Chapter Eleven: Murder and Some Dinner Too
Angelo's POV.
"Are you okay with what my little sister is doing?" Hunter McNamara asked.
I thought they were supposed to be twins.
"Indifferent," was my simple reply as I changed the books in my locker for the next class, I wasn't in the mood to elaborate.
"Well then check this out!" Hunter McNamara exclaimed, shoving his phone up to my face (did he really have to?) and making me move back so I could see the video Susan made of Violet and I.
"One thousand likes and counting!"
That was... astounding. "Oh" I said.
In the short video, Violet was standing there watching the other people dance, her arms wrapped around herself. I walked up to her from behind, both of us in black and silver, said something that made her turn around, held out my hand and she put her hand in mine.
The caption was a black heart emoji.
The number of likes at the side of the video was increasing by each second.
I took the phone from Hunter and leaned on my shut locker watching it as it played on a loop.
God, she really looked amazing, I'd replayed all the memories of her on Saturday night over and over in my mind.
The black dress, her hair, the way she laughed at me when I for once tried to say many things with food in my mouth.
This video hid the details though, no one would ever hear how disoriented she sounded when she spoke to me or how bad her hand was shaking. I just wished she would tell me what was going on.
I had to blink several times to clear my head, I wasn't here to help Violet, I didn't need to know what was up with her, it wasn't my business.
But you've already made it your business, it's been your business for a long, long time, my subconscious reminded me. You want to treat her better, don't you?
Yeah, I'd asked her the dumb question and she'd laughed before hugging me so quickly I couldn't remember how it felt.
"Whatever." I said with a shrug and handed Hunter McNamara his phone back. "Your sister is good with the camera by the way."
He gave me a what-the-hell look, "Dude, whatever?" He asked, "um...it's giving everyone the wrong idea."
That was the goal.
"Their problem." I muttered and turned just in time to see Violet wandering down the hallway with her head down, curly hair up in a ponytail.
"Hi Violet!" Hunter called and her head snapped to our direction, startled but with an automatic smile on her lips that looked practiced and didn't reach her eyes.
"Hi guys," she said, addressing us both but not once looking at me. Then she hurried down the last few metres and slipped into the class.
I frowned, that was definitely odd.
"Well, looks like she's in a hurry," Hunter shrugged. "I am too. See you later, bro."
"Sure," I muttered and went into the same class Violet had just entered.
We only had three classes together as far as I knew.
There was an empty seat at the second line on the row closest to the door. I took it, avoiding the fluttering lashes and eye contact of the people around me so I could find Violet.
There she was by the window right across the room, next to Annie who was talking in hushed tones with her. They both looked my way, the moment Violet caught my gaze she closed her eyes with a rather pained expression and turned to the window.
Great, you scared her away by asking her that question, well done. My subconscious chided.
Even as the class went on, my eyes just kept going back to her, across the room, like magnets. I didn't notice until my neck started to hurt.
Halfway through the class, she held her head in what seemed like pain and tiredly rest her head on the table. Annie released her hair from the ponytail probably thinking the band was too tight.
"Look out..." The girl next to me whispered and I turned just in time to see a red marker fly at my face from the teacher's direction.
"Hey, new kid, listen!"
My hand swiped out to catch it without me thinking about it.
"Whoa" my seatmate chuckled.
I glared at the teacher who immediately compressed into himself with regret "I was aiming for...your head"
"You're just a lawsuit waiting to happen." I informed him.
"Sir, my friend really needs to go to the nurse's office!" Annie said, standing up abruptly.
The teacher sighed in relief, "Thank God- I- I mean what's wrong with her?"
Violet spoke softly, sanding as well, "It's just a headache, I'll be fine with a little medicine..."
Annie made way for her to pass, "Come on, let's-"
"I'll go with her!" My subconscious said.
Wait... That wasn't my subconscious, that was me. Crap.
"Uh..." I stood up, "yeah, I'll go"
"Back off, Frances." Annie growled.
I glared at the teacher who piqued up immediately. "Let this young man escort her to the nurse's office, thank you Miss Norway."
Annie made two fingers, pointed them at her eyes and pointed them in my direction. I'm watching you.
I rolled my eyes and opened the door to let Violet out after she got a Hall pass.
"Please go back" she said once we were out of the class room.
"Why? What's wrong?" I asked and grabbed her arm, making her spin around to face me.
Her hazel eyes were red rimmed and tired, I felt sorry interrogating her but something just seemed off. She still wouldn't look directly at me.
"I want you to leave me alone" She said, her voice shaky and timid.
"What?" I let her arm go and slipped my hands in my pockets.
"Yeah, we're not friends. I get that you're my b- boyfriend's cousin but that doesn't make us friends. Forget everything, stay away from me." She finally looked up at me and I hated how terrified she looked.
Hale, my subconscious whispered and I immediately agreed with him.
"Please" she pleaded softly before reaching up and holding her head in pain. "I have to go."
