Chapter 17 - Vanna
SEVENTEEN
VANNA
I don’t tell him that Hunter’s been reaching out or that I’ve been considering meeting up with him again. It’s all irrelevant to him anyway. We’re not really engaged or even a couple for that matter, so it’s frankly none of his business.
Within a few short minutes, we cross a bridge and make our way to the edge of a creek with a modest waterfall. The sound of rushing water echoes all around us, forcing our conversations to rest.
Stone pushes ahead to lead alongside his mother, and a few feet away from the creek is a tree. Carved into the bark is the initials EC with a heart around it and at the base are the most vibrant yellow daffodils.
Standing behind Ella’s family, I feel like I see her. I see the girl I could have been, the girl I used to be, and I mourn for her. My heart feels heavy and weighted inside my chest. I ache for her life lost and for the broken family before me.
Daphne comes up beside me then and clasps her hand around mine while we watch in silence. Stone, his mother, and Darrin all take turns saying a few words and then etch the year into the bark beneath her initials.
It brings tears to my eyes watching them hurt so much.
When they’re finished, I have the urge to hug Mrs. Belmont, so I do. She sobs into my shoulder while we rock, like a boat battling a tidal wave. Then a pair of muscular arms wrap around me from behind and I find myself stuck between Stone and his mother.
Yet, I don’t find it as weird as I should have. Not today, not this moment.
“I think Ella would have loved you.” Mrs. Belmont tells me, taking a deep breath.
“I’m sure we would’ve gotten along famously.” I offer her a sad smile as she pulls away.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m hungry and desperately need a drink. Let’s head back.” She collects herself, then trudges past us up the hill and back over the bridge.
We follow, a little less chatty than we were before. There’s something about seeing the exact spot a soul left its body that doesn’t really put you in the mood for conversation.
Everyone must feel this way because the trek to the car was solemn and quiet.
It takes the entire car ride to the nearest bar to shed the mourning vibes and begin the celebration part. From what I’ve gathered today, when Ella felt good, she was the life of the party. An absolute treasure to be around. I regret not being able to meet her while she was alive.
Toward the end of dinner, the Belmonts leave the four of us on our own with the promise to see us later tonight.
We were still an hour away, but thanks to Daphne being pregnant, we had a designated driver. Therefore, the rest of us were very, very drunk.
“If this thing between you two doesn’t happen, I’m going to be so freaking pissed.” Jace shouts, pointing his finger between us.
Daphne shushes him and lowers his hand to his lap with an embarrassed chuckle.
I glower, but Stone smirks. The point of his canines show themselves and once again I’m thinking about how it felt to have those little knives dig into my skin.
“Well, it’s not going to.” I snort.
“Says who?” Stone objects.
“Me. Duh. Besides, Hunter’s been hounding me to meet up.”
Daphne’s eyes widen in concern. “What?”
“He’s been really apologetic, and I think I might hear him out.”
“You can’t get back with him, Van. Don’t do it.” She groans.
I shrug, thinking it over. What’s the worst that can happen? He apologizes for the millionth time?
“You’re not going to do it.” Stone states arrogantly.
“And why the hell wouldn't I?”
“Because I know you like me.” He lowers his mouth to my ear. “And we have a bet that I intend to make you lose. That would be quite awkward with your ex around.”
I shove him away from me. “I tolerate you because we’re roommates. Not to mention, this whole engagement thing was forced on me. Don’t mistake that for anything other than what it is.”
“Vanna.” Daphne bites. I swing my scowl her way and she flinches. “Don’t make me say it.”
Her voice is a whispered plea that might as well have been a scream.
This is starting to feel like an intervention.
“Then don’t.”
“He’s abusive and you know it.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Stone interrupts, yanking on my shoulder so I face him. “You’d rather get back with someone who abused you than give me a shot? Am I really that terrible?”
I don’t mean to flinch, yet I do anyway. “He’s not abusive.”
“Vanna! How can you say that?” Daph growls.
“He’s never hit me.”
“No, he’s just manipulated you into believing that him cheating was your fault? That you deserved all the shit he put you through because of those months you struggled to pick yourself up? That he was the only reason you were happy? Don’t you remember the night I found you?”
The last question fell with the tears now streaming down her face.
For some reason, it was triggering enough to force Stone to his feet and walk away.
I don’t like the feeling I get watching him leave.
