FicWad

Opening my eyes that morning took more effort than it should have, but I managed. Following the same old routine, I glanced at my clock: five am. My alarm wasn’t due to go off for another hour. That’s why it was hard to get up.

Then I realized why I was awake in the first place. My door handle was being shaken profusely, and a high soprano voice was cursing loudly. “What the fuck did I say about locking your God-damn door you fucking ass? Not in my house! Wake up and open your door you fucking waste of oxygen and space or I’ll call your father!--”

Leslie, my lovely stepmother, was calling. I took care to slowly dress in my jeans and tee shirt, taking extra time to apply mascara and brush my hair. I shoved my feet into my battered black Converse and grabbed the antique copper key that locked my door. Our home was one of the many original Victorian homes, but unlike many of our neighbors, we still kept much of the original work. My mother was the one who pushed for that. It’s our own little piece of the past. Who knows? This home could have been very important to someone back in the day. It’s best we keep it in order for them. Everything always sounded so logical when my mother said it.

I had hardly unlocked the door when Leslie pushed me aside and barged in. She still wore her party clothes from clubbing in the city last night. A short metallic dress and three inch stripper heels. Bleached blonde extensions down to her elbows, and innocent baby blue eyes glaring at me, she spit, “What the hell took you so long?”

“I think the better question is, who is that?” In the hallway stood a guy with loose jeans and an easy smile peering into my room. He must have been no older than twenty five. Leslie was forty. And married, to my dad.

“Who’s this, Les? A roommate?” His roaming gaze made me feel slimy.

“Fuck off dick. I’m her stepdaughter. As in, she’s married to my dad right now, asshole.” Pushing past Leslie and into the hallway, I got into his face and said menacingly, “Out. Now.”

I kneed him in the groin before punching him in the nose. “Get the fuck out of my house, before I call the cops and have them remove your body.”

“Holy shit,” he exclaimed, holding his waist, “You’re fucking psycho.”

I grabbed my backpack and bounced down the stairs. “You have no idea.”



I munched on the granola bar I grabbed before leaving, wandering along familiar streets, eventually landing myself in front of the town’s one library. Jenson City Library, the top stated boldly. I still had an hour to kill, so I went in.

“Veronica,” Aubrey, the head librarian and my aunt, said, a little surprised. “What are you doing here?”

It always hurt to see my aunt’s similarity to my mother. They both had dark brown hair--same as me--but unlike my mother and I, who had loved our long locks, Aubrey had chopped hers to her chin, framing her youthful face. She also shared my mom’s warm brown eyes. I had always wished that those eyes were mine, and not the washed out blue-gray version of some unknown source I received.

Perched on the end of her nose were her crazily patterned rainbow glasses, accentuating her individuality. She smelled of old books and dust, a comforting smell that enveloped me as she pulled me into a hug. “Was it that God-awful woman again?”

“Last night’s fling tried to make out with me. And she just stood there and laughed. He was probably like, twenty-five Aubrey.”

“Honey…that’s even young for me. And your stepmother is a decade older than me.” She squeezed me tighter. “I’m so sorry. You know you’re always welcome to come stay with me.”

I replied to her much given offer as I always did: “I can’t leave Dad, even if I really wouldn’t be gone. He’d fall apart. And I can’t give that bitch free-reign of Mom’s dream house.”

Aubrey nodded and released me. “Well, if there’s anything I can do, you know I’ll do it for you in a heartbeat.”

“I know, Aunt Aubrey. But I’m fine; really. Just a little pissed off, that’s all.”

She ruffled my hair just as my phone buzzed. “Hello?”

“Hey, V. Want a ride to school?” Ray’s sunshine voice burst through the speaker. “I hope I didn’t wake you up. I know it’s early, but I figure we could actually get a good spot if we left earlier.” The student parking lot was always packed by the time we got to school. She had a valid point; besides, I hated walking to school, and my gas money had mysteriously “disappeared.”

“That’d be great, Ray-Ray. You think you could pick me up at the library though? I’m, uh, kinda not at home.”

“Oh no,” she said breezily. “What did Stepmother do this time?”

“I’ll tell you later,” I said tiredly. “See you in a few.”

“See you!”

