Veronica's Vendetta

XI - why don't you ask your winner?

Veronica.

I shouldn't be doing this. Well...I have done a lot of things in my life that I've come to regret, but this takes the cake. As if being discouraged last night by Lorenzo wasn't enough, I am standing at the door of Caleb's suite in the Illinois branch of Herrera Hotels, and the time is 9:00pm.

I honestly thought I'd be here sooner, and I would have if my flight hadn't been delayed. I feel like a crazy stalker, which I'm sure is what the receptionists thought as well. It shocked me how easily they gave up his room number, and believed I was his girlfriend who was here for a surprise visit. As true as that was, I am not here for Caleb, I am here to figure out what was so important to do all the way out here.

I knock on the door once, and decide to open it when I get no response. Weird, it's locked. I give up on Caleb's door and move to the one beside his, repeating the same actions and praying it actually belongs to one of them, and not a random stranger who would have me thrown out. Getting no response once again, I open the door slightly and peek in, sighing inwardly in relief when I see the familiar face of Olivia. I push it open more and walk in.

"Veronica?" She asks, removing her headphones and looking up from the book in her hands as she sits at the dining.

"Hi" I say, giving a small wave and she simply stares at me blankly.

"And you're here, because?" She continues, raising her voice higher a bit due to the shower noise coming from the bathroom. I wonder who is in there...

She clears her throat when I don't respond, my mind swirling with thoughts of who is in her shower. I knew Alexander couldn't make it, so who was in there? Caleb? They have adjoining rooms after all.

"Oh, sorry. I'm here to surprise Caleb. Though it seems like I've failed already, I can't find him" I reply, an unconscious nervous laugh seeping through. I hate how anxious she makes me feel.

"Caleb isn't here, he's occupied at the moment"

"Doing what?" I blurt out, curiosity getting the better of me. Olivia raises an eyebrow.

"If he wanted you to know, he would have told you. Don't you think?" No, he wouldn't, because we aren't in a real relationship! But I don't say that, of course.

"I'll just wait here for him then, his room is locked" I waltz deeper into the room and prop myself on her well made bed. Her face shows no signs of irritation, but I can tell she is. The room is in an intense awkward silence until the person in the shower comes out.

"Love, where did you get your lavender shampoo? It smells heavenly and I want to—" Rahim stops in his tracks when he notices me on Olivia's bed.

"Veronica, this is an unexpected visit" Towel tied around his waist, he says to me in a formal tone. His eyes darting between me and Olivia as he reaches into her dresser and grabs some clothes. Why did he even have his clothes in her room? And why couldn't he take a shower in his?

"I'm just waiting for Caleb" I respond, deciding to play candy crush on my phone. Anything to distract myself from the sculpted body of the naked man changing in front of me. I glance at Olivia, to see if she was uncomfortable like me, but she has her head down in that book again, headphones on, as though she is used to it. Is this supposed to be a normal occurrence?

"He'll be here soon" Rahim says and I nod, still not looking up.

However, I am forced to when the door is thrown open, and Elaine walks in. I don't miss the little sigh that escapes Rahim's lips, or the roll of Olivia's eyes.

"They're back" She says excitedly, bouncing on her feet. This prompts Olivia to drop her book, headphones and get up.

"What is she doing here?" Elaine sneers at me as she finally realizes I am in the room too, her excitement diminishes.

"Ask her yourself" Is Olivia's response as she pushes past Elaine and walks out of the room. I get up to follow her, eager to see who's back anyway. Elaine keeps her eyes on me while Rahim—fully dressed this time, trails behind us as Olivia leads us to the room opposite hers, which I'm guessing belongs to Noah and Elaine.

We capture the attention of everyone else in the room quickly. Noah is lounging on the King sized bed, his eyes filled with boredom. At the four seater dining table seats; Hadiza, Lorenzo, Yasmin and Sebastian, all of them looking indifferent. Allison is standing with her back against the wall at the far end of the room, her face holding distaste. While Caleb stands at the wall opposite her, he looks disheveled and tired. The tension is way too thick.

"Of course she's here, increíble" Yasmin says, rolling her eyes and directing her statement to me.

"What's with the long faces?" Olivia asks, staring at her friends who look back in dismay.

"Why don't you ask your winner? Caleb" Hadiza replies with venom as she stares at him.

"You already know what I want. I won and now you have to grant my wish" Caleb says in a bored tone, like he's tired of having the conversation. Olivia and Rahim simply stare in confusion, they are out the loop and so am I.

"That is ridiculous, you know it's impossible" Allison spits.

"What's impossible?" Asks Rahim, Lorenzo doesn't even bother hiding his smirk. That's when I get the feeling something is about to go wrong.

"She shouldn't be here for this" Sebastian comments. He doesn't look my way but we all know he's talking about me.

"Why not? It concerns her after all. Doesn't it, Caleb?" Noah asks my boyfriend in a very mocking tone. I shift uncomfortably on my feet, I don't like what is going on here.

"Caleb, what is your wish?" Olivia asks defeatedly, as though she already knows what he wants.

"You know my wish, Olivia" He responds, holding her eyes and it doesn't take long for me to figure out that he's talking about a completely unrelated topic. There's something going on between them.

However, Caleb continues, shifting the narrative.

"I want Veronica to become one of us" He says, staring at me this time. And I can't control the audible gasp that slips out from my lips.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.