by Jen Davis
“Hm.”
“What happened to destroy that image?”
“I realized that you were a naïve, whiny, prude, stuck up, entitled, little bitch—”
Without even thinking I swing at him. I can feel that it is going to be a good one. My position is perfect, the distance between us is just the right distance that it will make contact with his jaw. I put my whole body in the swing but what I hear is not the satisfying sound of a fist smashing into his smug face.
Valentin completely sees it coming, because while laughing, he raises his hand and catches my fist in his palm. I collide with him and once again, I’m in his trap.
Of course he had seen it coming! He said those things to purposely arouse anger in me.
“My, my, Kitten.” He shakes his head. “You’re becoming quite the violent one. You’re showing your true colors, aren’t you?”
“What are you talking about?” I try to jerk my fist away from him, but he scowls and pulls me even closer to him. I feel even angrier that I have to look up at him.
Why does he have to be taller than me, darn it! It immediately puts him in a position of power over me.
“It’s in your genes.”
I look up at him, confused, and stop my fighting for a second. “What’s in my jeans?” I’m not even wearing jeans…
He shakes his head. He looks at me for a frustratingly long time and finally lets me go. I rub my fist muttering, “You’re making me violent so please don’t come near me anymore.”
I hate this dance. I just want to go home now.
I turn to leave. Valentin is confusing and frustrating. He is basically a stranger, but at least once a day he shows up to make my life hell for no freaking reason. It has been a great start to the new school year.
I see Mell walking off the dance floor with Nate. He has one arm around her waist and they seem to be having a grand time because she is laughing.
Oh.
My.
God.
How could she just do that?
I jog up to her—which may I add is very easy in these Toms, as they are quite comfortable, and I don’t fall or trip like I would have in heels…
I call her name. “Mell!”
She and Nate both turn. Her eyes are round in surprise, while I gape at her for a moment.
“Are you…” I look at her and then at Nate and then back at her. “Are you kidding me?”
She flinches a little. “What?”
“So now you’re buddy-buddy with them?”
“Kitty—”
“No, don’t even start. First, you just left me with that monster over there!” I give a pointed glare to Nate. “And you’re here becoming besties with his brother?”
Nate chuckles. “Calm down, Kitten.”
I shout, “Don’t call me Kitten” at the same time Mell turns and stresses, “You shouldn’t have done that.”
I raise my hands up in frustration. “My name is not Kitten! It’s Caterina!”
Mell steps toward me with a soft look. It calms me a little. Taking me by my shoulders, she turns me away from Nate, who I can see is irritated at my interruption. Well, that is too bad, isn’t it? I am irritated at his brother’s existence.
“I’m sorry, Kitty. I thought we would get to talk at their party.”
“Why would we?”
“Nate told me that you were coming…and that you were coming with Valentin…”
I look at her like she has three heads. “Why…why the heck would you think I would go willingly with him? Didn’t I tell you like a million times that he hates me and I hate him?”
Mell pulls her cowboy hat over her face. “A, No you did not tell me…” I glare at her and she quickly revises her words. “In those terms, no. You did not use those terms. B, I need Nate for something, and I’ve heard he has people who can do it. And C, He said that you are coming to the party because there’s something you’re not telling me and apparently you’re hiding from everyone in this school…”
My jaw drops open. Are they starting to hold my identity over me like blackmail now?
“I…I…”
Mell shrugs, nonchalant. “You don’t have to tell me, but I’m not becoming ‘besties’ with Nate. That whole group of people is dangerous.”
“So why…why would you want to be around him?” I can’t wrap my mind around it. I thought she stays away from people like them.
Valentin’s girlfriend’s friends had talked about her like she is less than trash, for God’s sake.
And she obviously knows enough to not mess with them in the locker room.
So why now…
Mell purses her lips. “I respect your choice not to tell me whatever you’re hiding and I need you to respect this. Trust me, if there was any way I would do it without his help,” she looks sad, “I would, but I can’t. And plus,” she shrugs, “Nate isn’t as bad as his brother.”
I shake my head in disgust, but I don’t know if it is at her, or at the Nikolaev family, or at myself, or—
I hear behind me, “Texts are going out to those invited. If you’re not invited, it’s for a reason. Don’t fucking come.”
Mell and I both turn to watch Valentin, who’s talking loudly to the crowd.
I see everyone in the room instantly go quickly for their phones, checking for this text which would allow them into the Pearly Gates, I assume. It’s a wonder everyone had even heard him over all the music.
I hear some whooping and cheering while other faces fall and hearts break, I assume when they see that they indeed did not get the text and God was not going to accept them into Heaven.
Oh, how devastating.
I shake my head and turn back to Mell. Normal people sure are weird. “Well, I’m gonna head home.” I start turning away, but I can’t keep myself from blurting out, “At least promise me you won’t get drunk.”
She purses her lips. “I don’t get drunk.”
I raise an eyebrow, having a hard time believing it. “Then why were you talking about alcohol and stuff earlier?”
“I drink. I don’t get drunk. I know my limits.” She seems very defensive.