Aubrey had scurried off to do some librarian duty while I had been talking to Ray. I ended up finding her knee deep in re-shelving books. “Ray’s coming to pick me up,” I informed her, pecking her on the cheek. “Don’t work too hard.”

A wry smile lit up her face. “No promises. Don’t let Leslie drive you up the wall.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s way too late for that.”

When I got back outside, the sun was up and it seemed as though today was due to be another cheerful day--weather-wise, that is.

Ray pulled up to the curb in her old blue Camry and honked twice, even though she full well knew that I saw her. Her insanely curly blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and her grin was bigger than my mom’s book collection.

“So, how’s Stepmother?” Ray was concentrated on the road--although she’d had her license for a year her competence behind the wheel was questionable. I had suspicions that the driving instructor had given her the license out of pity. As if to prove my point, Ray screeched to a stop at the four way stop, noticing just in time that for the past ten seconds, the light had been red and not green. Needless to say, I placed my life into her hands every day I was too lazy to walk to school.

“Probably stoned, drunk, and screwing around with the college student she brought home last night, who I happened to beat the shit out of when I woke up to his face this morning.”

The light turned green and Ray stomped on the gas in anticipation, narrowly missing the car in front of us. I dug my nails into the leather seats as she said cheerfully, “Well, at least this is the last year you’ll have to deal with her. Once we graduate, we’re free women. Off to college to make something good outta ourselves.” Ray was something of an optimist. Sometimes--like this morning--it made me smile, while other times I had to snap her out of her dream world and get her to see the seriousness of reality.

“I suppose so,” I replied as we swerved into the student parking lot of Jenson High School. The lot was empty and we eased into a good spot. “Hey, we didn’t have to park down the street at the gas station. Maybe we should get up early every day.”

“What did I tell you? I should have thought this up months ago.” Ray ripped her key out of the ignition and eyed the shiny black car next to us. “Whose is that?”

When you live in a small town like Jenson, Montana, you know everybody and everything about them--who they went out with, what they did over the weekend, where they worked--and what they drove. And it was certain that nobody in this town could get a ride as nice as that, except for maybe my dad. But it certainly wasn’t my car.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, slamming Ray’s blue door behind me, hitching my backpack higher on my shoulder. “Do you think it’s new?”

“Nah,” Ray said, furrowing her brow in frustration as we walked across the lot. “Nobody here has a reason for a new ride; maybe a newbie?”

I shook my head. Nobody moved here--not in or away. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough,” I said, pulling open the front doors and heading towards the front office. Anybody who came before the school’s “official” opening hours had to check in--I guess to make sure that if anything happens, they have a list of suspects handy.

Ms. Griggs, our disgruntled secretary, glared at us over her spectacles. “Here early, eh? What are you two up to?” Ms. Griggs was suspicious of every student in town--apparently anyone without a college degree is trouble in her eyes. Funny thing was, I don’t think she ever got around to earning one of those for herself.

“We just wanted a good parking spot, ma’am,” Ray explained, and Ms. Griggs glare at me swapped to an adoring gaze at Ray. All the adults loved Ray--save for the witch that is Stepmother--for her sweet, innocent demeanor. Not only did she look the part, but she acted it too.

“Smart girl,” Ms. Griggs sympathized, “those felons swarm those spots like ants at a picnic.”

While Ray conversed politely with our bipolar chief of the front desk, I signed my name on the check-in list and headed towards my locker. Ray would understand--she knew how much Ms. Griggs and I loathed each other.

As I twirled my combination into my locker, the empty halls echoed with a set of feet. Looking up, I saw a guy walking slowly towards me, face buried in a sheet of paper, causing his wavy black locks to fall into his face. When he looked up, his clear blue eyes pierced mine, and I busied myself with getting my books.

A tap on my shoulder startled me and I met his cool gaze. “Excuse me, but your locker’s blocking mine.”

It took me a minute to realize what he meant and I hastily took my locker’s door off of my neighboring locker. “Sorry,” I mumbled, avoiding eye contact. Was that a legit British accent?

“No problem,” he replied entering his combination quickly and efficiently. It was totally a legit accent. “I suppose you’re just too used to having room to move during locker breaks.”

I nodded and slammed my locker shut. “I, um, have to go,” I said lamely, meeting his coy gaze.

