"Now we got problems
And I don't think we can solve 'em"
I feel the blood in my body boil. The old man gave her all his money and me nothing? That's when it occurs to me, I was his clear favourite. He wouldn't do this willingly.
"Someone get my gun." I announce calmly, I see horror strike across Avery's face. "You don't have a gun." Xander speaks beside me.
"Well then I'll have to fucking kill her with my bare hands." I laugh manically. I start walking towards her but Grayson puts one hand in front of my chest and pushes me back. I glare at him, "Grayson." I warn. "Spencer." He replies, challenging me. I step back with my hands raised in surrender.
"It's fine, I'll just slit her throat while she sleeps." I smile innocently. Oren steps in front of her. "Oren, what are you doing?" Zara asks cautiously.
"I read my letter. The old man wishes for me to continue my job for Avery." He explains bravely. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I roll my eyes and groan loudly.
Our new guests leave with Oren and Alisa and most of us take it as an opportunity to open our letters. I look over Jameson's shoulder and see a large paragraph of words.
I make my way to the upstairs balcony to be alone as everyone starts dispersing to their own rooms. My eyes flick back to my own letter, completely blank.
Dear Spence,
Sincerely, TTH
I stick it up to the light just to be sure but nothing. Just blank space.
I fold the paper when I see Jameson approaching me, he sits on the thick stone railing that my elbows rest on.
"What does it say?" He asks eventually, his hair blowing gently with the cool evening breeze. "Nothing." I shrug off. "Well you being secretive doesn't bother me because I already know what it says." He says confidently.
"How?" I ask, going along with his sureness. "We all got the same message, all five of us." He explains.
"Really? Give me yours." I order. He takes out his folded up letter from the inside pocket to his tux.
I read it quickly as if I'm just scanning briefly over the words but in reality I make sure to take in every word carefully.
Jameson,
Better the devil you know than the one you don't - or is it? Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. All that glitters is not gold. Nothing is certain but death and taxes. There but for the grace of God go I.
Don't judge.
- Tobias Tattersall Hawthorne
I take a deep breath, "The same, aren't they?" He asks, I nod in response. He doesn't need to know that in reality my letter is empty.
I go back to my wing, on my way I pass by the old man's portrait, making sure to stick the middle finger up to him on the way. Once I return to my room I change outfits.
I wear white denim high waisted shorts and a red bikini underneath, on top I place a baggy peach shirt. We're nearing the end of February right now however the temperature still remains hot year round in Texas.
I don't plan to swim, I hate swimming. I am however unpleasantly surprised when I find Grayson already in the pool swimming laps.
I let my annoyance be known with a huff as I lay flop onto a sun lounger. "Sorry my presence is an inconvenience to you." He speaks, raising his body out of the water so he can talk to me.
"Yeah, I'll get over it." I tut. "What are you doing?" He asks. "Fishing. What the fuck do you think I'm doing Grayson?" I hiss. "You can have the pool to yourself, I'm showering." He tells me.
"Why? Didn't you just get out here?" I ask, "I'll come back in later tonight, I'm paying a visit to our new heiress." He rolls his eyes.
"You know where she is?" I pounce. "Yes, she's staying at the old man's second hotel for the time being." He explains.
"Very well." I nod, "Have fun then." I finalise.
The second he is inside and out of sight I creep into the garage where I get inside the car that the old man bought me for my seventeenth birthday.
I drive out of the driveway, and head for the hotel. When I arrive I park in the car park, taking my keys, my phone and my pocket knife. I make sure to hide the knife in my back pocket out of sight.
I make it passed security easily by simply putting on a fake smile and saying 'long time no see' and 'it's been too long, how are you?' Which works surprisingly well.
When I get to the room she is currently in I knock gently on the door. Oren answers and gives the most tired and 'i don't get paid enough' sigh possible.
"Good evening." I smile politely. He shuts the door on my face and through the door I can hear him "You have a visitor." He announces. "Who is it?" Avery asks, "Spencer Alice Hawthorne." He informs her.
I hear a sigh, "Is she safe?" Avery asks, "About as dangerous as a butterfly. Her bark is worse than her bite." He laughs. I grit my teeth, i bet my bite will be pretty lethal when I stab her.
The door opens again, this time I'm met with Avery. "Good Evening, Avery." I smile falsely.
"Oren? May I speak to Avery alone?" I ask calmly. He glances to Avery, she nods to him letting him know she feels safe being left alone with me. He still looks sceptical.
"Well Avery, I got my period and I've had quite a struggle removing my tampon, i was wondering if, girl to girl, you would be able to assist me in removing the blood coated tampon?" I ask smiling brightly.
I hear a door close and Oren is gone, my favourite method of emptying a room has worked yet again. I step inside and close the door behind me.
I quickly place my hand over Avery's mouth and pin her against the wall in not even seconds. "God, you really should learn some self defence that was fucking pathetic." I scoff quietly.
I remove my pocket knife from my back pocket, she begins thrashing around horrified. "Oh calm down princess." I laugh, still staying quiet enough for Oren to stay unsuspicious.
I stroke her face softly with the end of the knife, she looks terrified, keeping her eyes on the knife at all times. I suddenly place the knife by her throat ready to slice her neck open. "Stop moving you fucking pussy."
