The Rebellion of Cora Hart

*Cora's POV*

Gale Laurence wasn't an ugly man, but by no means was he attractive either. He was balding, and what was actually left there was so grey it was basically as white as the wall behind him. He was tall and muscled, which made him look disproportional and menacing. He had a scowl on his face, as his cold eyes looked down the line of delinquents that sat on rickety wooden chairs. It went from Stephie, who was at the left end, then Ryder, Teddy, Gale, Jett, me, then Luke. Laurence's eyes rested on his son for a brief moment, fury evident on his face, which just mad Luke frown.

"I never thought that students would cause so much trouble," Laurence growled, standing up from his leather seat, grabbing something from the top of his desk. I paled a little as I recognized the item to be a whip. Usually they just used leather ones, like a belt, but instead he had a long, metal stick, which would hurt like a bitch when hit with.

"Then you shouldn't have accepted me into this shithole," Jett smirked, and Laurence laughed, his voice icy cold daggers as he stared at Jett, who just rolled his eyes and relaxed into his seat. I still couldn't believe he was here fit beside me. I never would have thought he'd come running into this jail after me. It made me happy, to say the least, and despite out current situation I could not erase that bubble feeling in my stomach and the constant fluttering of my heart. Jett's hand touched mine, and he curled his fingers around my own shaking ones, squeezing them softly as he rubbed his thumb in circles on my palm.

"Ah, Jett Miller, I believe. I have heard about you," Laurence mused quietly, his eyes locking on our tangled hands. "And I believe you were the one to... Taint, Miss Hart?"

"You flatter me, sir," Jett said, his voice dripping with sarcasm at the use of sir. "But she was the one who tainted me." Jett turned to me, his eyes softening, and I blushed, when Ryder let out a deafening wolf-whistle, making Steph laugh in amusement and Teddy giggle. Luke smiled a little, much to Laurence's distaste.

"I have turned a blind eye to your actions since you have been here, all of you," he added, looking down the line again. "I only tolerate such behaviors because my son wishes it, but this is too far. Miles, send them each into their individual cells, will you. I will deal with them one at a time in the way I know best." His lips curled into a smile, which made shivers run down my spine, and definitely not the good kind.

Miles, a large, burly man, nodded gruffly, calling in a few other men, each one grabbing two students. Miles grabbed me and Jett, but no body touched Luke, since Laurence ordered them not to. I looked at Luke, worried, and he just winked, easing my unsettled mind. Luke knew what he was doing, I suppose.

Jett and I struggled against the man, yelling out profanities and curses like there was no tomorrow, who had his steel fists wrapped around our arms. He was strong, and I swear he was on steroids or something, because he didn't even break a sweet resisting the two of us, and I tell you, we were not easy to handle. He shoved Jett into a metal-doored cell first, and then roughly pushed me into another, locking the door. The locks thudded, and I screamed out an enraged "Fuck you!" before collapsing onto the ground, my stomach rumbling. I didn't even get to finish my dinner.

I heard a soft tipping on the wall next to me, and walked over, confused. Either I was hearing things, or...

"Sweet heart, can you hear me?" Jett's voice asked, worried and muffled by the wall. I laughed, and said yes, which made him sigh in relief. "Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that," I said, grinning as I pressed my palms flt against the wall, my forehead resting on the cool stone. I could imagine Jett doing the same, and imagined that he was holding me. "Why did you come here?"

"I'm hurt," he teased, and then he continued, "Because of you, clearly. How else am I going to get you out of here? Filing a complaint didn't really work."

"True, but Jett... You really didn't have to come here, I mean, it's bad enough with me here but now I have to worry about you too!"

"I can take care of myself, you know that," Jett said, his voice having an edge to it that made chills run through me. "And plus, I didn't come in here completely helpless."

"What are you..."

"I have friends, different friends, that don't really appreciate places like this," Jett said, and his smirk flashed in my head as he said this, a confident, amused tone weaver into his words. "They're gathering people who hate this place, but it's going to take them a week or two to get the people they need. And then, well, you can guess the rest."

"So... Mob?" I asked, a smile breaking out onto my face.

"Something like that. But in the mean time, we need to get the other students in this place riled up so that this place will go crashing down from the inside, as well as the outside."

"Good idea. But one problem- won't the police, you know, stop us?"

"Yeah. By do you really think they can handle thousands of under-aged delinquents? I think not."

"That is true. Jett, I am so glad you're he- Jett?" there was silence, and then I heard the voice of the one and only Gale Laurence through the wall. I pressed my ear against the stone harder, since I was trying to make out words, but gasped when I heard a loud smack and Jett's pained voice, yelling a 'Fuck!' my heart raced as I knew what was happening. Jett was being beaten, and I couldn't do anything about it.

The smacking stopped, and I realized I had been holding my breath. My chest released the air, and I bit back a scream as my own door jerked open, revealing a very beaten up Jett in the merciless arms of Miles, Laurence tapping the metal rod against the ground, the sound echoing around the small room. Jett look up at me, opening his mouth to say something but ended up just coughing, since the air had been knocked out of him. He had a split lip, which was beading with blood, and bruises littering his face, the most noticeable the already forming black eye he was going to have.

"So, Miss Hart," Laurence said, glancing at Jett, who struggled to move as I stared wide-eyed at the men before me. "After seeing this, do you want to... Rethink, your actions?" Laurence asked, poking Jett with the rod, asking him groan. My breath hitched, and I screamed, launching myself off the ground at Laurence, who looked shocked, but barely moved when I slammed my fist against his face. Thee was a crack, but I think that was my own knuckles aching. Laurence frowned, rubbing his jaw, as he nudged his head, Miles dropping Jett harshly onto the ground, making him mouth something to me desperately. It looked like run, so I shook my head, making his eyes widen.

"I was hoping you wouldn't make me do this, Miss Hart, but I believe I have no other choice. I am not once for crude violence against women, so instead you will do something for me instead," he said, and my eyes narrowed, as Miles restrained me to keep me from lashing out again.

"What is it?" I hissed, and he swapped the stick over to his fit hand, continuing the erratic tapping.

"I believe you know my son, Lucas. He didn't want to rat you out, but I know my son. He didn't say a thing, but I knew he had taken a liking to you," Laurence continued, and I gritted my teeth. "You see, ever since you came, my son has... Cleaned up, you could say. So, in exchange for your friends, I ask you to break up with this fellow here, and begin dating my son. So how about it?" I ogled at Laurence, who had a conniving look on his face, and the looked at Jett, who was at a loss for words, if he could speak, that is.

"N-No! I-...I like your son, but only as a friend. And I could never..."

"Would you rethink this after I do this?" Laurence asked, slamming the end of the metal rod against Jett's back, making him groan silently his face twisting in pain. I felt tears prick my eyes, as Laureence raised the stick again, and started bringing it down, but stopped when I screamed.

"Okay! Okay! Just... Please... S-stop..." I begged, and Jett moved, mouthing 'No.' I shook my head at him, wiping my damp eyes with the back of my hand, and Laurence smiled coldly, nodding on appreciation.

"Good choice. Miles, take Mr Miller to the infirmary. I believe he may need some tending to. And release the others and take them back to their dorms." Miles nodded, letting me go to grab Jett, who kept mouthing 'No,' over and over again. He looked at me desperately, and I shook my head.

"I love you," I whispered, and the look on his face broke my heart.

"I love you so much."