BLUE BLOOD

33 | i'm not a saint

x

[entry]

The girl every person in the school knew of, yet did not really take notice of as much as the shining Helen Lorani or sexy Satin Queens, had many secrets.

I almost thought her insecurity, desperation, nudes, and sleeping around with her supposed best friend's baby daddy was the worst, but no. Those were relatively tame secrets.

Her eyes were the key to her dirtiest secret.

When I snooped in her room, broke into the most predictable hiding place ever (a locked vault displayed in plain view... I mean, really?), and found the piece of paper I was looking for, I not only noticed correctly, I gained evidence.

Unfortunately, it made everything harder knowing I had something in common with Shannon Dragomir.

But not hard enough.

x

"Vesper!" Shannon called out to me, trying to get to me before I left with Avery. "Wait, can I please just talk to you?"

Avery stared at her, animosity in his eyes. "No."

Truthfully, I had already forgiven Shannon since in the end, I was the one who took the pills. It may have hurt that she never warned me or even let Gloria and them coerce me but I long stopped blaming her.

"You don't get to speak for her," Shannon snapped back defensively. I could see the hurt in her eyes.

I touched Avery's hand and he wavered. I knew he really wished all of this never happened, that his own sister wouldn't do the things she did and didn't. Avery wasn't one to hold a grudge, but I could tell he could not bring himself to tell her it was all okay. He wanted her to change, but Shannon Dragomir would never change so easily.

And he knew it. Which was why he had so much anger towards her.

I offered Shannon a gentle smile, unwilling to see another familial relationship of Avery's to break because of me. "I haven't been mad at you for a while, Shannon.

"I have," Avery muttered like the perfect model boyfriend.

Shannon's smile faded. "You're still angry at me brother, for what happened at that party?"

"No," Avery gritted out, expression darkening, "Not just for what happened at the party, even though it's clear you were in on Gloria's plan from the start. You may not have participated, but you chose to keep your mouth shut."

"I wasn't even in the same country, Avery. I wouldn't have been able to do anything."

"Oh, I don't know, maybe tell me?" Avery said, sarcastically, his silver eyes stormy.

Shannon crossed her arms defensively. "Vesper was smart enough to figure out her plan. That's why she didn't drink anything. She didn't need my help."

"Damn it, Shannon, that isn't the point and you know it," Avery angrily replied, stepping forward. I tugged on his hand, reminding him to keep the volume down, because we were now attracting more and more stares.

"Fine. I apologize for not being as much of a saint as you are! Are you happy now?"

"No." Avery's eyes went cold.

"Don't act like this, Avery. We both know this is about Tyson," his older sister shook her head, lips twisting. "You know I never meant anything I said. I didn't see him in the room, Avery, otherwise I would have spoken up for him."