by Ruby Vincent
“Sure,” I said. “You guys can grab some coffee table.”
The three of them came in and sat down around the table. Ciara took the spot on my other side. She pointed at my closed laptop. “Are you done?”
“Yep. Unlike these guys”—I nudged Ezra’s shoulder—“I wrote half a page of my paper every night so that I could get the last day off to sit here sipping tea.”
I laughed when Kai flipped me off.
“Great minds think alike,” Ciara replied. “Do you want to check mine and I’ll read yours?”
“Ezra already polished it up for me, but I’ll give yours a look.”
“Ciara, you can read mine.” Claire passed her laptop over. “I’m almost done. Just the conclusion left.”
We lapsed into a silence that was only broken by the tapping of keys. Markham poked her head in the room a few times, but we were good about doing our own work, and only helping each other for the final proofread. No one was willing to risk a zero.
Claire typed the final period on her conclusion and stood up. “Since we’re finished, do you guys want to hang out while they work?”
“Sure.” Ciara got to her feet and both of them looked down at me expectantly.
“Okay.” I twisted around to give Ezra a kiss before picking up my things and following them out.
“The dining room is open all day,” Ciara said. “Let’s get those chocolate biscuits.”
I moaned. “I’ve eaten my weight in those since we got here. I’m going to wake up over break with a dozen zits.”
“They will all be worth it.”
We busted out laughing. I forgot sometimes how much I liked hanging out with them—which was easy to do considering how often they ditched me.
They also stood up and walked out of that cafeteria. That has to count for something.
The three of us wandered into the dining room and begged the staff for all the chocolate biscuits in the building.
“No one can resist them,” the waiter said with a wink. “Most don’t try.”
“Put me in that category,” I said. “I’m embracing the zits.”
Claire snorted her laughter. “You crack me up, Val. I miss us hanging out like this.”
My smile dimmed as she echoed my earlier thought. The waiter wandered away as my lack of reply hung in the air between us.
Claire lowered her head. “Val, I know there is nothing I can say—”
“Don’t.”
“But I want to apologize.”
“Don’t bother, Claire. It’s like you said. There’s nothing you can say. So let’s put it behind us and move on.”
I turned away and headed for one of the dining tables. Claire darted into my path. “Okay, you might not need to hear it, but I need to say it. I’ve never felt this awful in my life.”
I clenched my fists. Fine. If she wants to do this, let’s do it.
“Why do you feel awful, Claire? Because you found out the real reason I was marked? If it turned out I deserved to be bullied and humiliated, you’d still be sleeping peacefully.”
“That’s not true. I’ve hated ignoring you all these years. We weren’t friends before Evergreen, but we became friends, and I never had many of those in my life. It killed me to turn my back on you but—”
“But you had a family depending on you to get them out of Wakefield, and you couldn’t risk that over me.” I scoffed. “I know, Claire. I’ve heard it before. The thing is, I had a family counting on me too, but I stayed. I fought. I did the right thing. You had the same choice. I can accept that you’re doing the right thing now, but I’ll never get how the girl who used to be picked on for being smart and called a freak, would turn around and bully someone else.”
I sidestepped her, but her hand flashed out, grabbing my arm. “Because I was a coward.”
It was those words, not her hand, that made me stop.
“I was the worst possible coward and I understand why it’s harder to forgive me. Of everyone in that school, I was the only person who knew where you were coming from. I knew what it was like to grow up the way we did. I knew what you went through in our middle school because I went through it too. I should have been there for you then, but I want you to know that whether you forgive me or not, I will be here for you now.”
I was quiet for a long time. When I finally spoke, my voice was soft. “Even if another card shows up in my locker?”
“I’ll rip it up myself.”
I bobbed my head. “Even if I break out in massive pimples and give you bullying ammunition?”
She cracked the barest smile. “It’ll be hard, but I’ll hold myself back.”
I smiled too. “Okay, then let’s put this behind us.”
Claire held out her hands and enfolded me in a hug. A cough behind me broke into the moment. Ciara gave me an awkward smile when I turned to her.
“I don’t know if I can say it as well as Claire, but I want to apologize too.” She closed the distance between us as Claire backed away to give us space. “Do you remember freshman year? Natalie tripped you, and when I took you to the nurse, I said that no one wants to hurt you. This was just how things had to be.” She shook her head. “You rejected that for the bullshit it was and said that everyone had a choice. After you told me that, I decided I wouldn’t join in anymore. I would stay out of it, and whatever happened to you, at least I wouldn’t be part of it.
“I thought at the time it was enough to keep my conscience clear until... you told us about Professor LeBlanc. You were innocent the whole time and we were all used by a monster—even me. Staying silent was just as bad and I won’t do that anymore. I won’t ask you to forgive me either, but if it comes down to it, I’ll be next in line to sucker punch Natalie.”
I laughed.
“Seriously,” she insisted, smiling too. “Damn, that girl takes bitch to the next level. The best day of my life was when Sofia knocked her out.”
I pulled her in for a hug before she finished. “We’re hoping to keep this thing from getting physical, but I’ll keep that in mind if people start throwing hands.”
