Veronica's Vendetta

V - I am officially screwed

Veronica.

"You're the only one I haven't met, or spoken to" I say to the girl who is currently seated on one of the bar stools, smoking from her vape pen and engaged with her phone.

After playing the game for a few more minutes, everyone got drunk and distracted and just dispersed. I had decided to socialize a bit and speak to the others. They aren't so cautious anymore, but Olivia is another story.

"What makes you think you can?" She asks, dragging her attention away from her phone, perfectly arching one eyebrow and scanning me with her eyes.

"You just seem approachable" I chirp, taking a seat beside her. On the inside, my heart was beating wildly, but I didn't let it show, I couldn't, not in the presence of this elegant woman.

"It's the alcohol giving you false confidence" She replies.

"Maybe" I say with a smile on my face, she studies me carefully.

"What are you doing here, Veronica Reed?" She asks and I blink in confusion as she calls out my full name.

"I'm talking to you" I manage to say.

"You know what I mean" She continues, cocking her head sideways and staring at me intently.

Fuck, she is pretty and she knows it. From her dark ebony skin, to her luscious curly hair tied in a low ponytail and held in place with gel, edges drawn in perfection, to her small nose which holds a septum and a stud piercing, to the little form of makeup on her face—just her brown eyes holding so much intrigue, her long lashes layered with mascara peeking through, her two toned lips coated with a glossy colorless lip gloss—, to her clear skin covered in Vaseline, and her neck holding a silver cross necklace.

The girl has the body of a goddess, she is shaped like a fucking hourglass, her waist is slim and perfect. She is wearing a white mini dress which has feather like ruffles covering her ample breasts. The dress is figure hugging and does nothing to hide her gorgeous hips, it also has a slit on the right side of her thigh which increases the shortness of the dress. On her legs are matching Jimmy Choo heels. I wonder if she swings both ways like me, I'd do anything to kiss her right now.

Of course I know what she means, why am I here at their private party? Why am I trying to insert myself in their group?

"I'm Caleb's girlfriend" I reply, after taking a moment to admire her. She hums in response, puffs of smoke escaping her nostrils as she does so, absentmindedly making me want her. Oh Lord.

"We don't really welcome strangers into our group anymore, especially not playthings" She says, looking at me pointedly, completely disregarding my status as Caleb's girlfriend.

"But you said you didn't mind" I counter, reminding her of her previous statement. I lean in closer to her, feeling the smoke from her vape pen fanning my face. She pauses for a moment and smiles softly at me.

"I really didn't expect you to be this blind. It's right in front of you, and yet...you can't see it" Her voice has taken a darker tone now, almost sounding like a warning.

I furrow my brows in confusion, what is she talking about? Is there something else at play here? Have I overplayed my hand?

"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to keep my voice confident and unwavering. Olivia is an intimidating soul.

"Do you know what happened to the last person who thought it would be fun to have a seat with us at the elite table?" She asks me, her eyes holding sadness and pity, while her lips now hold a cruel smile. So fucking confusing.

I definitely know what happened to the last person, she was my sister after all. Yet I keep my face neutral and played along.

"What happened?" I ask, pushing as much curiosity as I can into the question, the loud music masking our conversation from the rest of the group.

"Well...the person paid with their life" She speaks bitterly, as if it hurt her to say the words.

That is impossible, Olivia cannot possibly be devastated by Keira's death, could she? I don't fail to notice how she refrained from stating the person's sex, Olivia is extremely careful, regardless of whether she is drunk or sober. Which is surprising seeing the amount of drugs and alcohol I have watched her consume in the last few hours.

I am about to respond to her, to ask her who this mysterious person was and how they died, when Elaine Toussaint enters my line of vision, and stands behind Olivia. The latter turns almost immediately, as if feeling the French girl's presence.

"Mon Cherie, a word?" Elaine asks, directing her question at Olivia and though her tone is mocking, she smiles sweetly, her dimples visible. Elaine is another pretty girl, then again, they are all pretty. But the girl has a softer aura to her than Olivia. She is dressed in a short black sheer dress, probably from her parents brand, she pairs it with purple Versace platforms, her hair held with a matching purple bow. She has a smoky eye makeup look on her, pink blush visible on her high cheekbones, and on her lips are a rosy shade of lipstick.

"Of course, love" Olivia clips in the same tone Elaine had regarded her and stands up.

"Keep your eyes open, Veronica" She says, turning to look at me, whilst grinning, the hidden warning in her words evident. I simply nod and watch as Elaine leads them into the room's restroom, no doubt to confront Olivia about her earlier decision.

Now, the restroom was one of the first places I surveyed immediately I got here. I already knew the juiciest conversations would be held there and so I bugged it with a listening audio device. I lean back into my stool and connect my AirPods to my phone, getting ready to listen to their conversation.

"So, what do you think?" Elaine asks, her French accent coating her words. The girl schooled in America for years and still never picked up an accent.

"What exactly are you asking me, Elaine?" Olivia questions and I can hear the smile in her voice.

"Do you think it's real?" Elaine grits out in annoyance.

Does she think what is real? There is a loud silence before the Nigerian girl replied, with her own deep British accent on the other hand.

"Of course not, Elaine. Didn't you hear him say he wasn't in love with her?" Fuck, they are already suspecting Caleb and I.

This is bad, I now have to watch out for both of them, especially Elaine.

"Why the hell did you even let her stay?" Elaine hisses out.

"Don't be fucking stupid, you're already walking on thin ice" Olivia says calmly to the other girl, though anger is evident in her voice.

"She doesn't belong here" Elaine protests

"And yet he chose her" Olivia says dryly

"Oh come on, you know he barely has two years left. He's buying himself time"

So they know about Caleb's predicament, I have definitely overplayed my hand here. I wonder why he doesn't just marry Allison, she seems like she would do it in a heartbeat.

"Doesn't that make you wonder why she's here then. If it's fake, then why would she agree?" Olivia points out slowly, as if she is teaching a child.

Her intelligence only makes me want her more. Keep it in your pants V, I chide myself.

"I don't fucking know, Olivia. Money? Popularity?" Elaine sighs out frustratingly

"Her mother is Simone Reed, I doubt she's lacking in those aspects"

"So what then?"

"I don't know either, love. Now do you see why I let her stay?" Olivia says, and the silence tells me Elaine is finally understanding the girl's reason.

Apparently Olivia doesn't wait for the Elaine's response because I see her walking out from the restroom. She glances over at me for a second and passes me a chilly smile.

That is when I know I am officially screwed.