Chapter 20
DREAD
Roxi’s dorm is a two-minute walk from Reverie’s, which really fucking bothers me.
“How the hell do you even know where she lives?” Reverie asks from beside me, like I’m the serial killer, while her little legs struggle to keep up.
“I asked Severen and Rogue if they knew who she was. Severen recognized her name. Guess she’s on the lacrosse team with Octavia.”
“And she told you where Roxi lives?”
“Well, she told Severen, and only because he told her Roxi is dating your dad and we’re concerned about her.” I flick an amused look her way. “By the way, you broke them up.”
Her expression doesn’t change as she deadpans, “Oh, no.”
I shake my head and grin.
He’s the only one out of the three of us who doesn’t avoid domestic relationships like the bubonic plague. Unfortunately for him, he was falling in love with her.
And now she wants nothing to do with him.
I’d feel bad about it if half the shit we pulled weren’t his and Rogue’s own ideas. I never asked for their help, but they gave it anyway, because they’re loyal-ass fuckers who couldn’t stand to see her happy while I walked around with a hole in my heart.
I may be a dick, but I can’t say my friends are any better.
“After you stormed out, she dumped her iced tea over his head, and he just sat there and took it,” I tell her.
She purses her lips, and though she doesn’t appear guilty, per se, she doesn’t exactly seem thrilled, either.
I almost hate that I'm getting to know her, because now, I'm beginning to see her as someone who feels compassion for people who probably don’t deserve it.
And I haven't entirely decided if she's someone who deserves my compassion, either.
We get to Roxi’s dorm, the warm air inside a balm to the chilly winter frost clinging to my skin. I lead Reverie down the hallway on the first floor and stop in front of Roxi’s door.
Rev flicks a glance my way and wets her bottom lip. “What are we supposed to say?” she whispers.
I cross my arms and casually lean my shoulder against the wall. I’m a few inches back from the doorframe, just out of sight, so Roxi won’t see me right away. I anticipate she won’t be thrilled to see my face.
“We need to ask if it’s her hair, see if she’ll confess to seeing Lionel here.”
She nods, but she doesn’t knock. She just stands there and stares, fidgeting with her shirt, shifting her weight from one leg to the other, raising and dropping her hand.
I grin. She’s really fucking cute when she’s nervous.
I can read her thoughts as easily as if she were an open book. She’s worried that her father’s inside the room.
I hope to fucking God he is.
“Knock, darling,” I urge quietly.
She casts me a glance that tells me to shut the fuck up and raps her knuckles on the door.
So fucking lightly.
I’m fairly certain only an owl or a bat could hear that.
I drop my chin, my face falling flat as I give her an ‘are you fucking kidding me?’ look. She huffs, blows her thin, overgrown bangs out of her eyes from the corner of her mouth, and knocks again.
A little better. Barely.
But it’s enough to trigger the sound of footsteps heading toward the door. Reverie’s hand trembles, and I have the indescribable urge to grab it.
The door swings open, and Reverie instantly forces a too large smile to her face, those copper eyes swirling with panic.
“He-ey,” she says awkwardly.
“Rev?” Roxi asks.
Reverie clears her throat. “Are you, uh, busy right now?”
Silence for a beat. “Uh, no? How did you know where I— Oh my God, never mind!” She laughs to herself. “I’m sure you spoke to Lionel. Duh! Anyway, yeah, come on in.”
Reverie flicks a wide-eyed stare my way, and I roll my eyes.
I was hoping she’d get more information first before making me reveal myself, but the girl can’t act for shit.
So, I straighten and swing my body into the opening, causing Roxi to startle.
She gasps and takes a step back, her hand flying to her chest as she stares at me with rounded brown eyes.
She’s a cute girl, I guess. She has that shy, girl-next-door look going for her, but I would hazard a guess she’s a little spitfire, based on her obnoxiously bright red cat-eye glasses.
My theory is proven when she takes less than a second before blinking at me, anger creasing her brows. Then, she glances at Rev, appearing suspicious and maybe a little hurt, before returning her focus to me with disbelief. Her chest is panting a little too quickly, and her eyes dilate.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” she snaps.
“Am I that scary?” I ask, one corner of my lips curling with amusement.
She scoffs, puffing her chest as if it’s going to make her any less of a shrimp compared to me.
“I would never find you scary,” she spits. Then, she swings an accusatory glare to Reverie. My muscles instantly tense, and I’m tempted to snap her neck just for looking at Rev like that. “Why did you bring him here?”
