85. Blurring the Lines

The curtain that separated the regular gym from the rest had been pulled across to serve as a background for the stage they had set up to speak from.

I was pinned against the wall, right beside where the curtain met the gym wall. Just on the other side was the entire student body of IronCrest. If Whitaker exposed me, it would be in front of the whole school. My heart pounded against my already constricted chest.

This couldn't be happening.

Not here, not now.

Whitaker loomed over me, his fingers hovered over the top button of my jacket. "I've been watching you for a while, James," he said, slowly undoing the first button. "There's something about you… something I just can't quite put my finger on."

"Funny," I shot back, trying to keep steady despite the panic. "I've only seen you once."

He smirked, and it made my skin crawl. It was oddly familiar, but I was so panicked my mind was racing too fast to piece together where. "I'm always in the shadows, James. It's where I do my best work.