x
"Most are good people who sometimes do bad things. They are bad people who sometimes do good things."
x
Seven minutes in heaven was always an innocent game for me. But we were talking about the blue bloods and it was very clear that they didn't do innocent.
"Let's play a game," Satin proposed as soon as we all met in a random room hours later. They had added me to their little group chat as if to say, you're a blue blood now, but I was very close to muting it. "Seven minutes in heaven."
Mason glanced over at me uneasily. "Are we sure we want to play a game so..."
"Sexual?" Gloria finished, an easy smile taking place as she watched me with a feline grace. "Oh, but dear Vesper cannot be that innocent."
Avery took that as his cue to play the role of a protective boyfriend and drew me closer with an arm wrapped around my waist. I resisted the urge to flinch as he leaned by my ear and murmured quietly, "If you're uncomfortable, I can make an excuse for you."
I only whispered back by his ear, "It's fine. This is just another test."
Kalina took a swig of alcohol, eyes bright. "Oh how I love this game."
I analyzed the room quickly once again. Cole and Erik were sitting on a couch, watching Avery and I. Gloria, Helen, and Satin sat on the other sofa. Blake and Mason were standing on the other side of the wall, leaning against it. Shannon and Kalina were already sitting on the vast Persian carpet, perfect for everyone to sit in a circle.
Three exits. Four if there was a secret one behind the bookshelf. Five if there was another in the walk-in closet beside us.
Blake grinned. "Let's go over the rules quickly. Two people are chosen to go into that closet for seven minutes... with only undergarments."
I would have reacted to that heavily but I had prepared myself for any word that could come out of his mouth. My expression remained neutral.
Satin made her voice smoother, eyeing Avery as she said, "They can do anything they want in those seven minutes. What happens in heaven stays in heaven. Besides, the closet is relatively sound proof."
I was supposed to glare at her but I couldn't manage since I was shaking from keeping in my laughter. I asked another question through coughing. "What do we do during the seven minutes?"
"Listen," Cole responded, dark eyes roaming over me, "And ask questions."
Shannon rolled her eyes, taking the empty alcohol bottle from Kalina. "Someone spins a bottle. Whoever it lands on has to say the truth to whatever they ask."
I felt a chill run up my spine. These games sounded so relatively safe but something in the somberness of the room told me otherwise.
What secrets become spilled when they play these games?
"You can leave," Kalina said quietly to no one but I knew it was directed towards me. "Anyone can."
But no one does. So I don't either.
"Alright," Mason nodded, as we all gathered in a circle. Shannon to my left, Avery to my right. "Let's see who the first two in heaven will be."
He twisted the glass bottle and I watched as it spun at an impossible speed. However, as it stopped gradually, the bottle pointed towards Satin.
She took her time to start stripping with a broad smile. There was no falter in her confidence as she took off her heels, then her shirt, and finally her pants. She stared at Avery who clenched his jaw and looked at me instead.
Did this mean that they've all seen each other relatively naked?
Satin swayed her way into the closet, only in lingerie and a perfect body.
The tension heightened as Mason spun the bottle again. I watched and mentally calculated all possible factors using last time's observations. I estimated who it would land towards, five seconds before the bottle stopped.
Avery took four seconds and as I squeezed his hand in reassurance, it stopped.
Kalina smiled, grimly. "Avery."
He sat there, furious. He probably still loved Satin. And now, I wasn't sure what would happen in that closet between the both of them. And for some inexplicable reason, I felt a strange emotion in my gut.
Erik watched me, his expression darkening.
"Avery," I nudged him, feeling every person's eyes on me, "It's okay."
Avery took off his loose shirt in one swift movement, his muscles tensing. I avoided the urge to look at his sculpted abdomen or the long scar that was carved into his skin. A single silver chain hung around his neck. I swallowed as his fingers slowly undid his pants, thumb hooked around the loop of his waistband. That was when I looked away, unable to watch.
This was a bad idea.
Avery Dragomir was a bad idea.
Shannon was turned away from her brother, looking disgusted. Her eyes, however, met mine in sympathy. Kalina only took another gulp of beer as Gloria stared shamelessly.
