richellemead-vampireacademy01-vampireacademy-110824015328-phpapp02

She had stooped low to get back at me. Now, somehow, she knew about Lissa and the cutting.
Really knew, too; she wasn't just guessing. The information she had now sounded both like
what the guardians on the scene had reported, as well as what I'd told them about Lissa's
history. Maybe some confidential doctor's stuff too. Mia'd snagged the records somehow.
Lissa realized it too, and the look on her face—scared and fragile, no more princess—made my
decision for me. It didn't matter that Kirova had spoken the other day about giving me my
freedom, that I'd been having a good time, and that I could have let my worries go and partied
tonight. I was going to ruin everything, right here and right now.
I'm really not good with impulse control.
I punched Mia as hard as I could—harder, I think, than I'd even hit Jesse. I heard a crunch as
my fist impacted her nose, and blood spurted out. Someone screamed. Mia shrieked and flew
backwards into some squealing girls who didn't want to get blood on their dresses. I swooped in
after her, getting in one more good punch before somebody peeled me off her.
I didn't fight restraint as I had when they'd taken me from Mr. Nagy's classroom. I'd expected
this as soon as I'd swung at her. Stopping all signs of resistance, I let two guardians lead me out
of the dance while Ms. Kirova tried to bring some semblance of order. I didn't care what they
did to me. Not anymore. Punish or expel. Whatever. I could handle—
Ahead of us, through the ebbing and flowing waves of students passing through the double
doors, I saw a figure in pink dart out. Lissa. My own out-of-control emotions had overridden
hers, but there they were, flooding back into me. Devastation. Despair. Everyone knew her
secret now. She'd face more than just idle speculation. Pieces would fall together. She couldn't
handle that.
Knowing I wasn't going anywhere, I frantically searched for some way to help her. A dark
figure caught my eye. "Christian!" I yelled. He'd been staring at Lissa's retreating figure but
glanced up at the sound of his name.
One of my escorts shushed me and took my arm. "Be quiet.”
I ignored her. "Go after her," I called to Christian. "Hurry.”