The Dead List by Jennifer L. Armentrout Read Free Book Online

and hadn’t been able to figure out was why Jensen was still out there by the road. He’d left a good five to ten minutes before I had. Or at least I thought he had.
    “Why was Jensen here?” The question blurted out before I could stop myself. I flushed as I sat down. “That’s probably none of my business.”
    “You’re right. It wouldn’t be any of your business.” She sat behind her desk, folding her hands atop a closed file. A lock of dark hair fell across her forehead. “Normally. But I wanted to see him this morning for the same reason I wanted to see you. I wanted to make sure he was okay after everything, being that he was the one who… found you.”
    Ms. Reed wasn’t too much older than us, and everyone liked her as far as I knew. She was relatable in a way most of the staff in school wasn’t. I enjoyed my time with her at the end of last year when I’d picked out my classes for senior year and she’d piled on the forms for financial aid and college applications, but that didn’t mean I wanted to care and share with her.
    “I really don’t want to talk about Saturday night,” I said, sitting rigidly still.
    A sympathetic smile crossed her face. “Too soon?”
    “You could say that.” I reached up, picking up a strand of hair and twisting it around my finger, a nervous habit I’d never been able to break. “Before you ask, I’m totally okay.”
    “Are you?”
    My gaze flicked up, meeting hers.
    “I know you can’t be a hundred percent okay, Ella. What happened Saturday night had to have been terrifying for you.”
    Really, Captain Obvious?
    The chair squeaked when she shifted, leaning back. “That kind of event is going to leave an impact on anyone, especially someone who—”
    “I know,” I interrupted, feeling my stomach dip. Closing my eyes, my hands tightened until my sore palms ached. The mask—the porcelain looking clown face—flashed before me, forcing my eyes open. “But I don’t want to talk about it or anything else.”
    Ms. Reed held my gaze for a moment longer and then nodded. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
    I started to tell her no, but that’s not what came out of my mouth. “Can you help me defend myself?”
    She blinked slowly. “Come again?”
    “I couldn’t fight him off,” I said, my voice came out unexpectedly hoarse, and I struggled with my next breath. “I didn’t know how to. I couldn’t fight him and the only reason why I got away was luck—that’s it. Luck. I was helpless.” My voice cracked. “And I don’t want to feel that way again. So, unless you can help me become a ninja, there’s really no reason for me to sitting here.”
    A beat of silence passed. “Well, I don’t know if I can help you become a ninja.”
    “Of course not,” I muttered.
    But she smiled widely, surprising me. “But I do know something about self-defense classes—more like someone who helped teach the one I was in during the summer. The classes are over, but I’m sure he’ll make an exception for you.”
    So wasn’t expecting that. “Are you serious?”
    “Yes.” She looked happy to be helpful. “And to be honest, I think this is a brilliant idea. I think all women should take a course in self-defense. I wish we lived in a world where that wasn’t necessary and we didn’t have to worry about our safety, but until society wakes up and acknowledges we have a huge, misogynist problem on our hands, I rather be prepared to defend myself than not.”
    I nodded so quickly my throat hurt. I was so relieved that Miss Reed hadn’t laughed in my face. “Exactly.”
    “It’s also very empowering, and I’m proud that you are taking a step to gain back the power in the situation rather than doing nothing. Come back here at the end of the day and I should have the information for you.”
    I stared at her.
    Ms. Reed laughed softly. “Look, like I said, I think it’s a great idea for girls to learn how to defend themselves. Besides the fact that