Vendetta

Chapter Seven: I'm gonna Erupt like a Freaking Volcano

'Christian isn't always like that,' Rachel insists, trying to persuade me to let him show me around. 'He mistook you for someone else. A goddamn Italian woman stole his car. Like one moment she was in front of him and the next – Bam! – she was in his car and speeding off! He and his latest conquest Bitch #3 were left in the dust.'

'Bitch #3?'

'Yeah. Melanie Hopwall. Number 3 on the bitch list. She's hot and whatnot and was Christian's latest victory. And he was left hanging by a woman half his size. It was a hit to his Antarctica-size-ego. Let's say, he didn't take that well. Christian's fun and cool if you ignore his bratty playboy side. He'll help you with the missed notes and stuff.'

'Since when do you know him?'

Rachel picks up her backpack and throws it over her shoulder. 'We went to high school together. I was sort of the nerd kid who was always picked on. Christian and Jared took down a bully when he was using me as a punching bag and we became friends.'

It is hard to picture Rachel with nerd glasses and braces. She is gorgeous now, her brown hair freshly curled and her face dusted with light make-up, though she has her glasses stashed inside her bag.

'Jared's great though, right?' Her face lights up.

I raise my eyebrows.

Rachel blushes, and she stutters wildly. 'I mean, he is friendly, right? He was my first bestie.'

She sighs, as though she gave up. 'I am plain, boring. I still can't believe I have him as a best friend. And I ramble, a lot, just like I am rambling now.'

She shakes her head and grabs my forearm. 'Look, Coral. Whatever Christian says, just let him be. He'll get over it. And I trust you. That's all that matters.'

I feel uncomfortable looking back into her brown eyes. I desperately want to look away, but looking away means lying, it means I have something to hide.

Alessandra Fiorentino is a liar, a cheat, a mafia boss and a murderer.

But, Coral Collins has nothing to hide.

So, I smile back at her, and we saunter out of our room.

Jared's already eating with Christian as we approach them at the cafeteria. Christian fixes me with his steady glare and he scowls.

'Hey, Rach. Hey, Coral, wasn't it?' Jared smiles, showing off his straight teeth. 'It's a nice name, Coral. I had a cousin named Polyp.'

I raise my eyebrows not knowing how to respond to that. 'Uh..'

Rachel pulls back a chair and flops back on it. 'Seriously, Jared?'

'Nope. Just kidding. So, Rach tells us you took Law?'

'Yeah.'

'My bro, Christian, takes Law too. He'll get you to your class.'

Christian does not even bother to look up from his spaghetti. 'Not interested.'

I roll my eyes. Seriously, it has become a habit.

'It's okay. I'll manage.'

Jared is skeptical. 'NYU's huge. You'll get lost.'

I resist the urge to roll my eyes this time. 'Hey, I am not a toddler. I'll get to class just fine.'

And I ended up being thirty minutes late to my first class.

I glare back daggers at the scowling Professor and take up the only vacant seat which is ironically next to a smirking Christian.

Is the whole world against me?