I reach into my hoodie pocket to pull out the note and curled lock of hair, presenting them to her on a splayed palm. Frowning, she looks down at the items, and then, with a cautionary glance at me, she grabs them. Her eyes skim over the words on the note, and then she rereads it.
“What is this?” she asks, annoyance filtering into her features.
“Uhm, can we come in and explain?” Reverie asks, peering down either side of the hallway anxiously.
“No,” Roxi snips.
Reverie sighs. “Okay, fine then. I came home earlier to my room completely trashed, that note stabbed into my desk with a knife. I was getting ready to transfer schools, and the letter and the hair were next to the application. I thought it looked like your hair, so I wanted to make sure you were okay first, see if you knew whether Lionel had been around.”
“What? Lionel isn’t even in Colorado, silly. And why would I do that to you? Also, what do you mean ‘transfer schools’?” She fires off the questions one after the other, her thick brows furrowed with incredulity.
Reverie side-eyes me, her mouth open but no words coming out. She appears unsure of how much to say, waiting for my input.
I don't come to her rescue, however. I’m still pissed she even tried to transfer.
“Uh, I was c-considering studying abroad,” she stumbles awkwardly, attempting to smooth over the half-truth.
Roxi blinks, jerking her head back, hurt settling into her frown.
“Why? Where? Your father just got out of prison. He hasn’t even gotten to see you yet, Reverie.
” Her voice rises as she continues to admonish Rev.
“He’s been going on and on about how excited he is to grow your guys’ relationship and see you again.
Have you talked to him about this yet, at least? I can't imagine he'd approve.”
My brows fly up.
“A-approve?” Reverie echoes, blinking rapidly, clearly offended now. Her cheeks tinge pink, and fury flashes in her eyes.
Roxi’s brow furrows, staring at Rev with incredulity.
There's a sharp point digging in the middle of my chest, demanding I doubt Reverie and wonder if she's been feeding me lies along, claiming she and Lionel are estranged to save her skin while secretly having a relationship with him all along.
Because the way Roxi is talking, Rev and Lionel seem to be on great fucking terms. Whatever compassion I was beginning to feel earlier wavers.
You saw her transfer papers.
I did. She wasn't lying about that, and she wouldn't be trying to leave the country if she and Lionel have reconciled. Furthermore, I would expect her to have gone and seen him already if that were the case.
I grind my teeth, regretting coming here. It's already fucking with my head, distracting me from the matter at hand: the fucking hair and if Lionel’s in Colorado.
So either Roxi’s a fantastic actress, or she genuinely doesn’t believe Lionel to be here. Nor does she show the slightest bit of guilt about Rev’s room.
Except none of it is convincing when she could be the copycat and a goddamn sociopath, just like her boyfriend. Guilt is the last thing people like Lionel are capable of feeling, and for all we know, she's no different. Maybe she even cut her hair off her goddamn self.
However, all those spiraling thoughts come to a screeching halt when Roxi’s bottom lip trembles.
Oh, Jesus fucking Christ.
She's so offended by Rev wanting to transfer, she’s got tears welling in her eyes, and dealing with her crying is definitely not what I fucking signed up for.
“You’re not her mommy yet, Roxi. No need to lecture her like she’s your child,” I say tonelessly.
Her fiery stare snaps to mine, and phew, she does not like me. How utterly tragic.
But what is tragic is the way she subconsciously cups her stomach.
I feel Reverie’s energy go ice cold, and I know her focus is exactly where mine is.
“You still haven’t answered why you’re even here,” Roxi snaps.
I’m slow to bring my eyes back up to hers, and when I do, Roxi’s hand quickly drops to her side.
“You’re pregnant?”
No sense in beating around the bush.
Her cheeks flush red. “No.” A beat passes. “I don’t know.”
My brows jump up my forehead again, and I silently mouth, “Wow.”
That’s… that’s going to be a fucking problem.
Truthfully, it makes me sick to my stomach. Lionel bringing more life into this world while carelessly stealing it away from others is…
My entire body heats, anger steadily filling my veins.
It's fucking disgusting.
Reverie's mouth flops, staring at Roxi as if she's seen a ghost.
“Did he come here?” she asks.
“No, I went and visited him soon after he got home.”
Why does she sound so fucking defensive?
“Jesus, you two wasted no fucking time, huh?” I say, flicking my gaze up and down her form with distaste. “He's been out of prison for how long, and you're already letting him knock you up?”
Roxi’s entire face resembles a cherry as she fumes at me. “That’s none of your business, Dreadful.”
She spits out my name like it’s rotten food. I stare at her blankly, confused if that was supposed to hurt my feelings.