Vicious Bet: Don't fall in love! (Sinners and Saints Book 1)

by Alice Ann Wonder

  He knew me well enough to know that I would never have called him just like that and asked to be picked up.

  "Did Edwards realize that you were just using him for his grades?" he kept asking, because I was still silent.

  I hadn't even thought about the grades and that stupid bet anymore!

  Benji let the engine roar.

  "Something's wrong with it," I finally said, staring thoughtfully out of the window.

  Why hadn't I noticed before that he had been acting strangely?

  "What do you mean?" growled Benji.

  "I don't know..." I took a breath, "He called me a mermaid."

  I swallowed.

  "And?

  Benji looked at me briefly and raised an eyebrow.

  "Nobody knows that name except my dad and... James."

  "That's just a coincidence.

  I tugged at my dress.

  "I thought so, too, at first, I said. "But then, earlier, he mentioned that my father had left me I never said a word about it."

  I also told Benji about the lost key to the front door.

  "I'll have George check it out."

  "Thank you," I murmured, pulling down my dress.

  "What's the matter, little B. Not wearing any underwear or anything?"

  He smiled.

  I rolled my eyes and clicked my tongue loudly.

  Now he was laughing.

  "Oh, and I hit the bull's-eye," he teased me.

  "Just shut up!"

  I gave him a friendly pat on the thigh.

  Then I remembered again that I was still angry with him - even though he had just really bailed me out.

  We stopped at a red light. In front of us a horde of bawling youths ran across the street.

  "Where are you going?" Benji asked.

  I was still too excited to serve at home.

  As much as I loved my sister, I could really do without one of her cross-examinations right now.

  And I certainly didn't want to see Mom or Bill.

  "Would you like to come to Lisa's party?"

  I looked at Benji.

  He couldn't stand the bride. But since that was true of almost everyone else on the planet Earth, I could at least ask.

  The friendship between Benjamin King and me at that moment, a night out for two would not be a good idea.

  "For my sake", he muttered to my great surprise - I had expected protests or at least a derogatory comment.

  "Fine," I noticed as the light turned green.

  The tyres of his Jaguar squeaked.

  "Just don't get accidentally knocked up tonight."

  Benji had his eyes on the road.

  Without looking, he pulled a handkerchief from the inside pocket of his jacket.

  "Here," he said, passing it to me.

  Only now did I realize that I had tears in my eyes.

  Maybe I was really having hormonal fluctuations because my period was coming up.

  Or maybe I realized that I had almost given my virginity to the wrong man.

  Beloved enemy

  When I arrived at Lisa's party, the first thing I did was look for Sky.

  "Are you cold?"

  Benji looked at me. There was a line between his eyebrows.

  "No, I'm fine," I said, folding my arms across his chest.

  Besides my underwear and tights, I had stupidly left my parka at Edwards.

  Benji unbuttoned his night-blue jacket and put it over my shoulders.

  "You'll pay for the dry-cleaning if you mess up," he growled.

  "You don't have to do that!"

  I tilted my head and was about to take the thing off, when he waved it off.

  "Enjoy the party."

  I watched his dwindling form walk toward the beverage counter.

  Sighing, I let my eyes wander over the dancing crowd.

  A short time later, I spotted Sky in the back of a corner.

  She was having a lively conversation with Melissa Trembley, Chloe's better half.

  What was going on there?

  To her left, Madox was lounging on a chair, smoking pot.

  While I was still thinking about going over to her, she suddenly looked over at me.

  I raised my hand timidly and smiled cautiously.

  But she didn't react and that although she looked exactly in my direction.

  All I got from her was a scornful look.

  I pressed my lips together and swallowed.

  So she was still angry.

  And I could really use a friend right now!

  Shit!

  Normally, I could have at least talked to Rash. He had turned out to be a fantastic listener several times in the past.

  Unfortunately one of his underground fights took place on this weekend of all days. On these dates he didn't show up for two or sometimes even three days. And when he showed up again, his face resembled a colourful fairground illumination.

  So it was just me and my old friend Jack... last name Daniels.

  It was still better here than at home right now.

  I slipped my arms into Benji's jacket - which, as expected, smelled incredibly good - and strolled to the liquor store.

  I grabbed the first bottle of my favourite poison and made my way to the back of the house.

  I stumbled over the obligatory red plastic cups, a few rolls of toilet paper - the devil knows what they were doing there - and some liquor corpses.

  It would be a challenge not to end up as such that night.

  From the booming loudspeakers came "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World.

  Life already had an interesting sense of humour.

  At the other end of the house, a narrow staircase led down.

  Since it seemed to be less busy there, I tried my luck.

  In the basement there were a few couples making out. I pushed my way past them and ran in the direction I had come from - just one floor down.

  I remembered vaguely that Lisa's parents had a large terrace. It had been a while - maybe three or four years - since I had last been here.

  But the house was still the same, so...

  "Well, well, well. Queen Blaire descends to join the rank and file... hiccup!"

  I looked around in irritation after closing the sliding door behind me.

