The Nation's Jackpot Girl (BWWM)

Chapter 91

JULIAN'S POV

The last time I had seen her, she was standing with Marcel, and that was when I knew things would go awry.

   Of course, we were terrible to him when we were young. I mean, young people do stupid things. This is not to justify my actions.

   Marcel must have omitted the part where he made one of our closest friends kill herself because he said she wasn't his type.

   Well, it's not something we talk about or want to remember. The summer before junior high school, Brenda, the only girl in our best friend group, confessed how she felt to him after several months of hiding it from him. She had told just me and begged me to keep it a secret from the boys before she dared to say it to him.

   Brenda was suicidal, a BPD patient, and maybe a bit of DID. The tag was too complex for us... We all knew she was crazy, but that didn't stop us from loving her. We protected her from bullies back in middle school, but we couldn't protect her from Marcel.

   As I said, as young people, we all make stupid mistakes. Mistakes we don't realize are stupid till we are all grown. And when those memories return, we either laugh over it or wish we had done things differently.

   Right before our last prom before junior high, Brenda asked me to follow her to Marcel's cabin, where he spent most of his time alone with his notepad. She had asked me to wait outside as she wanted to be alone with him. I wished her luck and waited.

   She returned with tears and a snotty nose. When I asked what was wrong, she told me how rudely he had told her off.

   "He said I was a psychopath, and he didn't want anything to do with me," She said softly before lowering her head. "He also said he only tolerated me because you and the other boys are nice to me. He hates me and doesn't want me near him ever again!"

   I wasn't mad because he turned her down. I was angry because of what he said, and as she cried in my arms, I swore to pay him back for what he did to Brenda.

   I told the boys. They were all angry, but no one talked to Marcel about it. For someone who called his friend a psychopath, he was worse.

   During prom, he had his date. Mary Jane from his English class. We held Brenda as she watched with great sadness. She decided to excuse herself to get some fresh air.

   That was the last time we saw her alive.

   She was found in the pool. Floating. Stomach bloated. Dead.


   Everyone thought she mistakenly fell into the water and drowned, but we were the only ones that knew she had killed herself.



   ______

  

   "Julian!" Someone snaps their fingers in my face. Jocelyn is standing before me and staring in confusion. A small smile covers my face.

   She rolls her eyes at me. "What the fuck were you thinking about?"

   I draw close to her. "I know the last time, things didn't end well, but you look so beautiful tonight, and I don't think I can resist you."

   "Fuck you!" She snaps and pushes me off her. "I came here to help, and you are doing this. Don't you have a bit of respect? Aren't you even concerned that you will die soon, huh?"

   I raise my hand into the air in surrender. "Fine, I'm sorry. So what are we doing next?"

   "Informing your friends? He's going to lure you all into an empty room."

   "Hmm. That's a perfect plan."

   She frowns. "Why don't you even look concerned at all? You don't even look like you even care for your life or that of your friends. Can't you see I am trying to save your ungrateful asses?!"

  
—
  
JOCELYN'S POV;

My heart is thumping wildly against my chest. Julian doesn't even look scared or anything. He's so chill, and I wonder if he has known about all these the whole time.

He's standing dangerously close to me now. He lifts his hand and pushes my hair behind my ear. "You look beautiful tonight. I know I have said it several times."

   "Of course you have! Can you say something about what's going to happen tonight?"

   Julian laughs and slips his hand into his pocket. He produces a pack of cigarettes and takes one out before returning it to his bag and taking out a lighter. He lights it up and takes a few puffs before passing it to me.

   "No, thank you."

   He laughs. "For someone who hates me with everything she has, you are helping me? I actually can't believe that you are, to be honest. Why do you want to help me, huh?"

   I close my eyes. "Because I don't think you or your friends deserve to die. You all are very shitty, and I hate you with everything in me but trust me, Marcel is making a mistake by trying to kill you because of something you didn't do,"

   He throws back his head and bursts into laughter. "He is still holding his parents' death against us? He's a psychopath."

   "Yes, he is," I mutter.

   "Did he do anything to you, Jocelyn?" Julian asks. All the amusement on his face is gone. "Did that bastard touch you?"

   "It's nothing you should worry about," I murmur. "Why are you even concerned? Last time I checked, you didn't offer me a job because I was black, and you made your mother fire me because of your stupid lies!"

   "I had my reasons," He says quickly. "If Marcel did touch you, I promise he will regret ever taking this decision tonight."

   "It's nice to see you defending me," I say, my voice laced with sarcasm. "By the way, I have another thing to tell you. Do you know Vito?"

   "Who doesn't know Vito? The fraud? I do. He's with Marcel in this, too, right?"

   I nod.

   "I am not surprised." His eyes fleet over my head, and he takes one last puff before looking down at me. "Hottie, I have to go now. Your boyfriend is here."

   "What are you going to do?"

   He smirks. "I have everything under control. Don't worry. Just play along, okay?"