Veronica's Vendetta

IV - he could have lied

Veronica.

No matter how deeply I knew I hated these people, I have to pretend and act genuinely excited to be here, even when they are being horrible people.

"So you've been at Harvard all this while? How come we've never noticed?" Probably because you're too wrapped up in your own bubble. I don't say that out loud of course, I simply mentally reply to Elaine's question.

"She's an introvert, it's kind of what drew me to her in the first place" Caleb replies for me, his hand never leaving mine despite how Hadiza and Lorenzo ushered us to take a seat with them on another couch, while they are on either side of us.

They were the only ones who welcomed us, immediately bombarding us with questions while the rest observed cautiously.

"All of a sudden you're into introverts now?" Allison asks harshly, staring Caleb down, her eyes holding hurt and betrayal. Elaine tugs on her friend's sleeve, and tells her she's overreacting.

"You're pretty" Noah says to me, and I immediately believe that to be the only words he will say to me tonight. I smile and thank him.

"It doesn't matter, you know what tonight is, Caleb. She shouldn't be here" Alexander says dismissively, turning his attention back to his shisha pipe. And I want to stab him in the eye.

"Exactly" Allison agrees, and I roll my eyes at her insecure self. Of course Caleb knows what today is, even I know their New Year's parties are reserved exclusively for them and no one else.

"I don't mind" Olivia comments, speaking up for the first time since we arrived and the room goes silent, no one daring to speak up.

Alexander and Olivia have an interaction with their eyes for a short time, he raises his eyebrows as if to say "we both know you're only doing this to piss me off" Olivia simply shrugs at him, but he doesn't object to her and continues to smoke, bobbing his head to the music playing.

"But she can't be here! It's a private party for fucks sake" Allison fumes, eyeing her friends and waiting for someone to back her up. She is really starting to piss me off.

"I said, I don't mind" Olivia responds calmly, maintaining eye contact with Allison and challenging her to speak up again. I see Caleb smiling in appreciation to Olivia.

"It's really not a big deal, Al" Elaine sighs out to her defeated friend and I resist the urge to snort. What a weak pair.

"What do you think, Leia? It's your party" Rahim asks his friend who looked like she could care less about the situation, she wants to be with her boyfriend.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever" She waves in our direction as she locks lips with Sebastian.

"It's a party, Allison, relax, have fun" Hadiza tells the annoyed girl, giving her a slight punch on her shoulder.

"Can we play the game now?" Yasmin asks in annoyance from where she was sitting on Lorenzo's lap, and I can't help but notice the smirk that appears on Allison's face. Uh oh, what game are they talking about?

"Okay, let me explain it to you" Hadiza says, getting up from her position on the couch and standing in the middle of us.

Despite the black scarf wrapped around her hair and making her appear holy, she was wearing a very scandalous sleeveless gold dress, which made the henna on her hands visible, paired with matching stilettos.

I had wondered why Rahim and Sebastian shifted the couches earlier to form some sort of circle, and why there was now a long table in the middle, I finally understood.

Noah walks over from the bar to take his seat beside Elaine, while Rahim sits beside Allison. Directly opposite them sat me, Caleb, Lorenzo and Yasmin who was finally off his lap. To my right and on another couch was the loving couple, Sebastian and Leia, while Olivia and Alexander were on my left. There was an empty beanbag between Noah and Olivia's couch which I guessed would be for Hadiza.

"So it's kind of like spin the bottle and truth or dare mixed together, except there's no dare involved. Everyone has to take a shot of tequila before the bottle spins, nicotine gum in the case of me and Rahim. So I'd be spinning the bottle first and I get to ask whoever it lands on a question, any question of my choice and the person has to answer truthfully. Declining to answer costs you a secret, and it has to be a very good secret. Once you've answered successfully, you get to spin the bottle and ask your question to whoever it lands on, and it goes on continuously like that. Capisce?" Hadiza asks after explaining the game to me, I wanted to say "this is fucked up" but I opt to nod instead.

Hadiza claps excitedly and takes her seat on the beanbag whilst reaching out to the glass bottle on the table. Lorenzo on the other hand had gotten up to get two bottles of tequila and eleven shot glasses from the bar.

Thankfully, I have a high alcohol tolerance, but it is the unknown questions that make me nervous. Caleb must have sensed this because he squeezes my hand reassuringly while placing a kiss behind my ear, causing me to shiver involuntarily.

"Ready?" Yasmin asks and we murmur in agreement, throwing our heads back and swallowing the bitter taste of the drink. While Rahim and Hadiza take a piece of the gum from the pack. I had heard it made you high and slow but only for a few minutes, which I guess is the goal. I couldn't help but admire how they weren't forced by their friends to even try alcohol.

"Leia, how long have you been clean for?" Hadiza asks the princess in a very sweet tone. It made me remember how Keira's journal mentioned Leia's drug addiction and overdose.

Did she have another one? Had she relapsed? God, Hadiza is ruthless, because to ask her that in front of everyone, and a stranger present nonetheless. That is wicked as fuck, and I am starting to wonder what the hell I have gotten myself into.

"Two weeks now" Despite her boyfriend assuring her that she could give a secret instead, Leia mutters the answer, as if ashamed of her words and actions.

"Alexander, have you slept with anyone other than your girlfriend this year?" Leia asks the boy whom her spun bottle pointed at, following the silence and our drinking. How could he possibly have slept with anyone else? The year just began. He gives her a sharp look before replying.

"No" He says, wrapping his arm around Olivia protectively, who looks like she would rather be anywhere else but here. He reached out to spin the bottle with his other arm, after we had taken our second round of shots and gum. I feel Caleb stiffen beside me when the bottle points to him.

"Are you in love with Veronica?" He asks with a smirk on his lips, and I hear Caleb take a sharp intake of breath, while Allison sits up straighter.

"You know I'm not" Caleb responds quietly and I can't fight the pang of hurt that hits me. He could have lied, or better yet, he could have just said no. There was no need for the wording of that statement, there was no need to make them all look at me in sympathy.

The only sound which tries to break the tension is the sound of Noah clearing his throat and pouring us another round of shots. I could see the ghostly smile Yasmin had on her face, and the glint in Elaine's eyes. I definitely hated all of them more now.