Page 48 of Play Dirty
I know a way into the club, wanna play undercover?
A sly smile curls at the corner of my lips as my manicured fingers move to type.
??
A quick emoji does the trick and her replies come fast in the form of a flower.
Tatiana
??
A petal.
It makes sense; they would need to be initiated, and the hunt is the way. We would already be there giving speeches of honor. Lying to their faces, as if what we are doing isn’t selling them to the highest bidder. However, it could work; we would blend in amongst the petals and find a way directly into Velarium. Despite my forced meetings with Xavier, I wasn’t sober enough to ever see what really happens behind those red doors. Or why the masks, the beds— my stomach clenches as I think of what really happens. I’m not stupid.
I just don’t think I’m ready for the truth. As fucked up as it sounds, some things are better left alone. Everyone has a role to play, something to bleed for. You don’t come into power by playing games or without making any sacrifices.
Yet, I can’t stop thinking of June. What was she looking into? Why Velarium? We all knew it existed. The club is for the men to relax. Talk business, enjoy the privacy of Villalargos estate. After all, this is what they pay for…. Secrecy.
I spend the entirety of the class inside my head… Dr. Hellen is the one to pull me out. “Ms. Johnson, are you okay?”
Blinking, I look up at my professor, who looks at me with concern. With a smile, I reply. “Of course, just a little sad being here without June.”
It’s the truth.
But also a lie.
I’ve gotten good at that.
Lying.
Thankfully, all she does is smile before walking away, and I exit the class. Heading back to the safety of my dorm, I spot June’s old friends lingering outside the drama club. Michaela sits on the grass, her eyes find mine. Her expression changes, disgust written all over it. My stomach sinks further into my ass. Of course, everyone now thinks I’m fucking my best friend's boyfriend.
I hear the whispers in the bathrooms when I walk in.
‘She didn’t even wait for her to be dead long enough to fuck him.’
‘I knew it all along.’
They all gossip amongst themselves, yet no one ever has the courage to say it to my face. They never will, after all, I am the Ice Queen. And as much as I wanted to clear my name, it wasn’t worth the trouble. It’s not like June’s alive to see this. None of their opinions matters to me in the grand scheme of things. We continue to stare at each other for a moment longer, and a gust of wind passes between us, lifting the orange and red leaves into the air.
She finally breaks eye contact.
And with that, I continue on my way.
Once I'm in the comfort of my dorm, I pull out June’s things and find something else. A name scribbled on a torn piece of notebook paper.
‘Fernanda.’
Who is this?
I reach for her diary, opening it to the next entry. My heart tugs when I notice the wet spot that has now dried up, smudging the ink, making some parts unreadable. All I can make out is Nico’s name. And something along the lines of her feeling unworthy, then there’s something else.
A secret.
What did she overhear?
I flip the page to another entry, but it’s just a sketch of hands holding. Closing the journal, I look at the empty bed across the room. “What was going on with you?” I whisper, wishing she were here to talk to me. Closing my eyes, I let myself fall onto my back. My mind is searching for anything. Any clues?