My heart thrummed in my chest as I heard Avery stand, pausing as if he weren't sure what to say. He padded toward me and I sat facing away from him, just as unsure. Avery startled me as he leaned down to kiss the top of my head gently before disappearing into the closet.
Mason started a timer. "Well. You have him fucking whipped."
"Don't be too sure," Blake smiled sickly, glancing at the closet.
Kalina only scoffed and leaned forward to spin the bottle. It landed on Erik, who stayed emotionless the whole time.
"Erik... hm," Kalina's eyes roamed around before they landed on me. An epiphany lit up her eyes. "What is your relationship with Vesper Du Sang?"
It was chilling, hearing one of my secrets spoken. They've finally realized I was a Du Sang.
My shoulders tensed instantly and that tiny gesture wasn't missed by anybody. I stared at Erik, hoping he wouldn't give me away but there was anger in his eyes. Anger that started after seeing me with Avery together. Slowly, Erik said without breaking my gaze, "Ex-boyfriend. Almost ex-fiancé."
Kalina let out a broken laugh, not expecting that at all. I saw the shock in their expressions. And I saw how they realized I wasn't the person they thought I was. More and more layers to me.
Cole only smiled. "If you're the hare, play the fox. If you're the fox," he stared at me and that hatred I had for him bubbled, "play the hare."
Erik spun the bottle. It landed on Blake. "What's your body count during your relationship with Hel?"
Helen only had that cold expression as she regarded Blake, who stared wrathfully at Erik. He finally admitted, "Four. Not including Helen."
Helen stared straight ahead at the wall and Gloria squeezed her hand. I knew she was embarrassed, especially with me here, but there was no reason to. I already guessed earlier and besides, no matter how much of a bitch she was, even Helen shouldn't be treated this way.
The bottle landed on me. Blake's lips twisted as he asked, "Are you a virgin?"
A moan escaped from the closet. My stomach lurched, sick.
I barely managed to compose myself. "No."
Some of them glanced at the closet or Erik but didn't say anything else.
I spun the bottle at the right speed so that it would land on the person I had been dying to ask a question. Gloria.
Fear seeped into her eyes as I smiled. "Did you attempt to drug me at Avery's birthday party?"
Gloria's mouth opened. Closed. Opened.
I repeated for her slowly. "Did you or did you not, Gloria?"
"Yes," she whispered. "I did."
"That's why you had someone following me," I nodded emotionlessly, the disgust growing in me. These people were disgusting. "Why? So that he could rape me?"
"It's not your turn," Helen snapped, "It's-"
The door opened just as the timer went off. Avery must have been counting down to the millisecond as I was. The relief at the sight of him was so much that my body relaxed visibly. Then I remembered the moans and felt sick all over again.
What happens in heaven stays in heaven.
Satin was a mess who walked out a minute later. She was sweaty, unlike Avery who looked disgusted, and had wobbled out, muttering about needed to go to the bathroom.
"Seven minutes," Avery slipped on his loose shirt, "in hell."
Mason tossed him some alcohol. "Happy Birthday man."
As Mason spun the bottle again and it landed on me. I groaned inwardly, not wanting to show my body in front of all these people. None of them had seen me nude. The door opened softly and I knew even Satin had come back.
"Don't be a prude," Blake smiled lazily, hungrily staring at my body.
I slipped out of my black sweater first. My slender fingers undid the buttons of my white collared blouse and Avery's silver eyes held mine. The restrain it must have taken him to not even glance at my body was impressive. My blouse fell to the ground and then my black skirt and finally, I took off my black tights.
I stood there uncomfortably in a white bra and underwear, with my scars, feeling naked.
I could feel Helen judging every inch of me. Satin sneering. Gloria haughtily sniffing. Kalina taking another drink.
"Damn," Shannon whistled appreciatively, "How did my brother pull you?"
Avery scowled at her and I softly walked into the closet, wishing I was more covered. Who would it be? Who did I want it to be?
The door shut and it was completely dark save for a dim lamp on the wall. Enough light to see my body.
Still, I could tell by those footsteps and the pace.
"Erik," I said, breathing a little hitched.
"Vesper," Erik responded, unable to keep his eyes off of me. "When did you change?"
I paused, looking straight into his eyes. "I don't know what you want me to say, Erik. Maybe since we broke up?"
