Veronica's Vendetta

I - phase one

Veronica.

Two years. It took me two fucking years to study these people, to understand who they were. I finally decided I knew enough, and I was ready to begin my plan. It was official, junior year is the year I destroy the ROYALS.

It was just a day after Christmas and the cold winter air was digging into my skin, even with my coat covering me. I sipped my coffee, and watched him from my table at the diner.

After much stalking, it didn't take long to find out that this was a frequent place for him. The infamous Caleb Bishops, sole heir to Bishops Tech, a huge worldwide technology company. Member of their elusive group, and my way in, I knew exactly how to play my cards with him.

Caleb, like all his friends is extremely hot. With the 6'3 height, the lean and toned body, the dark hair, the blue eyes that bore into your soul, the boyish preppy charm that draws everyone in. He steals the hearts of many, and what makes him even more desirable is the fact that he is famously known for being single, yet celibate. He never had a girlfriend, and there are even rumors that he's a virgin. Every girl, and boy in some cases want to know if it is true, they want to have the mysterious boy no one has ever had. Quite sad that he isn't interested in any of them.

I did some digging on him, well I did digging on all of them. But his information intrigued me the most. He had lost his elder brother some months before he graduated from high school, turns out they were very close. Anyway, he reacted to his death by lashing out irresponsibly, drugs and alcohol, parties and clubs, never going home. He didn't want the responsibility of taking over his brother's duties, and after just two months of tolerating it, his parents grew sick of it, especially his mother who told him he needed to sober up and get a wife before his college graduation or he could say goodbye to his inheritance.

I had overheard him having this conversation at one of their parties with his best friend, Lorenzo Moretti, lamenting about how he barely had any time left, just a few weeks before we went on winter break. And I thought, what a perfect way for me to come into his life, don't you agree?

"That's hot" I say to him, referring to the Rubik's Cube in his hands, he had solved it so many times that I had lost count. How could he not see how attractive that was?

I take a seat on the chair in front of him, thankfully, we are the only ones in the diner, everyone is home for the holidays. And even though we are in Manhattan, away from the university, I still don't want to see any of his die hard fans.

He pauses what he's doing with the cube, and locks eyes with me for a moment, it is so short, but I feel so exposed, as if he's figured me out.

"Not interested" He murmurs, turning his attention back to what he was doing. I feel insulted, he probably thinks I am one of those girls obsessed with him. Ew, as if I'd ever be obsessed with someone in such a friend group.

"I know about your search for a wife" I say, going straight to the point and watching him stiffen at my comment.

"You only have what? Two years left?" I continue, feeling confident with my plan.

"This is a weird way to propose" He muses, smiling widely at me, dropping the cube on the table, finally giving me attention and maintaining eye contact with me. My breath hitched, how could a person be so sinfully handsome? I am shocked at his lack of care at how I found out.

"Don't kid yourself, I'm here for something entirely different"  He raises an eyebrow at me, waiting for me to elaborate, the smile never leaving his face.

"Date me" I say to him, he pauses for a moment, before letting out a loud laugh, disturbing the silence of the small diner. God, even his laugh is attractive.

"Sweetheart, I don't date. Besides, how is this going to solve my problem?" He says to me after collecting himself, his face shows so much amusement, he is entertained by my obvious foolishness.

"Well, we date for a full year, I meet your family and all that. And then, we break up, you tell your parents that you're too hurt to start searching for someone else, and you're afraid to get heartbroken again. Which in turn gives you a bit of breathing space and time to actually fall in love with someone " I tell him, revealing my plan, and I finally see a look on his face that makes me believe he's actually considering it might work.

"A fake relationship huh. And what's in it for you?" He asks, leaning in with his elbows on his table, his perfume wafting at my nose, scrambling my thoughts. He's smart, that's for sure, but he also knows he is running out of time.

"You get me into your group" I say to him, it was my turn to smile in amusement now.

"You're doing all this just for popularity? Of all the friend groups, you really want to join mine?" He asks in disbelief and I simply shrug, not giving him an answer or a hint.

"You do know who I am right? I can't just date anyone. It has to be someone whose last name carries weight, if you know what I mean?" He continues, looking me up and down, wondering who I am.

I am dressed in a Balmain gown and a trench coat, with Versace heels on. A little extra for just coffee? Yeah, but then again, look at who I was coming to meet, plus most of the clothes, shoes and accessories I own are designers, courtesy of my mother.

"Of course" I reply

"So? Who are you?" He asks, once he realizes I'm going to answer without a direct question.

"Veronica Reed, daughter of—"

"Simone Reed. Yeah, I know who she is, who doesn't?" He says, cutting me off, staring at me as if finally seeing my resemblance with the woman.

I lean back in my seat and fold my arms across my chest, watching the satisfied look on his face.

"Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, Veronica, I will be your fake boyfriend for a year" He replies, and I feel a victorious smile curving up on my lips.

Caleb Bishops just helped me tick off the first thing on my list, phase one. Being his girlfriend would grant me exclusive access into the group, it would allow me to discover more secrets, and get evidence which I would eventually use to destroy them.

I have no idea who sent me that journal two years ago, but whoever it is, I am extremely grateful, and forever in their debt.