Hi guys, sorry for the late update. I wanted to release this chapter sooner, but shit happened, which meant I couldn't upload it. But, it's here now. So, please enjoy and happy reading. I'm halfway through the next chapter, so it should be up in a few days. 

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"My mum's freaking out again. She's paranoid that I'm going to end up being the next victim of the Hillside slasher."

I frowned at Marley. I couldn't believe that she'd given the psycho that was out killing teenage girls a name. Even though the name suited him, it was still very sick. He was robbing parents of their daughters and families of their loved ones.

"Ugh, why would you give that psycho a stage name?"

We walked to our classroom with her hand looped through mine. Marley got a few glances from the boys and a few girls as we walked by. She really loved the attention, swaying her hips a little more and giving them an open mouth wink. I rolled my eyes.

"Because he's killing girls from Hillside High. I think the name is genius."

She blew kisses to a few sophomore boys and waved at a few more junior girls. It was a mystery how we were even best friends. She was a big flirt. When it came to relationships, she did not have a preference. My best friend had dated almost all the boys in school and quite a few girls. If you were to ask her what's her sexuality, she would tell you that love doesn't have a gender.

Marley liked to call herself a free-roaming spirit that wasn't tied down by labels. She believed in trying everything twice because you wouldn't know if you like it by just doing it once.

I was different from Marley. I hated new experiences because I was normally at a disadvantage. I hated having to make new friends or learning new things. If there was ever an option, I'd take the safe route every time. And when it came to relationships, I preferred to not take any risks, that was one of the reasons I stayed with Bradley, even though I did not love him like he loved me. Marley was wild and free, and I was safe and conservative.

I had never done anything wild in my life. Well, except Alpha Huntley. That was as wild as I was going to get. My heart skipped a beat as I thought about him, and memories of us together filled my head, threatening to send my body into heat. But I stomped it down. I had promised myself that I would move on with my life and forget about Alpha Huntley and the month I spent in his bed.

It was over. He got what he wanted and so did I. I wasn't going to get upset about it because I never expected it to go beyond sex anyway. I had Bradley, he was safe, and he loved me. What more did I need?

"Wanna double with me and Steven this weekend?" Marley asked as we got to our lockers.

All talk of the Hillside slasher forgotten. Which was okay by me because I was a little freaked out by it all.

Steven was her current conquest. He was supposed to be Marley's math tutor, but I guess they had started dating. That was always the case with Marley. She would get assigned a tutor by the school and she would end up in a relationship with them. It was the same every time. She would claim that they connected on some intellectual level. But if you asked me, I'd say it was more of a sexual level.

Marley liked having sex. She would be the first to tell you that it de-stressed her soul. I just thought that she was addicted to it. However, even though her relationship with Steven wasn't a surprise, I did not expect her and Alpha to call it quits so soon. I knew that she liked him more than she let on. So, I expected them to stay together longer. But I was happy that they broke up because it made me feel less guilty about sleeping with my best friend's boyfriend.

Anyway, I didn't have to think about that anymore because Alpha and I was no more. Whatever he wanted from me had passed. My life was back on track. I just had to convince my heart to get on board.

"I think I'll pass. The last time Bradley and I doubled with you and James from science, you got us kicked out of Chuck E Cheese for having sex in the ball pit."

She giggled at the memory, and I shuddered. It was not a very nice experience. The manager almost called the police. If it wasn't for Bradley's older brother who was a police detective, we would have ended up as delinquents.

"We were making art. They just have no vision in that place."

She sighed as if the employees at Chuck E Cheese was the ones that were being difficult. And not her for basically contaminating the ball pit.

"They had to close the entire place and disinfect it, Marley," I told her in disbelief.

"Sex is a natural thing. Everyone does it. But you wouldn't know now, would you?" She brushed the seriousness of what she did off.

I wanted to tell her that I did know, but that would have meant revealing to her who made me aware of it. And that was a secret that I intended to take to my grave.