“Classes don’t start for another twenty minutes,” he informed me, a half smile and raised eyebrows lighting up his face. “Where do you intend on going?”

“My friend is being held hostage by our secretary. I have to save her,” I say, noting smugly the way his smile vanishes and all I’m left with is a look of dubiousness. “Our secretary hates all of teenage-kind except for Ray--my friend--and I can’t let her suffer through tales of that woman’s nine cats just because Ray’s too polite to excuse herself.” I didn’t know why I was telling him this. I didn’t even know this guy’s name. To change the subject, I asked.

“Sebastian; obviously I just moved here. And you are…?”

“Veronica. V. Nica. Whichever.”

“Veronica…I like it; you shouldn’t abbreviate it.” I flushed at the compliment. “Listen, how about we make a deal: I’ll help you get your friend away from the secretary if you show me around--school and town.”

I had a sudden vision of bringing Sebastian home and Leslie bugging out that I’d been hanging out with someone as good-looking as him. Those muscles that stretched the fabric of his T-shirt? His hypnotic blue eyes and luscious dark hair? And that accent? She’d swoon.

I smiled. “Deal; but let me tell you, you’re landing yourself a permanent position of hatred from Ms. G.”

“I’ll take my chances,” he says confidently.

Once back at the front office, Sebastian walked up to Ms. Griggs and Ray, who was, sure enough, being subjected to tale after tale of Ms. G’s unruly felines. “Hello Ms. Griggs,” Sebastian interrupted smoothly. Ray’s eyes bugged out of her head. “I was just wondering if you needed me to sign that sheet over there since I came in early.”

Ms. Griggs launched into a lecture of etiquette, stating how it wasn’t polite to interject in the middle of somebody’s cat story. Then she moved on to emphasize the importance of her sacred sign-in sheet and ended up flipping the subject back to her cats. This woman was freaking relentless!

I whistled to Ray low enough so Ms. G wouldn’t hear. She looked over and I mouthed get out of there!

“Ms. Griggs,” Ray interrupted apologetically. “Really, its fine; the bell’s going to ring in ten minutes anyway, and I have to drop something off at the library.”

Flashing Ray a dazzling smile, Ms. G dismissed both of them. Once we were out of earshot, Sebastian turned to me and said “You so owe me a tour for that.”

“Thanks for getting me out of there,” Ray said, her eyes bright as she took in Sebastian and all of his glory. “I thought I would have died if I had to sit through another story about how her cats tried to run away from her, those poor things.”

“No problem,” Sebastian said, gifting her with a sympathetic glance before returning his attention to me. Students pushed around us, the school filling as the clock slowly ticked down the spare minutes. “Care to show me to homeroom?”

I took his outstretched schedule and scanned it. We had third, fifth, and eighth period together. His first period was P.E. with Ray. I frowned; I was in art, which was at the opposite end of the school. “We’re going opposite ways, but I’m sure Ray would love to show you to your guys’ homeroom.” I didn’t like the way Ray looked too eager to show him the way there.

Looking up at Sebastian, I saw he frowned a little too. “I’m sorry; we have three other classes together though, and if I see you in the hall I’ll help you get around.”

“Guess you’re stuck with me,” Ray cut in, taking his hand and pulling him towards the P.E. wing.

“This doesn’t mean you don’t owe me a tour,” Sebastian said before letting Ray pull him away.



First period consisted of a power-point on Michelangelo and a sculpting assignment, which I dutifully sketched out before the bell rang. Second period was ASL with Ray. Mrs. Fillip, the teacher, was giving us a lecture in only sign language. I took a seat next to Ray in the back. While I tried to keep up with the silent lecture, a piece of note paper slid onto my desk. The note-versation began.



What do you think of Sebastian?

He’s nice, I guess.

Nice? V, he’s fucking hot!

……

Come on, admit it.

Yeah, okay, he’s hot. Happy?

Are you like, you know, into him?

I don’t know, I barely know the guy. I’m giving him a tour around town and school. That’s all.

Well, don’t pull anything.

What do you mean?

I’m calling dibs on this man, honey.

Ooookayyyy

I’m serious! I think he’s The One. Like, during P.E., he was my partner for tennis, and he totally let me win. And he’s British! You know I’m a sucker for Brits.


