Blurry is the Line Between Love and Lust: A Tears of Shame Novel [EDITING]

Chapter 5: Cat Fight, Meow

"Good morning Arianna," She replied. I thought I escaped any sort of confrontation with her. Suddenly, an arm shot out in front of me and impeded my path. I tried to go around her but my efforts were fruitless. I guess I hadn't escaped her after all.

"Did you need something Selene?" I tried to sound casual, although I didn't think I had pulled it off.

"I had a little ... discussion with Xavier last night." Why am I not surprised? Oh, right, I had quite a 'discussion' of my own with Ronan. I sighed, and tried not to goad her. I thought of how I could come up with a peaceful exit. The last thing I needed was Selene as an enemy.

"You know," she started "maybe if you looked like me, he may actually turn an eye in your direction." She smiled slyly.

"It's not that you're grotesque, you just have no prospects. You don't have the ... appeal to hold a man like Xavier." Okay, that wasn't nice at all. I hadn't thought she was that bad a person. Guess I was wrong. I sighed again, and let the breath remove the traces of fury that showed on my face. She continued.

"He will only use you, for your blood and your body. It's his duty! After your wedding day, he will NEVER touch you again, that I can guarantee." She spat her words at me.

"Selene," I felt the anger rise in me like a tidal wave was about to overtake me. I was a little hurt by her words, but I was a fighter and I wasn't about to let it go so easily.

"Not every girl in the palace runs around spreading her legs for every male that walks by. Some of us have dignity!" I shot back at her. Not me of course, I had no dignity, since I was in love with her fiancé, but I'm sure some girls had. I saw the anger in her eyes.

"You Bitch!" She shouted then I saw her hand come hard and fast. The sting was instantaneous and much worse than I had expected. In that moment, I was glad she wasn't a vampire, or the force of her hand on my cheek would have sent me flying halfway down the hall.

I stood there, trapped and stunned, and wished I had immortal powers of my own. If I could only move objects with my mind, I can assure you, every sharp object in this place would have impaled her where she stood. I felt a cold rush of air and heard a voice I never expected.

"What's going on here?" He looked to me but I couldn't look my fiancé in the eyes. I hadn't wanted him to know how hurt and angered I was by her words.

It wasn't that her words were untrue, it was just that I had known about this since I was thirteen and for some reason, I thought that there was a chance I could have been happy. I was naïve. There was no happiness to be found here. I felt the tears well up in my eyes, but I refused to let them overflow.