I nod. “Okay, good, good. Because you’re, like, seventeen…so…”
Mell laughs. “I’m eighteen. I was held back in kindergarten for kicking the teacher in the balls.”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes my lips. “They kept you back for that?”
She smirks. “I might have also done it to other boys…so they said that I wasn’t socially mature enough to advance to the next grade.” She rolls her eyes. “Blah blah and here I am, when I’m supposed to have already graduated.”
“Well still, eighteen is still three years too young to drink.”
“Is this little miss prissy cautioning people from having fun?” I feel his lips on my neck.
When did he even get here? What the heck is wrong with him?
The fact that I know it is Valentin is ridiculous. Probably because I am seeing him more than my mother.
“You—you—” I grit my teeth, anger seeping me. “You are so creepy, do you know that?”
He shrugs. Before he replies, a girl pounces on him. He stumbles back. “What the fuck!”
Instantly a smile appears on my face without me even knowing.
His pain, my happiness, I guess.
“Oh my god, baby,” she says, dragging out the word. “You told me you were going to dress up for this dance! And why didn’t you send someone to pick me up? I thought you were coming! This is homecoming dance, babe, you said you were going to take this seriously and I really expected—”
Valentin rolls his eyes, irritation lining his face. “I had some business to do, Cassie. Stop whining.”
Cassandra looks like she’s at her wedding, minus the white color. Although…she certainly has the confidence and looks to rock a black-dress wedding.
She’s wearing a long black gown that catches her curves and flows around her feet. It’s a v-neck in the front and
completely bare in the back right down to the top of her…butt. Her hair is gathered up on her head like a crown, and she has on thick makeup that hides every single blemish God put on her skin.
She looks beautiful.
I kind of feel bad for her. She obviously spent hours and hours on this look just to get Valentin…who looks like he just got out of bed.
I catch Mell’s gaze and we both burst out laughing. I slap my hand over my mouth so no one hears. Thankfully, the music covers our laughs. Otherwise, Cassandra’s wrath would be on us, I have no doubt.
A frown contorts her face. “Valentin…” Ooh, he is gonna get it now. She has lost the ‘babe’ and ‘baby!’ She must be starting to get angry.
It is kind of fun watching this. I should have probably been making my escape, but this seems so much more interesting.
“You told me you were—”
Valentin steps forward warningly. “Cassie, you do not dictate my moves. You came to this shitty dance wasting energy and time and money knowing I wasn’t coming. Don’t fuck with me.”
For a moment, she looks like she’s about to cry. I feel crappy for having felt amusement. I know what it feels like to be rejected by people and I feel bad for her despite everything she’s said and done. But she finally takes a deep breath, and after a moment, whispers, “Then why are you here?” She sounds like she’s about to cry too.
I look to Mell and see her choking down a laugh. Nate is watching her laugh with a smile.
I look back at Cassandra. Everyone seems to be amused other than me. I wish she had enough backbone to slap Valentin and dump him.
“I needed to deliver something.” Ooh, how cryptic. “And now I’m going to the house where a party is starting soon, so you can either stay in your middle school dance or come to the real thing.” He smiles down at her but it looks patronizing. He kisses the top of her head. “Cool hair. But you might want to change that dress into something smaller.” He winks and nods to his brother.
They start walking off, Mell hesitantly following as she shoots me an apologetic look. Valentin turns and yells over the crowd and the music, “You don’t get back what you asked for. But you should probably go to the party if you don’t want me to do something else because I’m angry.”
It takes me a moment to realize he’s talking to me. As soon as his words register, I want to flip him the bird, but he turns back and the crowd swallows them before I can do anything.
No way am I going to the dance. I am going to go home before something else happens. I have had enough high school drama for tonight.
I turn back, but before I can leave, I see that Cassandra is still there. I watch her look at the ground like she wants to burn it, and I know she’s trying not to cry. “Hey,” I say softly. She looks up and when she sees me, her eyes widen in surprise. “Are you okay?” I ask gently.
Instantly, her face twists into something cruel. “Fuck you, bimbo.”
I quickly turn away and walk toward my table.
And that is why I hate Valentin.
He is a monster who creates monsters of humans.
Suddenly, I feel someone grab my arms. “Valentin, I do not have time—”
Nate stands in front of me with a cryptic look. I guess he had turned back from his group to tell me something.
His grip is gentle but firm on my arm. “Valentin wants you to come to the party.” He interrupts me before I can say anything. “And you’ll come if you want to know about what he wants to do with your mom. Everyone is in the car, Caterina. You have five seconds to decide. It’s your choice.”
Chapter 15
Caterina
I look at my watch: it’s past nine.
I need to be back at the high school by ten or Robin is going to tell Mom where he had picked me up from and she is going to beat me. Yes, Mom does that. Being rich doesn’t excuse me from anything other than poverty, trust me.
Obviously not abuse or anything, but she used to spank me here and there if I did something bad. Most of the time, she is very loving and soft-spoken, but when you get Mom angry…watch out. That is probably why she is such a boss as a lawyer.