The next thing I knew, Claire was hugging the both of us. It got even more embarrassing when we started crying. The hug fest didn’t stop until the waiter came out with our biscuits and then we were busy stuffing our faces.
We moved off the heavy stuff and started talking about life after Evergreen, where we wanted to go to college, what we wanted to study, and things like that. After the food, we moved the party to the game room and converged on the pool table.
“I could see you as a psychologist, Val,” Claire said as she rescued the balls. “You’re no-nonsense, but you’re also patient and forgiving.”
“Thanks.” I hung back and let Ciara and Claire get the first round. “I can see you as a lawyer too. What about you, Ciara?”
She sighed. “Don’t tell my parents, but I think after four years of killing myself at the academy, I want some time off. I’m planning to go backpacking around the world.”
“Amazing,” Claire said. “I’m so jealous.”
We talked more about her trip and where she wanted to go while Claire destroyed her in a game of pool.
“Your turn to be humiliated, Val,” she said as she passed me the cue.
I played, lost, and then we moved on to a game of cards. We were yukking it up in the game room for so long that the others found us in there when they finished their papers.
Maverick, Ryder, Jaxson, and Ezra took over our card game while Sofia and I went up against Claire and Ciara in another game of pool. We cheered when we won.
Ciara threw up her hands. “Obviously my suckiness is dragging down Claire’s skills. Eric, you take over.”
“Sure. I’ll play.”
“I could use a break too,” Claire said. “I have to go to the bathroom.”
Kai slid in and took her spot. “I’ll play with you guys, but how about we make things interesting?”
I lifted my brow. “What did you have in m
ind?”
“Strip pool,” he replied without a lick of shame. He twisted around and glanced over to where Paisley was playing a boardgame with Zane. “Paisley, come play with us.”
I shook the eight ball at him. “I would throw this at you if I wouldn’t get in trouble for denting that fool head.”
He threw his head back laughing while we set up the table. I loved that guy, but he was incorrigible. Although, according to Paisley, she had never dated anyone sweeter or more sensitive.
“I’m kidding,” Kai said. “How about the losers pay the winner ten bucks?”
Sofia and I shrugged. “Okay. Sounds good.”
We played teams for the first game and won thanks to Sofia. For the next round, I went up against Eric one on one.
“You ready for me, Eden?”
He looked up from his phone to shoot me a grin. “I’ve seen you play. I’m not worried.”
Those were fighting words. Ten minutes later, we were locked in a heated game. You would have thought the stakes were higher than ten bucks from the intensity on our faces as we lined up our shots.
“This is it, Val,” Sofia said. “Sink this ball and you win.”
I nodded. The orange ball became the center of my universe as my eyes narrowed.
Eric is looking nervous. Show him he should be.
I tapped the ball and it went whizzing across the felt, heading straight for the black ball and... missed. The groan was half out of my throat when it bounced off the edge and came roaring back. It glanced off the ball and knocked it into the hole.
“Whooo!” Sofia and I jumped up and down, cheering and whooping it up. Ryder looked over from his card game.
“Be honest, Moon,” he said. “That was an accident.”
I leveled a finger at him. “You mind your business. I sank that shot.”
“Nah. She gets this one,” Eric said. “She won fair and square. She’s a true match for me.”
I beamed. “Thank you, Eric. I’ll take my winnings now.”
“One more game,” Kai replied. “Double or nothing.”
“Nope.”
Eric was already reaching into his pocket. “Here you are, but let’s call it quits, guys. It’s almost dinner and I’m starved.”
I moved over to the window and pulled back the curtain. It was true. The sun had set on the Rayonner Hotel and outside was pitch black. Untouched nature meant no cars or streetlights. I could barely see the outline of the trees.
“I didn’t realize it was so late,” I said. “But I could use a bite too.”
“Good.” Eric came up and hooked an arm through mine. “Let’s sit together. We can talk winter break.”
Sofia gave us a funny look like she was shocked to see Eric in her position, walking me out the door. That was until Zane came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She was giggling at the kisses he peppered on her neck as Eric and I left ahead of everyone. We didn’t talk much these days, but Eric had finally come through for me with the yearbook. He had proven he was on my side.
Rapidly approaching footsteps warned me that someone was coming up behind us. Hands settled on my hips before I could turn around. “I haven’t gotten any time with you,” a deep voice breathed into my ear. “Any chance I could steal you away for dinner? We could take it back to an empty room and have it just be you and me.”
That was incredibly tempting. “Eric got in there first. We’re catching up over dinner.”
Jaxson rested his chin on my shoulder as he peered at him. “Do the honorable thing, Eden. Step aside.”
He chuckled. “What happens if I—”
A roar of laughter cut him off. The main living room loomed in front of us, just before the dining room. We were steps away when a figure streaked out of the door, making me jump.
Clutching my chest, I cried, “Claire? What’s wrong?”
Claire’s face was deathly pale. She looked at me with huge eyes as the noise behind me said the rest of my friends and boyfriends were coming. “Don’t go in there.”
“What? What are you talking about?” I took a step forward and her hand flashed out, blocking me.
“Do not go in there! I’m going to get Professor Markham, she’ll stop them.”