  In front of me was a small tennis court, lined by a neatly trimmed lawn.

  To the right of the terrace was a two meter high fountain and to the left... Chloe Clarice Bell was crouching on the wall.

  She had a half-empty bottle of Jim Beam in one hand and a red cup in the other.

  Her makeup was smudged. It looked like she was crying.

  "Hey," I said cautiously and took a step towards her.

  "Well," she said and walked along the stone floor, which was probably cold as hell. "Have you come to make fun of me?" She pulled a face. Her pink lipstick was all over her chin. "Too late," she kept slurring. "There's not a joke I haven't heard about myself. Tough luck."

  Chloe supported her head with her hand and stared into the night.

  "Didn't think I'd see you here," I noticed dryly and continued to approach her.

  Then I unscrewed Mr Daniels and toasted her.

  At least she had a jacket and trousers on. It had become quite fresh by now.

  "Why," she replied frustratedly. "Do you think I'll hide in here forever?"

  I shrugged my shoulders.

  "I don't know."

  I squatted down at a safe distance and sipped the bottle.

  "How long have you been here?" I asked.

  Chloe snorted snorting.

  "You know what I don't understand?" she said in a high tone of voice.

  It was obvious she was full to the brim.

  "I'm all ears."

  I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes.

  What a shitty semester!

  "You have everything," Chloe slurred.

  I frowned and looked at her.

  She was still focusing on an invisible point somewhere in the b
lackness of the night. "You're super rich, you have great friends, an intact family... hiccups..."

  She burps loudly. "and you look like a movie star... hiccup!

  I raised my eyebrows.

  "Are you serious?" I laughed.

  Chloe turned her head and looked me in the eye For the first time since I met her, I felt like I didn't know who she really was.

  "My life is a mess," I admitted - and had no idea why.

  That was Chloe Clarice Bell sitting there next to me. I hated her and she hated me.

  "My closest friend is not talking to me anymore. "It seems I accidentally got involved with a bad guy, my mother thinks loving her children means sending them shopping and ... oh, yeah ... I love my best friend."

  I bit my tongue until it hurt.

  Chloe opened her black-rimmed eyes like she'd just seen a ghost.

  That was more words than I'd spoken to her in the entire last year (except for the jostling story).

  Scared, I put my hand over my mouth.

  I had actually said it!

  "Now I realize a lot", a deep voice sounded from the entrance of the house.

  "Not that one too!" moaned Chloe, when she spotted Benjamin King.

  "What the hell are you doing here?" he snapped at me, clearly referring to the company I was keeping.

  "Having fun - what does it look like?" I returned snippily.

  Benji drove over his smooth forehead with an unnerved expression on his face.

  "It doesn't matter that it's freezing out and you don't even wear fucking tights, let alone a pair."

  "What are you doing?" I interrupted him snottily and rose up.

  Benji's face darkened.

  "I saved your ass today," he said in a sharp tone of voice. "Watch how you talk to me."

  I let out a cry of rage.

  "Blaire do this! "Blaire, don't do this. It's great that everyone's so happy to boss me around," I hissed and glared at him angrily.

  Benji shook his head and walked in a semicircle once.

  "Fine!" he replied calmly as he stood before me again. "Blaire! Would you like to walk me home? "This party is fucking bullshit, and I have no nerve staying here another second!"

  His voice sounded so sweet, like he was just telling me he felt incredibly happy.

  Benjamin King brilliantly knew how to act the psychopath.

  I took a deep breath and surrendered to my fate.

  "What about her?" I asked, moving my head towards Chloe.

  She was sitting on the floor - still huddled together and drunk as ten sailors - watching us with her mouth open.

  Now it was Benji who gave a deep cry of anger.

  "You owe me a lot more than a meal for this now."

  He walked over to Chloe, bent down and threw her over his shoulders with a jerk.

  Chloe squealed out loud.

  "Put me down now!"

  "You have no idea how much I want to do this! "Now shut up!" Benji lorded me over and took her inside.

  I picked up the two bottles and Chloe's mug and followed them.

  Benji plumped Chloe onto a sofa upstairs.

  It seemed as if the whole party paused for a moment to watch him do it.

  Everyone knew how much Benjamin King despised Chloe Clarice Bell.

  So the situation was a feeding frenzy for Thorn's greedy gossips.

  "Thank you," I said softly to him as he straightened up.

  "Can we go now?"

  His eyelid twitched nervously. I could see he was about to explode.

  "Sure," I replied quickly.

  "That was really nice of you," I noticed as we sat in his car.

  Benji had one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting comfortably in his lap.

  Without looking at me, he growled, "When are you going to forget that fucker?"

  I knew who he was talking about.

  As I had so often underestimated Benjamin King.

  "It's all over now," I said, clenching my teeth.

  He laughed bitterly.

  "I don't believe it."

  Then he started the car.

  "What's it to you?" I moaned faintly.

  Benji made his neck crack while he stepped on the gas.

