The Mask (Boys of Elmwood)

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Aria

"So, when are you going to tell me anything about yourself?" I asked while dragging up a new pair of underwear after the last one had been ruined only moments ago.

He responded instantly, "Never."

"I'm bound to figure out one day or the other. What if you just tell me yourself so I don't have to go to lengths hunting you down?" I countered.

"No."

"Why not? Are you scared of something? Or are you into some shady illegal shit and I'll blab on the whole world or something?" I raised a brow.

There was silence. He didn't respond, but I continued. "I get the website is pretty shady and whatnot, but it's not that bad. Everyone uses it and no one really gets hurt because everyone knows each other anyway."

"You were sobbing when your pictures were leaked." He stated the obvious and I shut my mouth after that.

"Fine, fine, stay anonymous, and don't tell me anything." I rolled my eyes and sat back on my bed.

When he reminded me of my pictures, the ones Dahlia had posted on the site, my mind went to the picture that was sent to my phone and it instantly clicked. Was she there that night? Could Dahlia be the one who sent the message? I hadn't responded to the message, I mean—there wasn't much I could say to the person who sent it in. But now that I was thinking about it again, I wondered if it was Dahlia.

"There's something on your mind."

My thoughts vanished and I nodded, "Hmm, yeah."

"Tell."

I shrugged, trying to act normal. "It's just—" I stopped, thinking once more. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell him because he told me there was no one else. He lied about no one being in the room when he apparently found me. But there clearly was someone, maybe more one. "I got a picture from someone. It was of me, when I was Lucien's house,"

He remained silent and so I continued.

"You told me there was no one else, but there was, wasn't there?" I held my breath.

The silence continued. I waited. "Lucien was there when I went upstairs," He finally responded, and I could feel my hair rising. "But there was no one else asides from him."

I closed my eyes, hating the answer, not knowing the truth. It was such a blur, that night, and it was keeping me on the edge.

"He took pictures of me?" I asked him.

"I don't know. I didn't see him taking any when I found you."

"So what was he doing then?" I tried to put the pieces together but they were only coming loose.

"I don't know."

I wasn't surprised by his answer. "So, nothing?"

"Leave it. You're fine. There's no need for you to know or worry. Nothing happened." I believed him and I trusted his word. I wasn't going to poke my nose into anything that wasn't supposed to be poked in.

I nodded my head and took in a deep breath, leaving the topic behind.

By afternoon, once I returned from the lectures I went downstairs where Mom was waiting to take me to the bar for my very first of work.

She was already dressed, her hair done nicely, and her car keys were hanging by her fingertips.

"Ready, sweetheart?"