Dark Whispers: A Bully Romance

Chapter One

It was a typical Saturday night at Eva Pierce's colonial style mansion. Party guests drank from crystal glasses as they swayed their hips to the music with intoxicated smiles on their faces.

My gaze swept over the scene as I silently observed my surroundings from the quaint bar in the corner of the room. Beneath my facade of indifference, a simmering discontent brewed within me. Opulence stood before me, offering the same hollow pleasures it always had, and for the first time in my life, I didn't want any of it.

I felt so different lately and I didn't know what to do about it. These parties used to be fun. I'd dress up, dance and drink champagne with the rest of them. But now, I can only watch, a vicious knot in the pit of my stomach as I sit on a plush bar stool alone.

It wasn't right. I needed to get my shit together. I was Penelope Davis, daughter of the mayor, and the richest girl in town. I wasn't meant to be a sad lonely girl on the sidelines. I was meant to be the star of the show, or at least that's who I'd always been before.

But I guess that's what happens when you get cheated on and dumped by your boyfriend of 3 years. You change.

My ex, Luke Daniels, wasn't here tonight. He was with his new girlfriend, Lily Collins, who was known as the town sweetheart.

Lily didn't come from money like the rest of us but that didn't stop the entire town from adoring her. She was a pageant queen, and from what I heard, she was pretty good, even winning Miss Teen as of late, whatever the hell that meant.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I heard someone ask the question from behind me and then felt a tap on my shoulder.

I glanced back to find Eva standing there with a hand on her hip, looking as beautiful as she always did with her crystal blue eyes, long blonde hair and flawless skin. "You look like a loser all alone over here, while all of us," she gestured towards Paige and Lucy dancing on the other side of the room, "have fun." Her tone was light, but I knew my weird depressive episode was beginning to piss her off. She made that clear the week before when she posted a picture with Lily on Instagram with the caption reading, "Upgraded."

It was a low blow but that was to be expected from Eva. The bitch was a horrible friend, and she always had been. It never bothered me, because admittedly, I was a bad friend too, always more wrapped up in Luke than anything my friends ever did or said.

The truth was we were all shallow people and our friendship had always been surface level. I was realizing that now and since I didn't know what to do about it, I stayed the same, or at least I tried to. "Fine," I finally said with a smile, playing my part. "Let's dance."

Hopping off the barstool, I grabbed Eva by the hand, guiding her through the crowd of people and over to Paige and Lucy.

They both smiled when they saw me and Paige handed me her flask.

I took a long drink, the clear liquid burning my throat.

Two hours later, I was buzzed and half naked in the hot tub. Eva was sitting on my right, while Will Harris sat to my left.

"Is the ice queen finally being thawed?" Will asked me, using the nickname I inherited at school and hated so much.

"Ugh," Eva scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Why is Penelope considered queen?" she asked drunkenly.

"Because she's the hottest," Will replied simply.

Eva splashed water at him. "Dick!"

Will didn't know what he was talking about. I wasn't queen. If anything, Eva called all the shots in our little group because she actually gave a damn. I didn't.