Okay.



When Ray read the line I left her with, she smiled smugly and slipped the note into her folder. I didn’t try to find out what the teacher had been saying. My mind was whirring in confusion.

What was up with Ray? She’s never been this pushy before. Calling dibs? What the hell?

Next period was chemistry with Sebastian. When I walked in, everybody was milling around, no one in a seat. I glanced at the strictest teacher in the school, Mr. Burns. He was watching closely, and when I walked in, he put a check mark by my name on the attendance list. “Silence!”

Conversations ended abruptly. No one dared to piss off Mr. Burns. I saw Sebastian talking to Max, a guy from drama club. Rumor had it that he was going to be Romeo in this year’s attempt at Romeo and Juliet. He was pretty funny, and not a dick like most guys at the school. A good friend choice, in my opinion.

“We’ve been having some issues with the current free-for-all seat choice. Therefore, it’s time to assign seats.” Julia, my current lab partner, groaned quietly towards me. We had been getting good grades working together, and we didn’t have to suffer through stupid lab partners--or worse, no lab partner, since our class had had an odd number of students.

“Julia Evans and Evangeline West, up here,” Mr. Burns intoned, pointing towards the front left lab station. He slowly ticked down the names on the list, and when he reached the middle row on the right, he said, “Veronica Hayes and…Sebastian Frost.” I bit my lip to keep from smiling as I slid in next to Sebastian. When Burns was done, he went back to the front of the room, smiling contentedly. “You will not be changing seats. These are the permanent arrangements. No exceptions, no excuses. In real life, you can’t choose who you work with. And you people never shut up, and this is the only way I’ll ever teach you anything. Now, today, we’ll be learning about chemical reactions…”

Unfortunately, Burns gave us no chance to talk even if we wanted too. The bell rang and Sebastian was out the door almost as quickly as I was. We raced each other to our lockers, and I beat him. “You have to learn how to weave through the crowds better,” I informed him, pleased with myself. I opened my locker and swapped out my set of books. “What do you have next?”

“Calculus with Mrs. Quest,” he said, blue eyes drawing me in. “Is that another one of our classes?” I loved the way his voice sounded so hopeful when he said our.

“I took that last year,” I said sadly. “I have Statistics with Mr. Cresh this period. They’re pretty close to each other, though. And that means we have the same lunch,” I added. “Come on, I’ll show you the way.”

He grabbed my hand and I smiled to myself. I couldn’t help it. I knew Ray called “dibs,” but…was it weird that this guy I barely knew made me happy?

We wove through the bustling halls, making it to fourth period with two minutes to spare. “Um…here it is.” The feel of his hand on mine was distracting, and when I looked into his eyes I was lost.

The bell rang and the halls were empty. Had we been looking into each other’s eyes for that long? It didn’t feel like it. He pulled me into an alcove, desire clear in his eyes. He pulled my lips against his.

It was sweet, and I wanted more.

What was I talking about? I barely knew this guy. I was going to turn into Stepmother at this rate.

I pulled away first, and I stuttered. “I-I-I…”

“I’m sorry,” he said, sounding sincere. “I don’t know what came over me.”

Biting my lip, I could still taste his lips. My conscience was battling itself.

What are you doing? Ray called dibs you backstabber!

But she’s been acting weird today. And possessive.

She’s your best friend!

But I like him too! She get’s everything she wants! Everybody loves her! Even… I swallowed, thinking back to my ex-boyfriend, Rick. He had used me. He told me he loved me, and then the next day he was making out with Ray.

I believed her when she said he came onto her. I forgave her and dumped Rick. I haven’t talked to him since that fateful summer day.

You know she liked it. You know she was putting as much effort into that kiss as he was. Why do you put yourself through so much for her when you know she’d never do the same thing back?

Did I really believe that? I looked up into Sebastian’s unguarded blue eyes and made a decision. I gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. “I’m sorry too.” And then I walked away.



I declined Ray’s offer on a ride home; I didn’t want to hear her demise a plan to win Sebastian’s heart when I knew full well it wasn’t his heart he wanted. I had been battling with myself the whole rest of the day. During history and English--the two other classes I had with him--I didn’t meet his gaze. I was too confused to know what to do.

