Wilting Violet (Part 1)

Chapter Eight Spooks

October 28, 2015, 10:43 pm, Violet's POV

    Victor tucks me in and then smiles as he hands me the red trash Panda stuffed animal Itzal got for me last week. Then Victor calmly sits next to my feet and pats them, 'It's weird Itzal is supposed to be territorial about his Ritual, but he washes me in his structured way and then brings me to my room where the other Heirs are allowed to join in. He never complains when they just come and watch him, but he only lets Victor help, not the other two... and only if I say yes. I haven't said no, so Victor has created a routine at the end of Itzal's Ritual.

    'They are still gunning for their own Ritual. Camile tried to extend an olive branch by making my favorite breakfast, but it unraveled quickly when Leonard said something unheard by me under his breath, and Camile knocked him out. Literally, Leonard didn't wake up for a moment. Leonard talks to me like one would a wounded deer back and forth to school, but when I don't speak unless addressed, he starts frantically whispering to himself and answering questions only he can hear... and... I don't know something about it makes me avoid him all the more.'

     "So, will you trick a treat with Willow or Mason?" Itzal casually asks me as he settles next to me, and it takes me a moment to realize what he said. 'Willow has been asking me if I wanted to go trick-or-treating on campus. Because it isn't near any major cities, the school has a massive Halloween bash and a parade and things. I told her I needed to ask permission, but because they still didn't know which friend I had, I didn't want them to take her away from me if I pissed them off one day.'

    "What?" I say, waking up fully and sitting up. Itzal smiles at me and rubs my shoulder.

    "Halloween, you go with friends." Itzal restates, and I shake my head.

    "I don't know what you're talking about." I lie nervously and then force myself to settle down.

    "Don't you?" Victor says from the foot of the bed and picks up my phone from my dresser, not to open it but to wave it.

    "Willow Stride. Status Scholarship Student turned Academic. Summa Cum Laude. Estimated College Tribute Fund one-hundred and fifty thousand dollars and counting. Sponsored by the Wang Family. American native hailing from South California. Height of five foot seven. Jamaican mother and African-American Father. Quite reliable, smart, and crafty. With a reported one incident with an Albania Boss in her first year that almost had her removed from the school, but due to a bargain struck, she has remained a valued student of Wolfpack Elite." Victor says, all on the top of his head, and I blink at him.

    "Mason Lafayette. Status Academic with hopes of transferring to Upper Class. Magna Cum Laude. American citizen but with Canadian ancestry on his Mother's side and Greek on his Father's. Height of five foot nine. Funny, flight-risk, and sometimes an Asshole. He has three reported incidents that almost led him to be removed from the school. And get this, not Gay.... but possibly Bisexual." Victor continues and then stops, and I shake my head feeling cornered.

    "Please, don't. I just wanted some friends." I whisper and then roll over away from all of them and put my covers over my head. Leonard seemed fascinated as Victor rattled off memorized facts, but Camile only made a sound once he learned Mason wasn't gay. Itzal reaches into my blankets and pulls me out and into his lap.

    "And you shall have them." He agrees and rubs my back, and I look at him in confusion.

    "Surely you do not believe we did not realize you made friends this entire time. Each of us has men that work strictly under us, ones that are all over campus. We did not quite like that Mason was a boy, but from his track record when friends are concerned, he would not try anything to jeopardize your friendship. Willow is a good choice, your text messages have shown that you maintain the rules even from afar, and she does not convince you to do dumb things... though I am sure Victor did not particularly like being called a madman psychopath... though true." Itzal says frankly, and my mouth parts, and I look at my phone in Victor's hand.