Page 81 of Play Dirty
There are so many things I want to ask him. So many things left unsaid… But I made a promise I intend to keep. I owe her that much. I sob quietly into my hand, the tears slowly stream down my face as I think of how much I lied. How much I kept from June. That maybe this is what I deserve, to love someone I can’t ever fully trust. Looking down at the phone, the weight feels too heavy. Too condemned. Too much to fucking bear. This phone shouldn’t be in my hands. It should be with the authorities, piecing together what I can’t.
Did he kill Asher?
My handsfly to my mouth, my body heaves, causing me to double over to hold back the vomit crawling up my throat.
Did he hurt June?
Why else would he have this?
I push away from the door, urging myself to finish this. I owe her this much, even if I have to destroy the one I love and can’t have. The puzzle pieces begin to fit, as my head begins to clear. My shoulders square, I'm sure it’s June guiding me to the truth. Where else could I find it other than through her?
I wipe away the tears as I walk towards my dorm. Looking over my shoulder, scanning the parking lot, making sure that there's no one watching. I hate the disappointment that washes over me when I realize Nico didn’t come to clear his name. Not even an attempt. I left the drawer open so he would know that I’m aware. So his betrayal could hurt him just as much as it has devastated me.
Opening the door to my dorm, I step inside and click the screen, watching it light up with a picture of us. A smile spreads through my features, and I bite down on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from wandering through grief and nostalgia. Sitting on the couch, I notice that her phone is now unlocked, and it wasn’t before.
I know that much…
My heart clenches when I see the notification of my message still left unread and just below mine, Tati. My brows pinch together. Curiosity has me clicking on the message. The lies.
The secrets run deeper than I could imagine.
Tatiana was gone all summer, missed the first month of school, and June’s funeral. So what the fuck am I reading right now?
My hands shake…
Placing the phone back down, my heart in my throat, I walk towards the box that contains whatever June was looking into. A shaky breath slips past my lips as I open the box, my fingers finding the clipping of the missing woman.
The name…
It clicks.
Fernanda is the missing woman..
Which means…
I don’t allow myself to finish the thought before placing everything back into the box and grabbing June’s phone on my way back out. I’ll be getting answers straight from the source, starting with Tati. My legs begin to move before I can think. The buildings blur as I walk through the empty lots, the night air biting my skin, doing little to calm the fire inside me.
I know exactly where to find her…
The sorority house comes into view. I have no more tears left to cry… only rage. The betrayal stings… burns my insides like acid. Using my key, I open the door. Stepping inside, the smell of vanilla assaults my senses, causing my stomach to revolt from the smell. Heading into the main area, I find Tatiana sipping on a glass of wine, cucumber mask and pink robe on, lounging on the couch as she talks to some of the girls. She doesn’t look my way… not at first.
The girls do. As if sensing the anger radiating from me, they scramble without saying a word.
“We need to talk,” I say through clenched teeth, watching as she slowly drags her gaze to me. She busies herself with fluffing the pillows that surround her. “TATIANA VARGAS!” I shout, causing her to stop mid-fluff, but she still won’t look my way. “Look at me and explain to me why you were meeting with June the night she died.”
She looks away, “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.” I arch a brow, slamming the phone on the coffee table in front of us, placing both hands flat on the surface. “Start talking, Tatiana.”
“Wouldyou believe me?” Tatiana mutters, her voice soft as her face strains, every muscle taut as she holds my gaze. Fear with a mixture of anger —why? I barely recognize her anymore. When did everything change between us?
“Are you ready for the truth? Or do you want to continue to believe the person who has lied to you since the very beginning?”
I’m confused by her words, and my reaction must have alerted her. Her expression softens for a moment, just a sliver of her old self peeping through the viper she’s become. She sits back and takes a sip of her wine.
“Help me understand,” I lean closer, quickly blinking the pain away. Making sure that no tears slip past my eyes. I can’t let this drown me. I need to keep swimming and find the truth, no matter how much it kills me.
“You lied to me,” my voice shakes. “Help me believe you. Please.”
