The faraway look he gets when he remembers something glints in his eyes, dilating his pupils. It’s something many might miss, but I’ve spent years watching over my friend- a promise I made long ago to ensure the darkness never completely swallows him whole.
I nod, acknowledging I see him but not announcing it to the group. He has a far deeper understanding, one greater than any of us could ever have, of what Emma’s going through.
Clearing my throat, I change the topic of the conversation back to what we were originally here to discuss. “What have you found?”
Before anyone can answer, my mother makes her way down the stairs. Calista Washington is not a woman to trifle with. Each step commands the room- she’s a force. All five feet two of her brings everyone to heel.
“Boys. What brings you all here at this hour?” she asks shrewdly. Her perfectly styled brow arches, knowing we are up to something without any of us uttering a word.
“We just needed to go over our plan for the girls for once they return to school and the dates begin, Mrs. Washington,” Sebastian answers. No hitch- no hesitation. The smooth fucker could lie his way out of death, but he can’t fool my mother.
She snorts, “Right. Well, just don’t get caught. Your father is on his way home, Liamon, and I’m quite sure if he pulls into the driveway and sees that you idiot’s have parked your cars out front, then your scheming will be done before it’s even begun.” She finishes the last of her chastisement as her heeled slippered feet touch the landing continuing their journey until she reaches me, stopping, and I bend, knowing what she’s here for.
My mother plants a kiss on the top of my head and then whispers, “Keep that girl safe,” before pulling away and strolling through the foyer into the main part of the house.
What does she know? And not for the first time, I question how many people in our lives have kept secrets from us.
“We’ll have to talk more about this when it’s safe. For now, what or who am I looking into?” I implore, hoping to speed this up. I’d ask Geoffrey to give me an ETA on my dad, but if my mother is warning me, I know we don’t have much time.
“Our dads,” Rowan rushes out. “They’re keeping too many secrets, and if we continue to wait for their direction, we’ll always be too many steps behind.”
The shared look of shock on Karl and August’s faces lets me know this was a Sebastian and Rowan decision.
“What exactly are we looking for?” August asks, mischief already brewing. I can almost see the wheels turning in his head at the chaos he can wreak if let off his leash.
Sebastian peers down at the yellow gold and black face of his limited edition Romain Gauthier Logical One watch, adjusting the strap. Even in his casual attire, he finds some way to elevate his look. He looks up, running his tongue over his teeth before he answers, “We need to know just how long ago they knew Elise Lockwood wasn’t who she said she was.”
EMMA
It’s been a week since I’ve been home, and every day since then, I’ve gone to sit with Dad. He’s getting stronger and will be home at some point next week. I brought the kids to see him, and their elation was palpable. We still haven’t broached the subject of how to tell them about her, but for the time being, we agreed to let them enjoy him being home and try to return to some level of normalcy.
That’s why I’m currently pulling on a pair of black yoga tights and getting my ass ready for school.
Dressed, I make my way to my closet and grab my Flower Bomb perfume and my navy blue Docs to match my dad’s Linkin Park hoodie. His being home is everything, but wearing his clothes always felt like a layer of armor, and I feel like I’ll need it for today. Samantha’s also coming back to school today, and from what Shay’s been texting me, she plans to ramp up her menacing.
I roll my eyes at the fact she’s even still on this campaign to try and ruin me. Didn’t she get what she wanted? She’s Selected, after all. Sighing, I walk downstairs, mentally telling myself to stop using logic with the illogical.
Tabitha stands at the bottom of the stairs, my coffee and steak, egg, avocado, and cheddar cheese bagel wrapped and ready to go.
God, I love this woman.
“Thank you,” I chime, grabbing my breakfast and hugging her.
She laughs, “Can’t have you going into battle on an empty stomach and uncaffeinated. I don’t think Calloway could survive that.”
Laughing, I shake my head, “I don’t think Calloway can survive me at all,” and make my way to the car and a waiting Thomas.
I swear I hear her mumble, “That’s what I’m hoping for,” but I can’t be sure because she’s already walking to the kitchen when I turn back.
* * *
“We’re going to this party, Emma, and I’m not taking no for an answer. It’s not for another month, and it’s a costume party,” Shay whines as we make our way down the hall. I feel eyes burrowing into my back with each step I make down the hall, whispers of what people think happened trail behind me trying to chain my legs and weigh me down with their judgment of who’s at fault for their queen being taken along with me.
I’d care more if their views on the matter had any bearing on my life.
Fuck them, fuck their opinions, and double fuck their cunt-faced queen.
They can all stub their pinky toe on the corner of a dresser for all I care.
“Are you listening to me, bish?” She cuts off my vivid image of the squawkers crying out in agony at their toe jamming into furniture at the speed of sound.
“Massive party. Next month after the big Calloway vs. Lincolnville game. Did I miss anything?” I snark.
I might have been looping the pinkytoegate in my mind, but I heard every word she said. I’m just not sure I’m ready for parties.
Turning, I begin to decline, but she cuts me off.
“Nope, I will not have it. You will not recoil into yourself and let that bitch and her organization of banshees turn you into a recluse.” Determination fills her soft brown eyes. “We have a month to work up to it. If you’re still not ready by the time the party comes, we’ll talk, but I won’t let you say no outright, especially out of fear. Your bitch of a mother doesn’t get to take your autonomy from you after all she’s already done.”
“She’s not my mother,” I growl, ignoring her valuable points and zeroing in on the one thing I can handle.
We step into AP Calc, and the room is still empty. I make a beeline for my seat, just wanting this day to be over. Once seated, I turn to her. “Look, I’ll think about it, and I’m not letting anyone make me do anything. I’m still me. The same wise-ass with no patience for bullshit.”
My best friend surveys me, dissecting my every mannerism, searching for any signs that I’m being disingenuous. Seeing no chink in my demeanor, she smiles, lighting up her honey-bronzed face, her freckles popping with the spread of her lips, displaying almost all of her teeth, but then her lip curls. Her smile transforms into a sneer.
“Speaking of bullshit.” She tips her chin in the direction of the door and I swivel my head enough to look out the corner of my eye in time to see Samantha and her pod squad enter the room.
Her nose is still in a brace. I’m almost shocked she came back with a less than pristine look. That thought makes me feel somewhat guilty. I still struggle with who she is and what happened to her. She’s a total twat, but what happened to her should never happen to anyone. Then I remember her words from her hospital bed, ‘ it should’ve been you.
‘ That shit played on repeat most of my week off. How jaded and broken inside do you have to be to wish that on anyone? But yeah, fuck that spineless ho. May her nose jobs always be crooked.
My gaze follows her to her usual seat in the back corner opposite our side of the room. She sits, her lemmings following suit.
I turn my gaze, done with the Sam show, and begin to pull out my supplies for class.
“You’d think they would’ve just left her. I mean, they did come for me after all,” Samantha snickers, pretending to whisper. I ignore her. We’ve had this conversation, and I won’t engage in her shit this morning.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.