There’s this part of me that wants to follow him, to explain that I’ve grown since then.
That I wouldn’t do what his sister did, but then I remember that it doesn’t matter.
I don’t mean to him what his sister meant to him.
“Daph, I don’t need you to remind me.”
I don’t follow Stone because that would mean on some level I do care about him. However, I do end up outside the bar, settling by his side.
He lifts a joint to his lips and takes a deep inhale. I expect him to say something like he always does, but he’s quiet, forcing me to explain myself.
“I’m not choosing him over you because there’s nothing between us. Hunter and I have a history together. A deep history and I’m ready to hear him out.”
Stone doesn’t say a word, just sits there on the curb and sucks on the end of his joint. I reach to grab it from him, but the glare in his eyes changes my mind and I lower my hand back to my lap.
“He wasn’t abusive.”
“No, not abusive. Just brings you to a place that makes you want to end your life. Not abusive at all.” He scoffs.
“Why do you even care?”
The chuckle he omits is dark and defensive. “Because I fucking do, Vanna. I realize that this engagement is just a ruse, but I’m not sure if you noticed, I like you.”
For a moment, I’m struck with utter shock. I mean it did occur to me that he might like me. Between the kisses and finger fucking, I figured it was a possibility. What didn’t occur to me is the severity of how much he likes me.
“You’re just horny.” I dismiss him.
He glares down at me incredulously.
“What?”
“Whatever, Vanna.” He pushes himself to his feet, stubbing the end of his joint out and pocking what’s left over. “There’s an expiration on this engagement. I just didn’t think there’d be one on our friendship too.”
“Stone.” I call after him as he leaves me to rejoin the others.
Baffled, I take a few minutes to collect myself and think about how the fuck this conversation got so out of hand.
When I sit back down, Stone barely looks at me. That is until he orders another round of shots and slides one my way.
Lifting it, we hold our glasses together - Daph with her water - and Stone clears his throat.
“To old mistakes!” He cheers, then throws the shot back.
The rest of us just watch him confused and a little concerned.
“I’m not cheering to that, but I am taking this shot.” Jace says.
“What he said.” This time I clink my glass with his and we both throw back the liquor.
With that, Daphne stands up, her hands planted on the table.
“I think we should go. Still have a long drive and I’m getting tired.”
We call for the check and pile into the car, Stone and I crowded into the backseats. He spreads out like an arrogant asshole and forces me to press against the side door.
It’s a small SUV, so while there’s space, there isn’t much and he knows how badly I don’t want him to touch me right now.
“So how are you guys going to break the news that your engagement was fake.” Jace decides to ask.
“Dude.” I groan. “Not the time.”
“I’ll dump her on our way home. Call my mom and tell her the news. It’s as simple as that.”
“And what if she doesn’t take it well?”
“She’ll be fine when she sees it was for the best.”
Ouch, that last one shouldn’t hurt like that, but it does. I don’t like this side of Stone.
“Can we not talk about this right now?” I beg.
“Fine. Let’s talk about how you’re going to go home and fuck your abusive ex.”
“Stone!” Daphne scolds.
We stare at each other. The tension roiling off the two of us is palpable. I am ready to kill him.
“How’s he going to feel when he finds out you’re living with me? Someone you’re engaged to?”
“We are not engaged!”
“That ring says otherwise.”
I tug the ring off and whip it at him. He scoffs a laugh and picks it up off the floor.
“Real nice, Vanna, but that doesn’t take back the last two days.”
“Do you hear yourself? Two fucking days of a fake engagement and you’re threatening me with that?”
He shrugs, spinning my ring on the tip of his finger.
“Maybe we play the quiet game.” Daphne suggests sheepishly, tossing me an apologetic look through the rearview mirror.
I just slam my head back against the seat and close my eyes for the remainder of the drive.
The rest of the night only gets worse.
As we’re climbing into bed, he actively ignores me until I’m on the brink of sleep. Just as every muscle in my body deflates and I sink a little deeper into the mattress, I’m jostled awake.
Gasping at the sudden grip on my hand, I whip my head toward Stone. Without bothering to meet my stare, he shoves my ring back onto my finger. It’s not a sweet move, not a move that says I’m sorry. It’s aggressive and threatening.
“I look forward to seeing your ex again.”
My heart skips a beat inside my chest at the warning in his tone. I’ve never looked at Stone and found him frightening, but in this moment I do.