"Whatever. It's no use reasoning with you. Let's just get to class."

I gave up. I'd more sooner get a headache than get her to admit that she was the one in the wrong and not Chuck E Cheese. On the walk to our class, she chatted away about how brilliant Steven was and how good he was in bed. My best friend didn't believe in secrets. According to her, everything should be public knowledge, including her sex life.

Just as we got to our seats, a message came over the intercom asking all senior year students to make their way to the auditorium. Everyone groaned because it could only mean one of two things. Principle Bingley had yet another new rule that he wanted to impose on the senior classes, or one of the do-gooders in the school was about to receive yet another pointless award.

"Five bucks say Bingley will be wearing his grey military jacket with those grandfather pants."

Bradley threw his arm over my shoulders and kissed my cheeks. I smiled at him as he took the book I was holding out of my hand, which I slipped around his waist.

"Ten says he's got those horrible green loafers to match."

Roy chined in with Rory by his side. Roy and Rory were best friends and sweethearts. They had been together all their lives and couldn't remember a time that they weren't in a relationship. They were amongst the few students that welcomed me when I started Hallway High, along with Bradley and Marley.

"I don't know, I'm optimistic. Bingley might surprise us." Marley said cheerily.

We all started laughing. Principle Bingley worked like clockwork, he did everything according to structure and routine. And since the day I started, he had not changed his outfit. However, he always looked as sharp as Miss Trunchbull, and he was just as mean.

We exited the main school building and started the short walk over to the drama building where the auditorium was. Bradley and Roy saw a few of their teammate sitting on by the bleachers. We stopped so that the guys could catch up.

A few girls were taking the opportunity to flirt with the basketball team. I didn't understand them. Why would they want to subject themselves to the embarrassment that came with dating the guys from the basketball team? It was always the same thing every time. The guys would go on a few dates with the girls, sleep with them then dump them. And the cycle would start again with another girl. In the end, the girls would end up sleeping with all the guys on the team. However, most of the girls that hung around the team were actually there for Alpha. But he never slept with the same person after he dumped them.

I looked around, checking to see if I saw him. But then I stopped myself when I realise what I was doing. I promised myself that I'd put him behind me and move on with my life.

"Hey, Alpha, did you see the way Sydney Johnson was looking at you? Man, I'd tap that if she gave me the chance. Ryland said she was a wild ride. I heard she asked you out. What did you say?"

My heart skipped a beat when I heard his name. I wanted to turn and look, to just get a glimpse of him. Even though we lived together, I never got to see him. He wouldn't stay long enough in a room with me.

The decision was taken from me when Bradley and Roy walked over to them. Alpha was sitting on the bleachers, with a psychology book in his hand.

"I told her I was already in a serious relationship." He never raised his head from the book as he spoke.

Kevin laughed. "Are you serious, man? Who is this chick? Do I know her?"

"Neither of those questions is any of your business." Was Alpha's reply.

I was disappointed that he didn't answer because I too wanted to know who this girl was. Was that the reason he had started to ignore me, after spending a month with his hands all over my body?

Kevin licked his lips at me, and I rolled my eyes at him. Kevin Mattis freaked me out. I couldn't stand him, and he made it his duty to piss me off at every turn. When he saw that I wasn't falling for his bate, he set his eyes on Marley.

"Hey, Marley." Kevin dragged.

"Hey, Kevin." Marley cooed.

I watched in disgust as they flirted with each other with just their eyes and body. Marley kept fluttering her lashes at him and twirling her hair. She kept her eyes down, watching him from under her lashes, giving off her best innocent look. Kevin was no different, he kept licking his lips, and nodding his head as he looked her up and down. His eyes focusing on her breasts that were about to fall out of the pink top she was wearing.

"Ugh, gross," I said, feeling like I wanted to gag.

I didn't like Kevin and he didn't like me. I hated the way he talked about the girls he slept with after he had finished with them. He kept a scorebook where he scored his conquests out of ten. He had tried hitting on me a few times and was salty that I never fell for his bullshit.

