𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒 | SPINOFF

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

AVERY
RAVEN

"Astor, seriously, what did Stella mean by that?" I asked, my voice edged with annoyance as I watched him. Stella had left the party with Grayson, and in her place, Sophie had joined us. She sat awkwardly beside me while the rest of us—Jaxon, Lily, Alessio, and Astor—occupied the rest of the table. My patience was wearing thin. "I don't like Makayla, Astor. You made me avoid my friends, so you should avoid her."

Astor sighed, running a hand through his hair like this was a conversation he didn't want to have. "You shouldn't worry about Makayla. She's..."

"No." I cut him off sharply. "I've gone through so much, Astor. I don't want to have to worry about my boyfriend and some girl he claims is 'like a sister' but stares at him with heart eyes. Do you even realize how humiliating that is for me?" My voice cracked, and I hated how vulnerable I sounded, but I couldn't help it. "Don't ruin what we have for her."

He groaned, leaning closer to me, his hand reaching out. "You can't make me choose, babe. That's not fair—"

Before he could finish, Sophie gasped beside me, her wide eyes cutting off the rest of his sentence. We all turned to see what had captured her attention. Jaxon, Lily, and Alessio were already staring across the room, their expressions a mix of confusion and interest. I followed their gaze.

A young man stood near the entrance of the party, his piercing gaze sweeping over the room. He was tall, dressed simply in a black shirt and jeans, but his presence was commanding. There was something familiar about him, though I couldn't immediately place it. Then it clicked. He was the guy Sophie had shown me in pictures—her boyfriend, Lance. And judging by the stormy look on his face, he wasn't here to chat.

"Lance," Sophie whispered, scrambling to her feet. Her voice was full of worry, and her cheeks flushed as she hurried to explain. "You drove two hours? Look, the girl who answered your call was Stella. I swear she was joking—"

"Lance?" Jaxon stood up too, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're Damon's friend, aren't you?" he said, clearly amused by the sudden drama.

Sophie shot me a panicked look, silently begging for help. I stood up quickly, trying to defuse the tension. "And you're my girlfriend's ex," Lance growled, his eyes fixed on Jaxon before turning his attention back to Sophie. "Let's go."

"She wasn't doing anything wrong," I said quickly, stepping forward. "She loves you—she talks about you all the time. She wanted to leave earlier, but I begged her to stay." I offered my hand, hoping to calm him down. "Avery Raven."

Lance glanced at me, his jaw tight. "You're hanging out with mafia-related people now?" he asked Sophie, his voice laced with disapproval. His words caught me off guard, and I froze, my eyes darting to Lily. Thankfully, she didn't seem to hear the comment, but Alessio and Jaxon were staring at me now, their expressions full of curiosity.

"Lance, listen to me," Sophie said softly, stepping closer to him. "Ace and Molly left me in this school all alone. I needed friends. I didn't want to be by myself all the time. I don't have the money or the resources to leave this place on my own, and I don't even know where to start. I know you said you'd help, but I can't rely on you for everything." Her voice cracked as she crossed her arms, her vulnerability on full display.

Lance's expression softened as he cupped her face in his hands. Tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to keep them from falling. "I already paid for everything, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice gentle now. "You don't have to worry anymore. Ace and Molly have already signed up and been accepted. You're leaving this school today, and you're never coming back to this hellhole. You'll be close to me and your real friends. I've got you."