my ears on a continuous loop and I feel like it's torturing me. The thought of Mom threatening me with abuse makes my stomach churn uneasily. She may not put her hands on me, but she's just as responsible for using Trevor to force me into obeying her. My hand slips into my pocket and I brush my fingers over the money she gave me earlier.

"Emily Wentworth! Are you listening?" I jump in surprise when my name is called out. The teacher is glaring directly at me and multiple students follow her line of gaze. I shrink into my seat and an embarrassed blush begins to spread from my neck to my cheeks.

"Yes, I was listening." I lie in a quiet tone that makes me sound incredibly guilty. My hands form into tight fists and I feel the moisture penetrating through my palms. "Do you know the answer?" Mrs Wilkins asks me with her voice full of irritation.

"No, I'm sorry." I mumble under my breath while avoiding eye contact with her. The words feel heavy when they roll off my tongue, and I silently curse myself for allowing Mom's words to affect me so deeply. I wish I was as unbothered as I try to act on the outside.

"That is the third time today you haven't been paying attention in my class, Emily. I'd like you to stay behind at the end." Mrs Wilkins says sternly before continuing to teach. I drown out the sound of her voice as she recites the passageway for the second time. I stare down at a graffiti spot on my desk and the moisture begins to strip itself from my throat. How am I supposed to concentrate when I feel like the walls are closing in around me?

After several long minutes, I lift my head in an attempt to catch the rest of the lesson. Before I turn my attention to Mrs Wilkins, I make eye contact with a set of ocean blue eyes. My heart instantly thuds faster when I realise Jake Melvin is watching me again. His face is emotionless, but there's a hint of curiosity peeking from behind his eyes. His gaze slowly travels down to my hands that are balled into tight fists on my desk. A wave of vulnerability hits me and it feels like I'm being exposed. I quickly drop my hands to my lap before tearing my eyes off him.

I've never met anyone like him who's stare could penetrate straight through me. It's unnerving.

I hang around awkwardly at the end of the lesson, preparing myself for Mrs Wilkins to give me a lecture. She remains seated at her desk before releasing a deep sigh of frustration. "Is anything wrong, Emily?" Mrs Wilkins asks while peering at me from over her oval shaped spectacles. I bite down on the inside of my cheek before shaking my head in protest.

"No, Mrs Wilkins. I'm fine. I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention, it won't happen again." I say obediently. Her gaze lingers on me for several seconds before she nods her head in acceptance. A look of approval flashes across her face, and I silently wish it wasn't so easy to convince her that I'm okay. If she questioned me a little further, would I divulge all of my darkest secrets to her?

"Very well... You're dismissed." She waves me off with a flick of her hand. I release my cheek before scraping my chair back to stand. My legs feel weak and my arms quickly follow. I stumble toward the exit while dragging my backpack behind me. My throat begins to constrict and my breathing catches in the back of my throat. I pull open the door before stumbling out into the empty corridor. My backpack immediately drops to the floor and I lean against the cold wall to gain my balance. My eyes flutter closed and I take deep breaths to subside the panic brewing inside my chest. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven —

"Are you okay?"

A voice interrupts me from finishing my count. My eyes fling open and I immediately find the strength inside me to stand up straight. I reach down for my backpack before looking up at the person beside me. Jake Melvin is standing on the secluded end of the corridor and he's watching me with suspicion in his eyes. My eyes grow wide at the sight of him. What is he doing here? Does he usually hang around empty corridors alone waiting to jump out at people?

"Are you trying to rattle me on purpose?" I snap back at him with an edge to my voice. I regret the tone of my voice as soon as I'm finished voicing my question. Jake raises a dark brow at me and he leans against the wall with an unbothered stance. I shrug my backpack over my shoulders while glancing up and down the corridor. I'm alone with him and I know I shouldn't be alone with him. I would try to move, but I'm afraid my legs are going to betray me if I attempt to take a step.