I press the knife down on her neck until it won't go down anymore without drawing blood. "I don't care what kind of seduction you had over our Grandfather but I'll not stop until I get that money whether that means killing you with my own bare hands" I warn.
"Do you understand?" I ask, she stays still, "I said do you fucking understand?" I yell. She nods against my hand, this alerts Oren who runs out of the room he was once followed.
"Hey!" He yells, pulling me aggressively off Avery.
"Oh relax, i was just leaving, your bitch is fine." I scoff pushing Oren off me, then placing my knife back in my pocket.
"Spencer, get your shit together!" He yells. I stick up my middle finger at him as I leave. As I'm exiting the room, Avery runs out and shoves me.
I turn back around to her and make her jump simply by pretending to take a step forward. "Yeah that's what i thought."
— — —
Later that evening I'm met with a sharp knock to my door. "Entrez s'il vouplait." I speak loudly. I'm currently sprawled across the end of my bed scrolling through my phone.
I don't look up until the person is standing right above me. "Good evening Grayson, to what do I owe the pleasure." I smile. "I heard about your little visit to Avery." He jumps right to the point.
"I haven't the slightest clue what you're on about." I shrug delicately. Grayson walks towards my desk and picks up my pocket knife. "I assured her it would never happen again. Can you promise me that?" He asks.
"I can promise you that I will not threaten her with a knife again." I say solemnly. "Or any other object?" He adds, "Or any other object." I repeat with a grin.
"Very well then." He nods. Once he's finished with the business part of his visit he places my knife back down and starts flipping through some books on my shelf.
"Care to accompany me to a swim?" Grayson offers, still inspecting one of the books. "Now?" I ask, "after dinner." He decides. "I'll see you then." I nod.
Then he walks down to the dining room with me. "You couldn't have worn something a little nicer?" My Mother sighs, looking me up and down.
"I wasn't going to get changed just so I could eat dinner for an hour then get changed back." I reply.
"Well that would've been better than coming to dinner in a slutty bikini, you look like you're about to go to work in some strip club." She does that one 'Mom look' that every kid knows, the one that says 'you know I'm right'.
"Just practicing for my future." I smile back, already done with her judgement. I lean over her and grab a dinner roll from the basket.
She tuts, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." And pinches the fat on my open stomach. I place the roll back down.
Suddenly I'm 13 again, leaning over the toilet trying to make myself throw up after Skye didn't let me buy a two piece because I was 'too fat'.
I move towards my usual seat, "Uh uh, kids table." Zara speaks as if she's talking to a baby.
'Kids table' also known as 'Fuck off, we're having a grown up conversation and can't be bothered dealing with you.'
I saunter down the hall until I reach the small table that you would likely find in a normal home. I sit down next to Xander, opposite Grayson who is next to Jameson, Nash sits at the head of the table next to me.
"Hey Nash, you know that teacher Mrs Treusch?" I ask, glancing at Jameson who smirks slightly.
Nash goes a little red, "What do you think of her?" I ask subtly. "Yeah- she's.. she's good. Good teacher." He nods awkwardly.
Jameson and I burst out laughing. "Not her too?" Xander sighs in disgust. "Oh god, oh- oh- YEEEEEHAAAAA!" I moan loudly, mocking him.
He swats my arm and goes bright red with embarrassment.
Dinner is served, all of us -except Nash- are in fits of laughter.
Everyone starts eating their food, from across the room I meet Skye's eyes. I take a couple bites of my food slowly.
"Spencer and I are going swimming after dinner if anyone wants to join us" Grayson offers.
"Can't, I'm busy." Jameson replies quickly. I raise an eyebrow, "Busy doing what exactly?" I ask suspiciously. "Nothing." He replies immediately.
"He's up to something." Nash speculates. "He's probably just off for a wank." I shrug.
We joke about it for a while longer teasing him, everyone seems to finish up eating yet my plate is still mostly full.
"Spence, you wanna maybe eat a little more?" Jameson hints with a kind smile, this alerts everyone else to my full plate.
"Nah, my stomachs a little sore." I tell them. "You've only ate half the side salad, you should try the chicken it was really good tonight." Nash encourages me.
So they all watch as I cut off a small piece of chicken and swallow it. "Delicious." I say flatly. "Have some more." Grayson tells me.
"I really can't stomach anymore, my cramps are really back right now and my appetite is just gone." I lie. My favourite excuse works yet again.
When I get back to my room before we go swimming, I decide to take off my bikini and replace it with a more flattering one piece.
When I'm changing I find myself looking at my reflection in the mirror. I suck my stomach in as far as it'll go, then the second I breathe out again I feel disgusted again.
I frown as I pinch onto all the fat on my stomach just like my Mother had previously. If I could take scissors and just cut it all off I would.
My stomach has always been a burden to me, ever since I was 7 and Skye bought me a pretty dress. The dress didn't fit and I felt so sad because I loved the dress. That was around the first time I looked in the mirror and didn't like what I saw.
It's not just my stomach, it's my thighs too.
Later that night when Grayson and I went out to the pool, I told him I had to change for girl reasons and yet again he stopped asking questions.
We swam for an hour or so until it becomes to late. We both went inside and went our separate ways. I was happy to have swam for long enough to have burned off the calories of dinner, or at least the small amounts of it that I ate.
I can go to sleep happy tonight.