Dad has other forms of punishment…such as the “disappointed stare”—Mom and I came up with the name—which is when he looks straight into your soul and makes you feel horrible. And then there is the “very disappointed stare,” and so on.
So, yeah, I didn’t want to go through any of that.
I’d been sitting on a couch in the corner of the living room for the past twenty minutes. I know it was a mistake to come here. I feel it deep in my soul, but I need to find out what secret Valentin has on my mother.
I cross my legs and try to get the couch to swallow me in the corner. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. I shut my eyes and try to imagine being somewhere else.
Somewhere not here.
Somewhere where bodies aren’t humping everywhere and kissing and…doing a lot more than kissing.
I just want this to be all over.
Valentin is nowhere to be found and I can’t get myself to believe that this has all been for nothing.
I had come here to learn the truth.
I’m leaving with nothing.
I open my eyes. The time turns 9:25.
Suddenly, I make up my mind and get up. I grimace, just thinking about making my way through these sweating bodies.
The music is pounding so hard, I can barely even hear my thoughts. In a music lover way, I love it. I’d never been to anything like this. But when the music sucks and the people listening to it are sweating and screaming…Yeah, it kinda loses its appeal.
I take a breath and tap someone on the shoulder. I ask politely, “Hi, I was just wondering if you happen to know where the host of this party is?”
The person turns around. It’s a mediocre looking guy with really weird looking eyes. He scans me up and down in a way that makes me feel really dirty. “Hey, sexy.” Oh god, another pervert. As if I don’t already have enough in my life.
Ahem, ahem, Valentin.
It takes a lot not to vomit on him. I’m losing my politeness. I am starting to run out of patience. “Dude…you smell like alcohol, you’re dressed like a douchebag, and you’re slurring your words. Don’t hit on me, just answer the question or get out of my way.”
“You’re so feisty.” He winks. “I love it.” His lips twist up in a dirty smirk but he doesn’t quite get it.
I flash him a smile. “You look like you’re constipated.”
Suddenly, a scowl comes over his face. He crushes the red cup in his hand. He steps toward me threateningly. “What the fuck is wrong with you, bitch?”
Someone has an anger problem. Someone doesn’t like to be turned down.
Someone sounds like another someone that you know.
I roll my eyes and turn around to leave. “Never mind, I’ll find the guy myself.” It isn’t like I am in a rush to meet him anyway.
I try to navigate the crowd, but before I can take another step, I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere, bitch.” I turn and find the guy, his dark brown eyes looking down at me with anger and lust.
Oh, he wants to play this game? I don’t always need a gun to protect myself.
He’s a couple of inches taller than me. Pretty skinny. My eyes flicker to his hand on my shoulder. His hand has a weak grip. He would be a pretty weak opponent on a regular day, but drunk, he’s even worse.
I laugh, trying to give him a chance to leave. “Get your hands off of me.”
He licks his lower lip, coating it with saliva. He winks and slowly lowers his hands down my back to my butt, and his beady eyes train on me. I’m very still for a moment and he takes this as a sign that I’m liking what he’s doing.
“Oh…heck…no.” And as soon as I gather all my thoughts and the plan clears in my mind, I grab his arm and twist it backward. Hard. I stop before I dislocate it, although he deserves everything he g
ets.
I can feel the pain reverberate in his body and he lets out a scream and a string of curses.
Still holding his arms, I whisper in his ear, “Don’t you ever,” pulling back my right leg, I slam it between his legs, “touch anyone like that without their permission.” He crumbles on the floor screaming. I laugh as no one realizes what’s happening. The music is too loud. I ruffle his air, as I step over him. “Lesson learned, I hope?”
I turn around, feeling good.
That is what I’m going to do to Valentin when I find—
I meet a pair of glowing green eyes on a couch across the room. I mutter, “Oh, speak of the devil…”
Valentin has Cassandra on his lap, now changed into a short black dress that doesn’t cover anything. Her face is on his neck, kissing him in a very PDA way. I grimace, as I walk toward them.
“Excuse me, excuse me.” Finally pushing past people, I stand in front of him.
I put my hands on my hips. “So.”
He looks up at me, his lips amused. “Those were some good moves, Kitten.”
Oh, how I wish to do it to him. But it seems like he is just as good at fighting as I am. Professionally. It is really strange.
“A pervert tried to touch me inappropriately…at your party…while you, the host, watched.” I cock my head. “But would anyone really expect any more?” I shrug. “I’m not really surprised.”
I don’t know how he hears me over the music but he does. His hand trails down to Cassandra’s butt and he squeezes. I hear her giggle. His eyes never leave mine. “Are you blaming his actions on me?” He pretends to look shocked.
I roll my eyes, answering seriously to what he thinks is a joke. “Of course! People act like the people they’re around. You go around doing things like that, these guys think it’s okay to do the same.”
He’s silent for a moment, almost as if in thought. “Hm…”
I roll my eyes, shaking my head. “Anyway, I don’t really care. I just need what I came for. Why are you, a stranger, bothering me so much? Before school, we had never met. I don’t know who you are.”
“Oh, we have met, Kitten.”
Okay, this is some new information. “Really?”