Erik stiffened but it was almost imperceptible. He had grown up with power, money, and everything in his palm. His suits and ties told every person in the room that they would bend for him.
When he met me, he finally realized he couldn't have everything.
"You left." He was only in his boxers. Erik was shorter than Avery but broader. Blonde, perfectly combed hair, as opposed to dark, messy hair. "There's a difference."
Suddenly, I couldn't look at him anymore. Why was I comparing him to Avery? "Is there?"
Erik took a step closer to me and I resisted the urge to step back. "Almost three years. You collapsed and I never heard from you again."
That was dramatic. "I thought it was clear enough I wanted you to go to Harvard."
His expression was stormy. "How could I, when my girlfriend didn't want to? We were going to be engaged at Harvard, and then married after we graduated."
"I broke up with you before my father even called," I snapped at him, gripping the wall to steady myself. "I told you. I didn't want to be a factor in your decision. You just couldn't accept that I ended it!"
"Of course I couldn't," Erik almost raised his voice, eyes full of raw pain he hadn't shown anyone before. Not even me. "I loved you, Vesper."
I heard his unspoken words.
I still love you.
My heart squeezed tightly. I had loved him. I grew up with this boy, who was my only friend, and when I left for boarding school, he decided to come with me instead of enrolling to Queens Academy as he was always meant to.
All because he loved me.
Erik then wrapped an arm around me in a way that was so foreign, so different from the way Avery did. He brought his head down close enough until his lips were a feather away.
What happens in heaven, stays in heaven.
Memories of Erik kissing me flooded. I never let it escalate but Erik was always patient. Always kissing me sweetly, as if I were a delicate flower.
I wanted to kiss him. I did, but my rational mind wouldn't let me make this stupid decision. It was unfair to him.
"I'm sorry, Erik," the words were cold as I pulled away from his grasp, "I'm in love with someone else."
I couldn't let any feelings get in the way. Not when I was here for only one thing. Besides, Erik deserved someone who could be vulnerable to him, who could be someone he could protect. And I wasn't that girl.
I couldn't be.
I hoped that he would give up on me but instead, I saw the spark of challenge in his eyes. "Avery? Do you really love Avery Dragomir?"
Even now, the question always caught me off guard. I swallowed with difficulty. "Erik..."
"Answer the damn question," he said quietly. "You want to kiss me. I know you do. But you won't, for him."
What else could I say? "Do you really think I would date someone I didn't love?"
"I don't know," Erik gritted his teeth, "but I do know that grief makes people do irrational things."
"I'm not grieving," I snapped back instantly, feeling the sting and feeling my lie anchor onto me. Erik only lifted an eyebrow and I stepped back, overwhelmed. "You think I'm using him?"
"Aren't you?" he challenged me, refusing to back down.
Yes. Yes I was.
But I had a role to play. And secrets to keep.
I straightened and controlled every little bit of my expression. Carefully, with all the conviction I could muster, I said, "I love him. I love Avery Dragomir."
The silence that filled the room made me want nauseous. I was breaking him. I was breaking his heart.
Erik Solar was my best friend before he was my love.
I was hurting him.
"Vesper," he said, emotionless. "You don't even know who he is."
"Actually-"
"He'll shatter you," Erik was furious, desperate, and so so sad. "He'll steal your heart unknowingly, break it when he realizes he was a thief, and then give you back all the pieces."
"Stop talking," I resisted the urge to laugh-cry. Erik could kiss me right now and I wasn't sure what I would do. I wasn't sure if I would pull away because I've only known kissing him back. "I want you to stop talking, Erik."
"I will," he nodded, respecting that. "Once you tell me what you love about him."
I closed my eyes. Erik could read me better than most people, but only because he had grown up with me. If he hadn't, I would be unreadable. He knew me well enough to see through full lies.
But not half lies.
"What do I love?" I repeated, counting the seconds. "I love that he's always thinking. That under all his smirks and taunts he's gentle. That when he loves it isn't selfish. It's a wildfire. One that consumes you."
No response. I could do this, I told myself. I just had to convince Erik Solar.
"I love that he may be the only person in this world that truly understands me."
When I opened my eyes again, Erik was gone. The closet door had swung open. Someone else blocked the doorway.
Avery was there instead, smiling wryly.
x