around. Severine’s putting on her heels and I know she’s ready to hightail it out of here. She stands to her full height and glances over at Thayer. “Let’s go.”
He’s leaning against her closet, picking at his fingers, acting like he’s used to waiting. “Finally,” he teases and grabs Severine’s arm.
Lily grabs her stuff behind them and gives me a small smile. I know she’s Severine’s friend, and I’m sure she’s heard everything about me, but I swear I see concern in her eyes when she looks me over.
“Why don’t you come with us?” she asks.
Severine halts in her tracks and whips her head back to stare at Lily. I’m waiting for Lily to take it back, but she plays with her purse and pointedly ignores Severine. “My boyfriend is having a huge party. If you have nothing to do tonight, you should come with us.”
It was a pity invite. I’m going to say no, but Severine steps forward quickly. “Emilia can’t. She already mentioned she was busy.” Severine turns around to look at me. “Aren’t you?”
Tonight is going to be a relaxing night of reading. Tosha’s going out with her newest conquest and my options become pretty limited after that. Sadly, I’m okay with being by myself. After I finished up with my classes this afternoon, I came to the conclusion that I needed a break from my list.
“Severine’s right,” I reply slowly. “I have a busy night ahead.”
“Okay...” Lily frowns and gives me an awkward wave. “Well, have fun.”
“You too.”
Severine’s already out the door with Thayer. I didn’t expect a heartfelt good-bye from her. Lily’s heels click against the floor as she hurries toward the door. The doorknob clicks in place. I lean my head back against the chair and close my eyes.
My phone rings. I grind my teeth together, opening my eyes. It’s Aniston. “Hello?”
“What is my sister doing tonight?” he slurs out. In the background, there’s a lot of noise.
“I’m not drinking … like you,” I mutter.
He laughs loudly, and I hear him shut a door. “Where are you?”
“Outside, getting a breath of fresh air.”
“Aniston, it’s only nine. Why are you already dr unk?”
“Um … because it’s the weekend and that deserves a celebration.” Aniston chuckles as if he’s said the funniest thing.
“Call me when you’re sober, okay?”
“Have you destroyed Macsen?” he asks seriously.
My anxiety goes up a notch and I look around the room in paranoia, like my brother can see the guilt on my face.
Now that Severine knows what I’m up to, I’ve thought about my plan and when I should attack. I’ve thought about how I would use all of Macsen’s weaknesses to humiliate him in front of everyone. But that’s easier said than done because the perfect time hasn’t come yet.
“Patience,” I tell my brother.
Aniston sighs. “What are you really doing over there? You’re closing in on two months.”
“Give me a break.”
“No!” he shouts. “I know you, and I know you’re starting to chicken out. Finish him and get home.”
“Stop being an asshole for one second and I’ll explain to you that I’m getting to know him slowly. This takes time.”
“How much time do you need, Emilia? Another month, a year?”
“Shut up,” I reply darkly.
A silence closes in on us. Aniston clears his throat and his voice is kinder. “Just watch yourself around him. Never forget what he did to us.”
“I won’t .”
We hang up and I toss my phone onto the bed. My entire body shakes , because for the first time, I’m questioning my sister and the truth.
Standing, I go to my closet and change my clothes. I have to get out of my room. I find a white v-neck shirt and a black, heavy cardigan and slide into a pair of jeans. I slip on my knee high, black suede boots. When I’m done, I feel better. This is dressing down for me. It’s sacrilegious in my house to walk around in sweatpants and hoodies.
I stuff a few books in my bag and
He’s leaning against her closet, picking at his fingers, acting like he’s used to waiting. “Finally,” he teases and grabs Severine’s arm.
Lily grabs her stuff behind them and gives me a small smile. I know she’s Severine’s friend, and I’m sure she’s heard everything about me, but I swear I see concern in her eyes when she looks me over.
“Why don’t you come with us?” she asks.
Severine halts in her tracks and whips her head back to stare at Lily. I’m waiting for Lily to take it back, but she plays with her purse and pointedly ignores Severine. “My boyfriend is having a huge party. If you have nothing to do tonight, you should come with us.”
It was a pity invite. I’m going to say no, but Severine steps forward quickly. “Emilia can’t. She already mentioned she was busy.” Severine turns around to look at me. “Aren’t you?”
Tonight is going to be a relaxing night of reading. Tosha’s going out with her newest conquest and my options become pretty limited after that. Sadly, I’m okay with being by myself. After I finished up with my classes this afternoon, I came to the conclusion that I needed a break from my list.
“Severine’s right,” I reply slowly. “I have a busy night ahead.”
“Okay...” Lily frowns and gives me an awkward wave. “Well, have fun.”
“You too.”
Severine’s already out the door with Thayer. I didn’t expect a heartfelt good-bye from her. Lily’s heels click against the floor as she hurries toward the door. The doorknob clicks in place. I lean my head back against the chair and close my eyes.
My phone rings. I grind my teeth together, opening my eyes. It’s Aniston. “Hello?”
“What is my sister doing tonight?” he slurs out. In the background, there’s a lot of noise.
“I’m not drinking … like you,” I mutter.
He laughs loudly, and I hear him shut a door. “Where are you?”
“Outside, getting a breath of fresh air.”
“Aniston, it’s only nine. Why are you already dr unk?”
“Um … because it’s the weekend and that deserves a celebration.” Aniston chuckles as if he’s said the funniest thing.
“Call me when you’re sober, okay?”
“Have you destroyed Macsen?” he asks seriously.
My anxiety goes up a notch and I look around the room in paranoia, like my brother can see the guilt on my face.
Now that Severine knows what I’m up to, I’ve thought about my plan and when I should attack. I’ve thought about how I would use all of Macsen’s weaknesses to humiliate him in front of everyone. But that’s easier said than done because the perfect time hasn’t come yet.
“Patience,” I tell my brother.
Aniston sighs. “What are you really doing over there? You’re closing in on two months.”
“Give me a break.”
“No!” he shouts. “I know you, and I know you’re starting to chicken out. Finish him and get home.”
“Stop being an asshole for one second and I’ll explain to you that I’m getting to know him slowly. This takes time.”
“How much time do you need, Emilia? Another month, a year?”
“Shut up,” I reply darkly.
A silence closes in on us. Aniston clears his throat and his voice is kinder. “Just watch yourself around him. Never forget what he did to us.”
“I won’t .”
We hang up and I toss my phone onto the bed. My entire body shakes , because for the first time, I’m questioning my sister and the truth.
Standing, I go to my closet and change my clothes. I have to get out of my room. I find a white v-neck shirt and a black, heavy cardigan and slide into a pair of jeans. I slip on my knee high, black suede boots. When I’m done, I feel better. This is dressing down for me. It’s sacrilegious in my house to walk around in sweatpants and hoodies.
I stuff a few books in my bag and
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