𝑇𝐻𝑅𝐸𝐸 𝐷𝐸𝑀𝑂𝑁𝑆

x 25 x

x LAURA x

I was slipping on my black Converse when I heard the doorbell ring. I heard quick steps heading up the stairs, and thinking it was Maury, I was surprised that it was my mother. She didn't know I had snuck out last night, or that my bad mood was slowly melting and I had forgiven her for all her faults from yesterday.

"Hey," I said, "Good morning."

I was about to apologize to her about all our arguing from yesterday when I really looked at her.

"Good morning baby," she looked flustered.

"What's wrong?" I frown.

At that moment, Maury peeked into my doorway, only spotting me and not my mom yet. "Some random person in a fancy car is outside, Laura."

"Yes. She rung the doorbell and I opened the door. I remembered you told me not to let random people claiming to be your friends inside," she commented.

Demon.

"Oh. Yeah. Never let her in. But, um, she's driving me to school today," I say.

"So she's a friend?" my mother asked.

Maury lost interest in our conversation and left. I chuckled, "Not exactly, Mom." I grabbed my backpack and left her in my room. "Good behavior," I reminded her and myself. "Good behavior," she echoed back, watching me go.

I closed my front door behind myself and ignored Demon on my porch, heading towards the passenger seat. My eyes spotted Syn and I glared. She clearly hated me so she was the last person I wanted to see.

"Backseat today," Demon commented, going around the front of her car to head to her side. I decided to sit behind Syn, much to her irritation, and I folded my arms across my chest, judging by the tense silence that we would have a lot to talk about on our ride to school.

"I sent Synara and Devana to watch your house. I assume you already know these things," Demon stated. "Yes," I rolled my eyes. I actually only knew about Dior being there, not Syn. I wonder where Syn had been the entire time? Syn started to speak and Demon shot her a glare. "Shut the fuck up. You talk too damn much and it's about fucking time people around here realize who the fucking boss is."

You are not Rick Ross, I thought in my head.

"You broke our bargain," Demon began, "and I did too." I was surprised she was admitting to any wrongdoing. "But I also know that Dior told you about something very important."

The party Demon was holding.

The answer to all of my questions, apparently.

"I'd like to call a truce with you. To end whatever plan you and your friends trying to play detective have," she said. "But one rule I will set firmly is that you are not allowed to go to that party."

"Can I speak now?" Syn grumbled.

"Can you?" Demon snapped at her.

I'm glad Syn interrupted her so I didn't have to agree to nothing. Regardless of any false promises I made to Demon, I was going to figure out what little scam Demon was running and make her pay for everything. I knew she was fraud from the moment I laid eyes on her in the office. Fucking Khloe Powell.

"Dior threatens to blackmail me and she's off the hook all of a sudden? What about her? How is she even-

Demon glanced back at me. "We'll talk about that another time." Not in front of me, that meant.

"I won't go to the party," I tell them, "and I won't tolerate any wrongdoing towards me. I won't share your secrets," I promise.

Even that sounded false to my ears.

"I don't know if I can take your word, but I trust you can hold on to it, Laura Valor. I'd hate for Genevievea Valor to be ruled legally insane in a Texas court, a field that my family has many friends in. She'd never have a normal life again."

My heart ran cold. That was a threat. A punch against one of my biggest weaknesses, my older sister Gene. I knew one day she'd use her against me, and I wasn't wrong when I had guessed that earlier on.

"You're cold for that, Demon. You really are," I glared at the back of her head. I tugged at my door handle, "Let me out. I'll fucking walk." Demon made a big show of locking the doors again even though they were already locked. "Not a chance, lovely." Demon glanced over at Syn. "You want Dior gone so bad, eliminated from our trio for your own selfish reasons. Well, now we have a new member for the day. Laura."

"What?" me and Syn screech at the same time.

Demon took off, our backs pressed against the seats as the car propelled down the streets to our school.