Page 70 of If You Dare

“Chloe would love this. She told me if I kept refusing to do anything with my hair, I should just chop it off.” I freeze. This may be the first time I’ve brought up Chloe casually to Aneesa. To anyone since she died.

Aneesa flashes an easy smile. “She sounds like she knew what she was talking about.”

Relief floods through me as I return her smile. I can’t remember the last time I felt anything other than devastation and sorrow at the memory of my best friend. “She did.”

Part of me wants to tell Aneesa about Wes too. Confide in her about our conversation in the restroom. How Wes looked at me when he spotted the jagged haircut Trey gave me. How he couldn’t drag his gaze from me even if he wanted to.

How he held me while I cried. Murmured that he doesn’t want me hurting anymore.

I want to confide in her about all of it. The evidence on my stomach of Trey’s attack. What else he threatened to do to me with that knife.

But Aneesa will definitely run to report the incident if she finds out. Even if I only report what Trey did, Wes will inevitably get wrapped up in it. He’ll suffer too. And despite everything he’s put me through, that’s the last thing I want to do to him.

I just want all the suffering and pain to end.

The text from Wes comes when Aneesa and I are heading back from the dining hall to our dorm room.

Come to the beta theta pi party.

Another party. There’s no way I want to go to that. I don’t think Wes has any evil plans for me, but I’m sure the rest of the Devils will be there.Treywill be there. Who knows if he’ll stop at cutting up my stomach this time.

My hands are unsteady while I text back.

Why?

I want to see you.

Wear something sexy.

Who else will be there?

Don’t worry about them.

I told them to leave you alone.

You’re mine now.

My heart pounds, but I try to keep my voice casual. “Hey, Aneesa? Do you want to go to a party with me tonight?”

She frowns. “Please tell me you’re not talking about the Beta Theta Pi party.”

“What if I am?”

She sighs. “You know Wes is going to be there. If you go, he’s definitely going to do something to you.”

“I think that’s behind us now, actually. We talked and...we’re moving forward.”

Aneesa’s features contort. “You don’t actually believe that, do you? He’s been tormenting you for months, Violet. This is just another trick.”

No. Not after that conversation in the bathroom. Not after he cleaned the blood off my stomach and held me while I cried, murmuring reassurances into my hair. Wes is different now. Things have changed between us.

I’m almost sure of it.

“That’s why you should go with me,” I tell her.

“I can’t go. I’m heading home for the weekend,” Aneesa says, and the small bubble of hope in my chest pops. “And you better not be going either. In fact, you should go home this weekend too. Talk to your mom—try to mend things with her. I know it’s bothering you.”

I shrug. “I’m fine with it.”

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