Page 76 of Semblance

Calisto let out a soft groan as Mr. Hockey Star spread open her legs with his right hand, and then reached down to explore her sex, his mouth still wrapped up in hers. The other guy had already pulled down the top of her dress, exposing her left breast and he began suckling her nipple.

Surprisingly, witnessing this live, sexual display aroused me.

I wanted to reach down and touch myself in order to satisfy the longing ache I felt as I watched the two men ravage Calisto with their mouths and fingers.

Luckily common sense prevailed—along with the unruly feeling that I was being a perve witnessing this carnal act against my boyfriend’s sister—and I decided to take my leave. I figured Calisto could manage by herself for the rest of the night.

I exited the club doors and took a deep breath, welcoming in the natural scent of the air outside. I walked towards the edge of the sidewalk, and raised my hand with the intent to flag down a cab.

“We have drivers, you know.” It was Bria, who was standing on the corner of the street, huddled up in her jacket, which looked a little dusty from the floor. Her face and eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

I felt terrible. I had said some cruel things to her tonight, which was normally out of character for me.

“Bria,” I began, “I’m sorry…”

“Sorry for what,” she snapped. “You’re Shadow’s girl, the woman next in line to inherit the Tremaine estate. You don’t get to be sorry. It’s your right to trample all over me, if that’s what you want. After all, I’m just the stupid bitch with the attitude problem.” I heard the self-loathing in her voice.

“Honestly, maybe it’s just best that we started over,” I said.

“Fuck you,” she snapped. “I know you’re feeling sorry for me right now. I know you’re trying to be the better person, but I don’t need your sympathies or your holier-than-thou attitude. I’m perfectly happy if you continue to treat me like shit. At least that gives me an excuse to do the same to you.”

“What do you want Bria?” I asked.

Tears were streaming down her face.

“For you to go fuck yourself,” she said as she wiped the moisture off her face.

“I’ve already done that today,” I replied. “Now tell me, what do youreallywant?”

She opened the door to one of limos that was waiting outside the club.

“Oh you stupid girl,” she said, smiling. “I want what any other girl in this world wants: To be noticed, to be popular, to be loved, to be beautiful,” Bria paused, and just before getting into the vehicle, she added, “To be Calisto.”

#

Chapter Twenty

There was nothing more brutal than trying to understand the theories of harmony at eight in the morning while enduring a pulsating hangover migraine.

Today’s lecture involved dissonance and its place within modern compositions. Every note that the professor hammered out on the grand piano as an example of unpleasant chords was an assault on my brain and I found myself massaging my temples, like a psychic hack, on more than one occasion.

When it was finally over, I decided to skip the rest ofmy classes for the day and go home and sleep off this unholy terror.

So this was what being a university student was really like—nights of compromised self-control leading to regretful mornings while sitting through boring lectures.

I wasn’t missing out on much.

When I finally arrived back home, I collapsed on my couch, face first, and passed out.

#

I awoke to the sounds of the doorbell. Bleary-eyed, I glanced at the clock and realized that it was now nine o’clock. I had slept for over twelve hours.

The doorbell rang one final time, and then there was silence.

I forced myself to sit up and stretch. Whoever was at the door could probably catch me another time. I felt like ass and probably looked like it too.

My cell phone, lying on my coffee table, buzzed, indicating that I had a text message. Whoever was trying to contact me was persistent.

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