I was on my driveway. Two cars were in the driveway, the same two that were here in the morning. Great. The dick was still here.

Shutting the front door as quietly as possible behind me, I attempted to creep up the stairs unseen. It worked--or so I thought.

Once I walked into my room I knew something was up. You know that feeling of premonition you can get even the most normal of situations? I was getting that right then.

I locked my door behind me and tossed the key in a drawer and dropped my backpack on my desk chair before untying my shoes and carrying them over to the closet, ready to grab a pair of thick slippers instead.

The door to my closet opened before I touched it and Dick stepped out, a glint in his eyes. I screamed and chucked one of my shoes at his head, nailing him in the face. He staggered.

I ran to the drawer and ripped my key out, unlocking my door in record time. But he grabbed me around the waist before I could run out. “Miss me, sassy?”

“Get your fucking hands off of me!” I screamed, managing a halfway decent punch at his head--which he fucking returned across my face--and ran downstairs.

“Leslie!” I screeched, finding her in the kitchen sipping tea smugly. “Get your fucking plaything away from me!”

Setting down her cup calmly, eyeing Dick, who was standing behind me innocently, she said firmly, “He’s a guest in this home until your father gets back from his business trip, and therefore he may do what he pleases. Especially if it’s a turn-on I can use later.”

“You--you--bitch!” I kicked helplessly as Dick picked me up off the floor, pinning my arms against his chest and lifting my legs off the floor. “Let me go!”

Leslie shrugged and grabbed her purse. “I have a meeting to go to; have fun.” She paused. “But not too much fun, hon.”

“Of course not,” I writhed uncomfortably as Dick made out with Stepmother by my ear. When I heard her car pull out from the driveway, Dick put me down, cornering me in between the bookcase and the wall.

Stepmother’s flings had come onto me before, but she had never given them free-reign like this. This was torture, abuse--not to mention disgusting.

A plan stirred into my panicked mind. Attempting my best alluring voice, I said, “I can give you more than you could ever imagine.”

Curiosity laced through his voice, “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

I had to think fast. “That’s a secret. But if you go wait for me upstairs, I’ll show you something I’ve never shown anyone before.”

“Like I’m going to fall for that. How do I know you won’t just run off?”

Why oh why did Stepmother bring home a non-idiot? I twist my hands through his hair. “You don’t. But isn’t it worth it to take the chance?”

It took an agonizing lock of our lips for him to go upstairs, but when he did, I slammed the front door behind me and sprinted down the street. I heard him start his car behind me.

He hadn’t fallen for it.

Shit!

I ran down my street, knowing full well that we lived on the outskirt of town and the closest home was empty. But going into town was too predictable. I took a right and went towards the empty home.

I traveled through the woods lining the street, looking out onto the road every once in a while, watching as Dick’s car got closer and closer. I delved deeper into the woods and heard the car stop and him clamber out.

I was screwed.

No, I wasn’t just screwed--I was fucked.

My phone had no service--nobody ever has service when they really need it out here! Damn piece of shit phone service in the middle of effing no where--

“Come back and play, little girl,” he called, following my thrashing. I headed towards what I thought was the direction of the empty house--maybe I could hide out there until he left.

Maybe it had service.

I risked a glance behind me only to see that Dick was ten feet away. Adrenaline surged through my veins as I pushed harder, breaking out of the trees and running into something solid that oomphed when I ran into it. We tumbled to the ground.

“Veronica?” I opened my eyes to meet Sebastian’s surprised gaze.

“Help me,” I pleaded, saving questions for later. “Please.”

He helped me up just as Dick burst through the trees. I hid behind Sebastian, fearful.

“Excuse me sir, but this is private property. I’m going to have to ask you to get off of it,” Sebastian said politely.

“You have my sister right there, sir. I’d like to have her back.”

“Go away,” I whimpered. “And stop lying.”

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask to again to please--”

“Then she has to come with me,” Dick said simply.

My nails dug into Sebastian’s arm. “Excuse me, but my girlfriend doesn’t have to go anywhere. And she certainly doesn’t have a brother. So, allow me to ask you again to please exit my property.”