"You know what your problem is, Mary, you need a good f**king. If lover boy over there is not up to the job, you can always spread your legs in my direction. I'd be happy to let you have your first taste of dick."

He laughed at his own pathetic joke. I wanted to punch him, and I was about to, but Bradley held me back.

"He's not worth it, baby. Just ignore him, that works for me."

Kevin laughed. "Maybe if you knew how to f**k your girl, she wouldn't be so worked up."

Bradley pushed Kevin a few steps back when he touched my hair. It was just a simple touch, but I felt like I needed to shower. The guy seriously grossed me out.

"Don't f**king touch her, asshole!"

Kevin rushed forward, intending to hit Bradley, but Roy held him back. I grabbed Bradley's arm. I didn't want him to get in trouble and be suspended from playing basketball because of Kevin.

"Don't Brad, he's definitely not worth it," I repeated what he told me.

"Chill the f**k out, man, or both your asses will be suspended from playing this weekend."

Roy put his hand on Kevin, but he shrugged him off. I looked over to Alpha to see if he was going to knock some sense into his friend, but he just sat there, flipping through the book he had in his hand. Acting like his two teammates weren't about to go at each other.

"Whatever, man. You guys' f**king suck!"

Rory and I laughed at his whiny tone. The six-foot-two idiot was sulking like a four-year-old that didn't get to have his way.

"Do you really wanna sleep with that?" I asked Marley with scorn.

I hoped she didn't. I hoped that her standard wasn't that low. She was a beautiful girl that could get any guy she set her mind to. She didn't need a guy that lack basic morals, and the only thing he had going for him was his body.

Marley shrugged. It made me sad that she didn't know that she was better than him. Could do far better than him.

"No one f**king asked you, Mary. Don't be a jealous bitch. But if you wanna, I can pop your cherry for you, Mary"

He grabbed his dick through his jeans, and I swear, I threw up in my mouth a little. He repulsed me. I hate the way he said Mary just as much as I hated the nickname. It was no secret that Bradley and I weren't intimate because Marley had blurted it out to one of her boyfriends at the time, who had happened to be Bradley's teammate.

I was never before ashamed of being a virgin, but hearing him mock me for being one, made my stomach queasy with guilt. I glanced over to Alpha, but he was still flipping through his book.

"Let's just go, Bingley will have our asses if we're late."

I wanted to be away from Kevin and Alpha. Guilt was starting to eat away at me, and I was afraid that if I stayed in their presence any longer, Bradley would figure out that something was wrong.

I knew that I was wrong, and I should just come clean with Bradley and Marley, but I was terrified of losing my best friends. They were the only good thing I had going in my life.

At home, my mum was all caught up with her new husband to pay any attention to me. And her job at the hospital meant that she was home even less. All I had was Alpha, and he hated the very sight of me. I needed my best friends in my life. So, I decided to be a little selfish and keep what happened between me and Alpha a secret.

"Yeah, let's just leave."

Rory joined in. She didn't like Kevin either, but Roy was good friends with Kevin's cousin, Brent. And Brent was dating Rory's twin sister, Tory. She said that there was a possibility Kevin could end up being her family, so she had to be civil.

"Later Alpha,"

Both Bradley and Roy called to him as we continued our walk to the auditorium. He lifted his head from his book and nodded, but then continue reading. I glanced at him one last time, hoping he'd raised his head and look at me, but at the same time praying he didn't.

"Babe, you okay?"

I turned my attention back to Bradley, and for the millionth time, I wondered why I couldn't love him instead of Alpha. He was better for me in every way. He respected and loved me, my mum loved him, and he got along with my friends. He was perfect boyfriend material. So, why didn't I love him the way I loved Alpha?

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's hurry before all the good seats are taken."

Whenever Bingley called an assembly in the auditorium, the seats in the front rows were always left empty. If you were unlucky enough to be in the front then Bingley would use you as examples for his name and shame. No one wanted to be caught dead in the front row.