  "You're projecting," he snarled, his expression was impenetrable. "Cole doesn't suit you any more than a run-down family home. You're different now, check off the past."

  I stared at him as if out of my mind as we drove along the little-used road at a hundred miles an hour.

  "What?" he asked after a while.

  I still hadn't moved; was too perplexed by what had just come out of his mouth.

  "I know you inside and out. You should know that by now."

  He gave me a meaningful look while his mouth played tricks on a devilish smile.

  For the rest of the ride, we didn't say a word.

  Never a dull moment when you had a friend like Benjamin King, that was for sure.

  When we parked outside Bill's villa he said "By Monday at the latest I'll have the info on Edwards."

  I nodded.

  "Thanks again for everything."

  Benji's jaw muscles tightened.

  He let his hand slide down the steering wheel.

  "Sleep tight, little B.

  As soon as I slammed the car door, he raced off with the engine roaring.

  ***

  On Sunday I successfully managed to avoid Lu's curious questions.

  Mostly by pretending to be unwell from drinking too much alcohol.

  It wasn't easy lying to my little sister.

  But until I knew what was going on, I didn't want to worry her at all.

  She already worried too much on a regular basis and unconsciously acted like my protector.

  But the roles should have been reversed.

  However, by now I was sure that Lu - contrary to expectations - was not a late bloomer, but of a different sort than me.

  She was a perfect example of decency and conformity.

  That was probably one of the reasons why I felt like a scarce commodity most of the time.

  I adored Lu. Still, I couldn't help but notice that the knowledge that I would never be as good as her had scraped over my skin like a sharp razor blade for many years, leaving its marks behind.

  "Any news yet about who did this to Chloe?" she asked on Monday morning, just before she left for high school and I left for Thorn.

  I swallowed and shook my head.

  "Not that I know of."

  Lu slipped into her Chucks. She'd drawn on the front of them with a black Sharpie and a shooting star.

  "I know you don't like her. but it's not the kind of thing you want in a woman."

  I cleared my throat.

  "Got anybody for bonfire?" I wanted to know, to change the subject from that damn tape to something more enjoyable.

  "I'll let that go for once," Lu explained.

  I frowned.

  "How come?"

  The bonfire took place once every six months after the beach cleanup.

  Lu and I had attended every event since this tradition began.

  "Well," she pressed and pulled on her high ponytail. "There's a horse show at the Vice Club on that very day."

  She blushed.

  I rolled my eyes and rubbed her head like she was a child.

  "You're really too good for this world!" I said with a grin. "Don't feel guilty just because you want to do something different for once."

  "I'll be back next year," Lu said and straightened the hair that I had just beaten into her.

  "I'll collect twice as much garbage in turbo mode, then no one will know you're not here," I joked and winked at her.

  As I drove into the Thorn's parking lot, the lightness of just now disappeared from my mind in a flash.

  For one thing, because Chloe and her bosom friend Melissa were standing in front of the entrance and talking (which reminded me again, with a heavy heart, of my evil deed). On the other hand, because in the first hours literature was
on the program.

  I didn't have the faintest idea how I should behave towards Logan Edwards. Therefore I could only hope that he would now take his "no contact in college" rule seriously again.

  Sky still didn't talk to me, Madox had another seminar and Rash shone by his absence.

  Furthermore, Benji had written me a short message in the morning that he would be late.

  So I sat - apart from Sky and another fellow student - all alone in our row when Professor Edwards entered the lecture hall.

  Chloe had deliberately ignored me while I walked past her.

  I guess everything was back to normal now - as if Saturday night had never happened.

  Unlike usual, the professor was still giving me a look as I walked in.

  I stood up to him, because my instinct told me that he would sense my fear soon enough.

  I wouldn't be able to keep my poker face forever.

  It was possible - no, even obvious - that my literature professor was a sick stalker. Maybe even more than that.

  I shoved my hands under my thighs and looked hopefully to the door.

  As if he had heard my mute plea, Benjamin King strolled into the room at that very moment.

  "Mr King", Edwards said in a stern tone of voice. "How nice of you to grace us with your presence."

  Benji ignored him. Instead, his sky-blue eyes glowed with promise.

  "Blaire," he must have said. "Let's get out of here."

  He stopped at the steps leading to the rows of seats and waited for me.

  I frowned. But the look in his eyes told me that whatever this was about, postponing his request was out of the question.

  So I packed my things, got up and went to him.

  "Ms Spencer," Edwards cried emphatically. "You will stay here.

  I looked over my shoulder, straight into his eyes.

  The look on his face was like he was about to wrestle Benji to the ground at any moment.

  "Mr King!" he yelled after I turned around and followed Benji.

  "If you leave now, you'll have been on my rowing team the longest!"

  Suddenly it was so quiet in the room you could have heard a pin drop.

  "I'll be back, don't worry," Benji growled with a demonic grin on his lips.

  Then we were already in the hallway.

  "What's wrong?", I hissed at Benji.

  "Hell!", Benji returned in a serious voice.

  I didn't understand a word.