“Little fucking bitch,” Dick took a threatening step towards us. “Either way, you’re gonna have to come back eventually. And when you do,” he gazed me hungrily up and down, “I won’t have to imagine anymore because I’ll know.” He took off smugly through the trees.



When it was clear he was gone, I collapsed to the ground in relief. But I knew it couldn’t last long.

“Veronica? How do you know that man?” Sebastian eyed my scabbed lip and bruised wrists. “Did he hurt you?”

“He’s my step-mother’s boyfriend,” I said quietly, looking at the abandoned home in the distance, noticing the smoke that curled out from the chimney and the sleek black car parked out front. “You live here?”

“Wrong. My turn for questions,” he says, kneeling in front of me, black hair falling in his eyes. “What was he doing to you?”

I looked down and starting tearing the grass. “Not your concern.” I didn’t need the entire town to be aware of my family’s screwiness, especially not him.

“Wrong again. You came running to my house, I helped you get rid of him, and I expect an explanation.”

Looking furiously at him, I retorted, “This is my problem, not yours. I’m sorry, but I’m not about to pour out all my woes to some guy I just met today. So just…leave me alone.” Resting my head on my knees, I said quietly, “You’d be disgusted by half the things I said anyway. Might as well keep the little bit of dignity I still have if I can.”

“You’re being abused. You need help, Veronica.” Sebastian’s hand rested on my shoulder and I shrugged it off angrily.

“No! You know nothing about me, okay? So stop acting like you can help me, because you can’t.” My steely gaze met his. “No one can.” I looked back down again. “So. Back. Off.”

Settling himself into the grass in front of me, Sebastian replied calmly, “Technically, you’d have to be the one to back off, considering this is my property, as I’ve mentioned several times already.” He paused thoughtfully, leaning closer to me. “And I’m not disgusted very easily. So,” he leaned back. “Try me.”

Meeting his calm blue eyes again, I shot back at him, “One problem still not solved: I barely know you. Why should I tell you the things that only my aunt knows? Ray’s been my friend since kindergarten, and I just started opening up to her. I’ve barely known you a whole day.”

“That’s precisely why you should tell me. I won’t have a tainted view, which is precisely what you need right now, I’m guessing.” He acted like the kiss hadn’t even happened. I preferred to keep it that way, so I didn’t mention how that could bias his opinion.

I started out simple, hoping this little droplet of information would satisfy him. “My stepmother is cheating on my father with a man half her age.”

“I suppose that would be the man that was chasing you?” I nodded. “So why was he chasing you?”

Damn nosy redcoat. I didn’t want to explain this to him, but the weight of the secret was weighing me down, along with all these other untold truths. I felt like an emotional wreck. “Because he wants to get in my pants and my stepmother doesn’t give a shit.”

Silence. His blue eyes were smoldering with churning emotions. I saw them flicker through him in his eyes. Confusion. Pity. Anger.

“Bloody hell; you live with a fucking madwoman. And your father doesn’t know?”

I shook my head furiously. “And he can’t know. It would crush him, especially after--” I stopped, a thick sob wedged into my throat. Tears stung my eyes.

“Veronica? After what?” This time, when he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, I let him. My mother may have died a decade ago, but the wound was still fresh. I desperately missed her; my life would be normal with her in it. Instead of Sebastian calming my tears, we could be flirting like normal teens. And instead of me being fearful to return home, I’d welcome it. I could be doing crosswords with my mom right now, racing to see who could finish first.

But no. Somebody had to rip her away from my dad and me, killing her in cold blood. Why did she have to go on a walk that day? If she would have just stayed home, she’d still be here.

Maybe if I had just begged harder that she stay home with me, Leslie wouldn’t have been necessary.

No. I told myself. It’s not your fault. That fucking murderer--

They had never found who did it. My dad and I had given up calling the FBI to check in. It just hurt too much to get the same response.

“Veronica?” Sebastian repeated softly. I hadn’t realized that my tears were racking through me now. I sniffed and wiped my eyes furiously.

