Page 88 of Defiant
“Of course I’m right,” she said. “Rumors always flew, especially after what happened a few years ago, but I never thought Archer’s dad was one of them.”
“One of who?”
Bobbi looked uncomfortable, and she sighed. “You know everything that happened with Celeste Chambers a few years back? Well, before her dad was found cut up into dozens of pieces, he used to have parties. Years ago—before Celeste was kidnapped. At these parties, uh…” She shivered. “Sorry, I feel weird talking about it.”
I had no idea where she was going with this, but now that she’d started, I had to hear it. “What happened at the parties?”
“Nathaniel would bring Celeste and make her the star of the party,” she whispered, frowning, looking as though she’d rather discuss anything else. “He’d let his friends take turns, and I’m sure that meant he was also doing it. The only reason I know is because my dad was trying to nail the ring for years, but no one ever fessed up. All he had to go on were rumors.”
Oh, fuck. Oh, no. Was she saying what I thought she was? Did Nathaniel Chambers pimp out his underaged daughter to his rich friends? And, when he was killed, did Mr. Vega take up his mantle or something?
No. Oh, God, no. I didn’t want to think about these things. I felt sick. How the hell could anyone do that to their own daughter?
“And Mr. Vega…” I couldn’t even talk. Fuck, what was Archer going through right now? I couldn’t even imagine.
“Maybe he was one of them. Maybe he never got over his fascination with young girls. I don’t know,” Bobbi spoke, eyebrows creasing. “All I know is, no one in Midpark is an angel. Everyone is hiding something. I feel like it’s only a matter of time until everything comes out.”
Ms. Haber chose that moment to walk out of her office, so Bobbi and I hurried to our seats. I did message Archer, though I knew I shouldn’t. I should’ve deleted his number from my phone the night he’d fucked me over, the night I’d realized how much I’d been lied to, but I never did. My heart still felt for the cute blonde, and now my heart hurt for him.
I felt bad. And if, somehow, this was Vaughn’s fault, if Mr. Vega wasn’t a pedophile, I’d feel even worse. Putting Archer and his mother through this…it was just cruel. I wanted revenge, but this felt like too much.
I steeled myself to ask Vaughn come lunch.
During choir, I tried not to think about it too much, paying attention to learn the beginning notes of the new songs we had to memorize for the next concert in a month and a half. All throughout the class period, I kept checking my phone too, hoping I’d see something from Archer. Hoping I’d get a text back, maybe even a voicemail.
Nothing. Didn’t know why I expected more.
My mood was as low as it could be. When choir ended and the class packed up, I hurried away, needing answers. Needing more. I needed to know if this was my fault, if Mr. Vega was innocent—and if he wasn’t, what then? If Vaughn had simply dug up true secrets and revealed them to the world, what then?
Wouldn’t that just make it all worse?
When I made it to my locker, I shoved my shit in it and grabbed my bagged lunch, though the last thing I knew I would do was eat. I slammed it closed, about to turn and head to the cafeteria, when I realized I was cornered by three preppy bitches wearing sneers that could kill.
Brittany and her two closest friends. Needless to say, none of them looked happy.
“Well-played, bitch,” Brittany spoke, tapping her manicured nails on her arm, looking like she wanted to rip my throat out. “I don’t know how you did it, but well-fucking-played. Just know that everything that happens from here on out is because of you and your stupid mouth.” She shot me an ice-cold glare before turning on her heeled boots and walking away, sashaying her hips a bit too much.
Her friends went with her after shooting me sneers, and I stood there wondering just what the hell she’d meant by that.
An invisible weight gathered on my shoulders, and I walked through the halls in a daze, eventually landing myself in the cafeteria, at our lunch table, where Vaughn already was, picking at his food as if he was going to eat it. I sat across from him, my knees touching his as I exhaled a great sigh.
Vaughn’s dark stare rose, landing on me. I said nothing, staring hard at my brown bag, at my hands, wondering why this place had to twist everything up.
Dante arrived shortly after, sitting beside me. “What’s up, Buttercup?” He smirked, knocking his shoulder against mine. He must’ve shaved the sides of his head last night, for his hair was shorter all around, though the top was still a longer mop of brown. “Have you heard the news? Oh, I’m sure you have. It’s been going around the school all day.” He laughed. “I admit, I thought this place would be boring, but it’s actually kind of fun.”
I said nothing, though I did meet Vaughn’s stare across the table.
“Apparently Archer’s dad got an underage girl pregnant, forced her to have an abortion,” Dante plowed on. “Must suck to be that dick, huh?” His shoulders rose and fell with laughter, as if this was a laughing matter and not life-changing.
Finally, I was able to find my voice, and I asked softly, “Was it you?”
Vaughn stared at me, his silence all I needed to hear.
“You should’ve come to me, first,” I said. “Before telling anyone. I can’t believe you’d—” Whatever else I was about to say froze in my throat when Vaughn reached over the table and grabbed one of my hands. A quick, steady gesture, one he’d never made before.
Vaughn was always cautious, and he never touched me when others could see, besides Dante. When he and I were in public, we were just friends.
But this…the way his fingers curled around mine, the way his warmth seeped into me, how could I ever deny the fact that we were so much more, even if we hadn’t taken our connection all the way?
