Curse Of The Aswangs (The Vasquez Brothers #1)[COMPLETED]

39: JASPER

I gripped the potion bottle in my hand, feeling the cool glass against my palm as I eyed Rosie across the courtyard of our. The school grounds were pristine as always, with the red-bricked building and tall acacia trees giving off a strict, traditional vibe. Rosie stood by the fountain, laughing with her friends like she didn't have a care in the world, completely unaware that today, I had a plan.

The bell tower loomed in the distance, casting a long shadow over the courtyard, where students were scattered, talking in small groups or rushing between classes. Rosie, as usual, stood at the center of attention, laughing with her friends like she didn't have a care in the world. She had her usual smug look, the one she wore every time she made a jab at me.

The potion I brewed wasn't dangerous—just a little magical inconvenience. I raised the bottle, ready to toss it at her, when—

"Jasper!" Frankie's voice cut through my focus, and I froze. He grabbed my wrist before I could throw the potion. "What the hell are you doing?"

I glared at him. "What does it look like? She deserves it."

Frankie stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Rosie. "Jasper, this isn't the way."

"Since when do you care?" I snapped. "Your uncle's a traitor, and you're worried about this?"

Frankie's expression darkened, but he didn't back down. "Yeah, my uncle's a traitor. But I'm not. You're my best friend. You're like a brother to me."

I tightened my grip on the bottle. "You don't get it, Frankie. She's been tormenting me for years. She deserves this."

Before Frankie could respond, Zade appeared from behind a nearby tree, grinning like he'd just stepped out of a superhero flick. "Well, well, well... looks like we've got ourselves a little family drama." He strolled up casually, tossing an arm around Frankie's shoulders. "Frankie boy, here to save the day, huh? What's next? Gonna give us a cheesy speech about friendship and how 'we're all in this together'?"

Frankie rolled his eyes. "Zade, not now."

"Oh, I think 'now' is perfect," Zade said, his grin widening. "Jasper's about to go full Harry Potter with that potion, and you, my friend, are giving off serious Captain America vibes." He glanced at me. "Let me guess, you were going for a 'heroic revenge arc,' but Frankie's decided to do the whole 'moral compass' thing."

I couldn't help but snort despite the tension. "Yeah, something like that."

Frankie, ignoring Zade's snark, crossed his arms. "Jasper, throwing a potion at Rosie isn't going to fix anything. I was wrong that I agreed that you would get your revenge on her."

Zade raised his eyebrows, feigning shock. "Wait, this is about Rosie? Oh man, Jasper, you really know how to pick your battles. I mean, out of all the people to hex, you're choosing her?" He shook his head. "I was hoping for something a bit more exciting. You know, like a demon showdown. But hey, go big or go home, right?"

"Zade, can you not?" Frankie shot him a look. "This is serious."

Zade held up his hands in mock surrender. "Serious? I don't do serious, remember?"

Frankie turned back to me, his voice softer now. "Look, Jasper, I get that you're pissed. But this isn't the way to handle it. You're better than this."

I frowned, doubt creeping in. "And what if you're next, Frankie? How do I know you won't betray me like your uncle did?"

Frankie flinched, and even Zade stopped cracking jokes for a second. Frankie's voice was low when he spoke. "I'm not Jose, alright? I didn't ask for this. And I'm not going to betray you."