“My mother was murdered ten years ago. They never found her killer. My father married Leslie five years ago because he ‘loved’ her and she ‘had money that we needed right now.’ She’s been cheating on him from the start, because he was only ‘her little banker,’ good for only ‘buying the pretty stuff.’ That’s how he won her over, you know. Diamonds, teeth correction, clothes. Even though we were in deep debt from all the lawyers and crap, he still threw away money on that bitch. She’s used me since I turned fifteen, and it’s only gotten worse as I’ve gotten older. When I don’t listen she makes me regret it. My life is a living hell, and nobody in this fucking town knows it because I’ve kept the secret. If this got out, I wouldn’t have even a façade to fall back on, because it’d be gone. Is that a sufficient answer?”

In response, Sebastian helped me up and led me towards his house. I stopped at the front door. “I’m not going in there if somebody’s home.”

“I know.”

“Is there somebody home?”

“No.”

I followed him through the door.



British people are really neat. I don’t mean neat as in some form of cool either. I mean it as like they’re house was pristine. Spotless. It could have been on the cover of one of those home magazines. I felt like if I touched anything the SWAT team would rain down on me for ruining this kind of perfection.

At least, that’s how I saw it.

Sebastian led me up the stairs into a quaint little bathroom--also spotless--and ordered me to sit on the edge of the tub. He then busied himself with getting out some hydrogen peroxide, bandages, and Neosporin.

Eyeing the hydrogen peroxide ruefully, I said, “I’m fine; it’s not like I’m in complete tatters.”

“Roll up your jeans and look at your arms,” he demanded instead of responding to my comment. I complied to prove him wrong, only to find my knees covered in sticky red liquid and my arms to have layered cuts down to my wrist. “Now tell me you aren’t in bloody tatters.”

I huffed and Sebastian began cleaning my wounds. I cringed when the peroxide touched the scrapes, but stayed silent. When he was done he skillfully wrapped each knee with gauze and smoothed Neosporin over my arms. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice that,” I remarked.

“It was most likely you were high on adrenaline and didn’t feel it until that man left and there was no need for it to be in your system any longer.”

“How do you know this?”

“My mother is a nurse, my father an ER surgeon. This is dinner conversation in my household,” Sebastian said as he put the medical supplies in their proper place.

“If that’s the case, then I don’t see why they would be needed here, of all the places in the world.” Montana wasn’t really the kind of place where ER surgeons were high in demand. So why is it that his family moved here?

Helping me up, he responded thoughtfully, “My mother was quite tired of London life. She wanted to work where it was more low-key. Her sister moved to Kalispell a few years back to work in Flathead National Park, and boasted Montana’s beauty. So we moved here.” Mom used to love that place, I thought idly.

We walked down the stairs, winding up in the kitchen. Sebastian went to the freezer and got out and ice pack for my face. “Flathead is beautiful. But Jensen? We’re the most un-eventful town in all of Montana; no, all of the world.”

“Exactly; that’s what my mother wanted.”

My eyes wandered over to the wall clock and I almost cursed. “Is it seriously almost five?” I hopped off of the counter and handed Sebastian his ice pack back. “My dad’ll be home soon. I need to make sure everything’s normal.”

“Normal? Veronica, what if that man is still there?”

I bit my lip, shook my head, and headed towards the door. “I don’t know. But if I don’t get home soon Leslie will hang my head on the wall.”

“At least let me drive you home.”

It would be reassuring to know Sebastian was there just in case that guy hadn’t left yet. “Fine.”



Dick’s car wasn’t there and sighed in relief. “Thanks for driving me Sebastian.” I hopped out of the car.

“Veronica?”

I leaned through the open doorway. “Yeah?”

He held out a scrap of paper. “Call me if he comes back.”

I took it and slipped his number into my pocket. “Thanks.”



“Veronica! Why are you late? And who was dropping you off? And where is Joseph?” So that’s the guy’s name. Huh.

Dick suits him better.

“I was running away from Joseph and my friend shooed the pervert off. So I’m assuming that Joseph got the memo and went home, as he should be!” I yelled up the stairs before going to the kitchen to get dinner started.

Silence. “You better be making that pot roast! Your father will be home any minute!”

I banged the pots loudly to piss her off before getting down to business. I had just put the roast in the oven when I heard the front door open and close. “Hello?”

“In the kitchen, dad!”

My rumpled father stood in the doorway with his briefcase in one hand and his duffel bag in the other. He dropped both when I went over and hugged him hard. “What happened to you?” He lightly touched my bruised cheek.