“Claire, what are—” She spun around and raced off. “What is going on?!”
Another roar of laughter followed my shout.
“Stop it!” someone screamed. “You’ve gone too far!”
Dread curdled my blood as I recognized that voice. It was Juliet Cochran.
I surged forward, but Jaxson’s grip held me fast. “Wait, Val. Let me go first.”
He ran around me before I could argue.
“What’s up?” Sofia asked. “Is something going on in—”
I darted after Jaxson and burst into the living room. Skidding to a stop behind him, I took in the scene before me. The senior class—both sides were in the living room. I could see a fight was brewing as people from our side rushed the group standing in front of the entertainment center, but it was the television above their heads that claimed my attention.
Pictures flashed across the screen too fast for my sluggish mind to make sense of them. As they slowed, a voice came through the speakers.
“Valentina Moon has turned this school upside down.”
My hair stood on end at the creepy, high-pitched voice. It was fake. No one could sound like that.
“She wants you to believe the Spades can’t be trusted,” the voice said as a picture of me came on the screen. It was me on the sidewalk outside the gates coming back from my weekend with Ezra.
I shivered. Someone had been watching me.
“Her and her little friends has painted themselves as the good guys and told you all to follow them, but do they look like people you can trust?”
“What is this?” Sofia whispered. I hadn’t heard the rest of them come in. Horror had frozen me to the spot.
The pictures flashed across the screen again, but this time they were slow enough for me to see—for everyone to see.
Paisley’s bare breasts were the first thing my eyes latched on to. There was a seductive smile on her face as she straddled Kai. Both of them were naked and spread out on a blanket. The backdrop told me it was the forest of the academy.
“Turn that off!” Paisley screamed. “Turn it off!”
“Motherfuckers!” I was knocked aside when a hard body ran past me and charged the blockade in front of the DVD player. Darren shoved him back. Kai fell, landing on the coffee table, but he flew back up swinging. He landed a punch square on Darren’s jaw and the two fell to the floor, grappling viciously.
“Kai!” Zane ran to his brother’s aid as Paisley burst into tears. She ran crying from the room as the awful slideshow continued.
“Pills,” that hideous voice hissed. Claire came onto the screen. She was ducked behind the fountain in the courtyard, putting what looked like a red-and-blue pill into her mouth.
“Drugs.”
Ciara was next. She was in the forest too. The sandy-haired girl was leaning against a tree smoking something that was not a cigarette.
“Come on, Kai,” Zane cried as he struggled to pull him off.
“Cheating,” said the voice.
My mouth fell open as the next picture lit up the television. It squeezed my heart when I heard the gasp behind me.
“Paisley needs you! Go to...” Zane trailed off as he took in what we were all seeing—him standing beneath the arch, kissing Penelope Madlow. “Wha— That’s not—” He whipped around as retreating footsteps told me Sofia bolted from the room. “Sofia, wait! It’s not what you think!”
Zane was forced to abandon his twin as he ran after her. Jaxson sprung to take his place. I was knocked to the side again as Maverick, Ryder, and Ezra went to help, but the video wasn’t over.
Pictures of me returned but I wasn’t alone. Me kissing Ezra on the porch. Me walking hand in hand with Jaxson. Me snuggling in Maverick’s arms. Me sharing a kiss with
Ryder outside this very hotel.
The voice spoke as violation churned my stomach. “The Spades have no desire to hurt the innocent. We only want to keep students like this from dragging us all down. Valentina Moon had the choice all marked have which was to pack her bags and go to another school where no one would bother her. Instead, she turned Evergreen into a national joke, seduced our Knights until they lost their position, accused a woman who isn’t here to defend herself of being a pedophile, and then ripped the school apart when she and her boyfriends were questioned.
“Lying and scheming is what this girl does. She’d have you believe Evergreen is better off without the Spades, but we have existed since the school began and brought nothing but order and peace.”
“Except for Walter fucking McMillian!” I screamed; the words yanked from my throat. “Fear is not peace!”
The video carried on unheeding of my outburst. “Since Valentina Moon has set foot on these grounds, there has been nothing but drama, fighting, scandals, and now war. Think about it, everyone. It is not the Spades that need to go. It’s Valentina Moon.”
The screen went dark for a second, but then the picture returned. The video was playing on a loop.
Fury rattled my bones the likes of which I had never felt before. One word roared in my mind.
Ace.
I knew I should go after Sofia and Paisley, but I couldn’t get myself to move. Sharp, stinging pain warned me of the nails digging into my palms.
Ace did this. That cold, fucking bastard stalked and hurt my friends for standing up to them! When I find them—
“That’s enough!” Ryder bellowed. He ripped Darren off Kai as Maverick and Jaxson pulled the twin away. The boys fought in their hold, trying to get at each other. They both looked horrible. A cut over Darren’s eye wept blood and made him look even more frightening. Kai had a split lip, torn clothes, and an eye that was starting to swell.
An arm brushed against me as Eric stepped forward. “Get Kai out of here. Claire ran to get Professor Markham and if she finds out they got into a death match, they’re both in trouble.”
I went rigid. Wait... What did he say?
The warning banged around in my head until it knocked something loose.