"I understand," I shrugged and turned to walk away. In my head, my subconscious was humming the happy birthday tune on repeat.
(╭☞•́⍛•̀)╭☞
Violet's POV
"Why do I have to go through this every week?" I murmured under my breath as I climbed the last of the many stairs leading to the Frances's fancy dining room.
I quietly pushed the door open and walked into the large room. It was empty except for Mr. Frances who was hurriedly wiping something off the tiled floor with a mop.
The air was hanging with something I couldn't place... something bad.
The table was set with food but a chair had fallen over backwards, broken glass from what was most likely a cup was spilled on the floor and table.
At the corner of my eye, where the corridor was, I saw the last of a body, their black, fancy shoed feet being yanked into the darkness of a room.
It was too heavy to be a mannequin.
What Mr. Frances was mopping suddenly appeared to me as blood.
All these things happened in a few moments but it seemed like my brain had slowed it down just for me to understand.
With wide eyes I quickly looked away, just in time for Franca to hurry out of the room she had dragged the body into and shut the door. I made it look like I was admiring the dining table and it's foods before turning to look at them.
I let go of the door handle and stepped into the room fully.
"Oh Violet, welcome!" Franca said cheerfully. She looked perfect and calm while her husband dropped the mop in surprise. "Oh don't be a moron, Hans." She scolded harshly.
"Y-yes dear!" He stammered and as I walked towards the nearest chair, mostly because I needed to support my wobbly legs, I caught Mr. Frances's shaking, terrified eyes before he went on with his work.
"Sorry about the mess," Franca drawled, sipping on her wine with a satisfied smile that scared me straight to my toes. "We got a bit carried away."
Well, maybe it wasn't just how it seemed. I was probably seeing things because Franca and everyone in this house scared me a lot.
"I hope there are dumplings," A voice said and I'd never been happier to hear anyone deadpan in my life.
Angelo walked in through the double doors with Hale right after him, looking pissed until he spotted his mother.
"Hello Mom, where's your guest?" He asked.
"He left honey, come, sit. Let's have dinner." She beamed at everyone but her eyes spent a while longer on my face which I quickly schooled into a small smile.
I didn't see anything. I didn't see anything.
The food tasted bland to my tongue, conversation about a new farm investment floated over my head, Hale's presence next to me was stifling and Angelo was opposite me, as quiet as I was but still very hard to ignore.
For the umpteenth time, I glanced up at him but this time he caught my eye and didn't look away. His eyes could have been made of silver they way they flashed before me.
I wanted so badly to apologize, I didn't want him to leave me alone, I didn't even want to sound so harsh but...
My eyes quickly snapped to my right where Hale was seated before I breathed a sigh of relief. Oh I thought he was watching me but he had all his attention on his mother.
"...yes, I think that's genius mom, you could definitely make a fortune from cacao..."
"Cat-cows?" Angelo asked and my eyes returned to him. He wiggled his eyebrows in such a comical way that I had to cover my mouth to smother my small snort of laughter.
The laughter disappeared the instant I felt Hale's murderous eyes on both of us.
"Inside joke," Angelo shrugged at his cousin by means of explanation.
My eyes widened, he shouldn't have said that!
"That's it!" Hale roared and jumped to his feet, sending his seat flying backwards. "What did I tell you about flirting with my girlfriend?"
"You said it, why you asking me?" Angelo replied cooly, picking a quarter of an orange to bite on.
"Do you have any idea what you are?" Hale asked, "you're nothing and you'll be worse by the time we're done with you!"
Oh no, I already knew what he was going to do! "Wait," I said, grabbing Hale's arm. "He's your cousin, Hale you can't do that..."
"You're defending him?" He asked, truly wondering about my audacity as he shoved me off his arm.
I just made it worse. No!
Hale's fists trembled before he finally slammed the table. "Get out of my house!"
Crap! I looked around at his parents but Franca was watching on with a bored look while the man of the house was helpless, helpless and irrelevant like me.
"Pack your things and leave! You're out on the streets from now on, you hear me?" Hale roared and I covered my mouth with both hands. "You can never come back here for anything, we are not your relatives, we have nothing to do with you from now on. You're on your own!"
"Hale please...!" I said in a last attempt but I got in return was almost a back handed slap. Almost because I stumbled back and he missed.
"Shut UP, Violet," he yelled and I fell back into my seat with trembling legs.
No, he was really mad, I had to leave, once Angelo was out I'd be dead!
I took a glance at the door Franca had come out from and that gave me all the motivation I needed.
Grabbing my purse, I pushed out of the chair and ran for the exit.
"Violet, get back here!" I heard Hale shout but his mother stopped him.
"Let her go, she's harmless" I heard Franca say, "and Happy Birthday, Angelo. I hope you enjoy rainy days."
With tears spilling out the corner of my eyes, I hurried down the steps, into the enterance hall and out into the rain.
~UwU~
I took a short break, I thought you should know. But I'm back and better-?
Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter, dear Reader, please tell me what you think about it.
Rhodes.