“I…um…fell,” I lied.

“Oh,” he said dazedly, looking at the ceiling. “Is you mother home?”

Locking my jaw, I said stiffly, “Yes, Leslie is home.”

“Good, good…” Suddenly, his eyes are alert. “What’s that smell? I hope that’s my baby girl’s dinner.”

Inwardly, I sigh. This is what he always does; comes home, makes a comment about Leslie, perks up to me, and falls back into his state of absolute nothingness. He’s been this way ever since Mom died and frankly, I haven’t had the heart to snap him out of it.

Besides, he was the father, and it’s his job to make sure I’m okay. And he’s never done that for me, not really.

While I got back to my cooking, chopping up some various veggies to go into the salad, Leslie bounds down the stairs in a pantsuit. Here’s another thing: Leslie only acts like a slut when my dad isn’t home. When he is, she acts all business, as if her boutique in town is a successful national company rather than your regular run-of-the-mill frilly shop.

“Hey honey! How was your trip? Did you make us big money?” Although she said it completely light hearted and joking, I noticed the way her body tensed in anticipation for the answer that, yes, indeed, we did make the big bucks.

I also noticed the way her body literally slumped when my father only shrugged half-heartedly in response. Here comes phase four: falling back into the gray state of mind.

“Honey,” Leslie prods him gently, her jaw locked. “You haven’t set down your things yet. Why don’t you…?”

Jacket on the back of the sofa, briefcase on top of that, and mail--I never remember to grab that--tossed onto the counter. It’s then that he realizes that he hasn’t showered in two days--thank God, I thought that was the roast for a minute!--and pads up the stairs, Leslie close at his heels.

I have nothing to do. Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes, the table is set, and my homework is so simple that it can wait longer. So I sort through the mail, tossing aside the junk mail like, well, junk. I reach the bottom of the pile and a sturdy envelope with my name grins up at me. It has no return address.

Did the room just get colder? No, my rational self tells me. You’re imagining things. Just open the envelope and relax.

So I do.

Veronica,

Why did you have to do this to me? Why can’t you just be a good girl?

You say your life is a nightmare. But you have yet to see the worse, which is to come.

- ME

The paper shakes in my white-knuckled hands. I can’t believe it. What kind of sick joke is this? What could I have done to receive something so--so--

Who hates me enough to pull this off?

Good--good--some rationality to sort this through is just what I need. Going over to the couch, I curl up in a ball, the letter clutched to my chest, and I ponder.

As far as I know, I have no enemies. Sure, I’m not the entire school’s friend, but nobody really went out of their way to make my life miserable. I was a solid middle-class student on the social scale; not really worth anyone’s bother.

The thought slammed into me so quickly and suddenly that it took me minute to fully grasp it. Could Ray have found out about the kiss Sebastian gave me and gotten so hurt that this was what she did?

There was only one way to find out. I ran upstairs to my room and slammed the door shut behind me, checking my closet--it was empty of pervs--before locking the door. Then I went over to my desk and woke up my snoozing laptop.

Ray was online. I signed into a chat room with her.



RAYRAYGIRL: hey

VERONICA38: hi

RAYRAYGIRL: wat do u want?

VERONICA38: is there somthin rong? i just wanted 2 tlk 2 u

RAYRAYGIRL: don’t plat dumb w me. i know at u did. how cud u?!?!

VERONICA38: rayray i didn’t mean 2 i swear. he kissed me; i didn’t plan on it!

RAYRAYGIRL: i trusted u. u took my trust and tore it in 2 u slut.

RAYRAYGIRL: thankfully i dnt thnk he meant it. tht man is in luv w me.

RAYRAYGIRL: but i cnt b w a friend who doesn’t care enuf 2 keep her tongue out of the throat of the guys i call dibs on.

VERONICA38: excuse me but wat bout rick last summer? i cud b doin the same thing as u rite now, callin u a slut and sendin threatening letters

RAYRAYGIRL: tht was totally diff. this is downrite rong. cnt believe u. and idk wat u mean my threatening letter. i didn’t do tht. so stop accusing me of stuff and stay out of my life u whore or i swear to god i’ll make ur life a livin hell



RAYRAYGIRL HAS DISCONNECTED.