"I'm asking if you're okay. You don't look okay." Jake says quietly. I'm surprised at his voice. I was expecting it to be cold and uninviting. There's a softness to his voice that doesn't match the distant look in his eyes. He speaks slowly, almost as if he's choosing his words carefully. There's a swirl of emotion in my stomach, but it doesn't feel like fear.

"I'm okay," I say quietly. He pushes himself off the wall to walk past me. I find myself holding my breath, but I'm suddenly hit with his scent. My god. I'm forced to exhale a breath from fear I'll lose consciousness if I don't. The notes of his clean cologne mixed with his scent causes my heart to pick up pace. I expect Jake to keep walking past me, but he stops directly in front of me. My eyes grow wide like two saucers when he turns to look at me. The curious look returns to his eyes and he takes a small step forward.

"W-What are you doing?" I whisper. I have to tilt my head back to look up at him. He isn't massively taller than me, but his presence is incredibly intimidating. I feel my hands trembling by my side as he studies my face.

"I've been watching you. You're different," Jake says quietly. I don't like the knowing tone to his voice. It feels like he's skipped all of the basic pleasantries of becoming acquainted, and he's gone straight through to the personal conversation. I drop my gaze to the floor before taking a step away from him.

"Different? That's not a good adjective to describe someone." I say with forced sarcasm in my voice. I open my mouth to continue my response, but I'm left speechless. I can't recover fully knowing he's been watching me. Why has he taken an interest in me? What exactly deems me different from other people? I don't know how I feel about gaining the attention from someone like Jake Melvin.

"Different isn't negative, Wentworth." Jake tells me. My arms weaken further when I hear him call me by my surname. How does he know my surname? I'm not somebody with a reputation like Jake Melvin. People don't usually know me by name unless we're acquainted. I suddenly lose grip of my backpack and it ends up tumbling to the floor. The sudden movement causes me to jump and I release a trembling breath before blinking several times. Jake bends down to retrieve my bag and I'm hit with another wave of his scent.

I didn't know it was possible for someone to smell so damn good.

"You're jumpy." Jake says bluntly. I take my backpack from him before flinging it over my shoulder. I manage to neutralise my expression before taking a step aside to get away from him. There's something about being in his presence that terrifies me, but not because I fear him.

"Maybe it's because I'm being cornered by a dangerous boy with a dangerous reputation." I respond in the same blunt tone he's using. Jake lifts another brow at me, but he appears to be amused by my response. "Dangerous reputation?" He questions me with a tilt of his head. A sparkle enters his blue eyes that makes me feel nervous and irritated at the same time. His cool confidence is unsettling, and I don't know how to act around him. I step aside in an attempt to end the conversation between us. "I have to go."

I don't know why I feel the need to flee from him, but I do.

He raises his arm to wave goodbye to me, but that isn't the first thought that runs through my head. As soon as his hand begins to raise, I expect him to hit me. Protecting my head from blows is an automatic reaction that I've learned since living with Trevor. If I don't cover myself with my arms, the pain that follows afterward is borderline unbearable. I close my eyes and wait for the blow but nothing happens. I wait several seconds before accepting the pain isn't going to come. My chest rises and falls due to my heavy breathing, and I squeeze my eyes shut tightly.

"Emily?" Jake calls my name uneasily while prying my hands away from my face. I look up at him like a timid child before realisation dawns on me. Jake was never intending to hurt me. His actions were completely innocent and I reacted to him as if he was Trevor. Jake looks back at me with a blank look on his face, but his eyes speak a thousand words.

Before he has a chance to question me, I brush past him and begin running. My legs resemble jelly, but I manage to put one foot in front of the other. Just as I'm approaching the end of the corridors, I glance over my shoulder with a racing heart. I expect Jake to follow after me, but he's standing in the exact same spot. I can feel his dark eyes burning with intensity, curiosity and questioning. I can practically sense the inquisitiveness radiating from his presence. Terror begins to consume me as I realise I almost gave away my secret.

How could I be so stupid and reckless?

Tears of frustration prick the back of my eyes. I tear my gaze off him before bursting through the corridor doors in search of isolation. I need to be alone if I'm going to figure out a way to keep him from finding out the details I've spent so long trying to hide.