The Popularity Project

Chapter Thirty Five - Suspicion

New Vivian- HOLLAND RODEN

New Perry- DYLAN O'BREIN

Perry's POV

"What do you mean?" She asks, an eyebrow shooting to her hairline. I have to contain my enthusiasm and excitement to nearly solving this mystery. "We've looked places in the past where he was suspected to be, and he wasn't there..."

She looks at the information I provided for her, obviously skeptical. "This time, I have proof. That's a picture of Damien, isn't it?"

Vivian slowly nods her head yes. A solemn look passes over her, coating her face in a worried frown. "It is-"

"He is here, Vivian, now is our chance." I take her trembling hands into my sturdy ones. "He cannot hurt you anymore, I promise." She shakes her head slowly, then takes a small step away from me.

"You can't promise me that, do not ever make promises you can't keep," she shakes her head violently. "At the end of the day, all you have is broken promises, regret, and what ifs... Is it so wrong to wish to rid myself of one factor?"

"Vivian?" I scrunch my eyebrows together, not following her in the slightest. "Are you... okay?"

"Mentally, if you mean mentally- then yes. I am okay," she grumbles. I move closer to her, something is wrong- something...

"Where did Ryder go?" I question with the upmost caution. It is glaringly obvious she's coming undone, slowly unraveling. I don't blame her, she has been stronger than I had anticipated she would be.

"To sleep with Charlotte?" She widens her eyes, then tears start to pool at the bottom of her big eyes. I watch her attempt to blink away the salty solution with little success.

"I never said that... Is that what he said he was going to do?" I take a step closer to her frail body that looks like it could break at my touch. She glares at me through the tears and smeared mascara... still beautiful.

"He didn't have to, you moron!" She screams, then crumples to the ground in one swift second. I lurch forward with lightning fast reflexes to catch her head before it slams into the hardwood floor.

***

"I don't know. She had some kind of panic attack I think," I reply with my calmest voice to the raging voice on the other line. He is furious.

"Perry, I swear to god-"

"She's fine, I promise." I walk up the stairs into her bedroom where she lays sleeping soundlessly like an angel. Her red hair is flailed around, making her appear to have a red halo.

"You know," I say lazily. "She did say something about you leaving to hook up with Charlotte before she fainted."

I hear a gurgling sound on the other line, then something crashes loudly. I pull the quilt up on her, for some reason, despite the warm air, she is as cold as an icicle.

"She said what?!"

"Vivian said-"

"Shut up, you know that isn't true!" Ryder snaps.

"Oh really? It sounds a hell of a lot like something you would do. Something you would take pride in doing." I remind him, a slight amount of sarcasm and arrogance slithers into my tone, unintentionally, of course.

"I'm not like that anymore, not since her," he defends harshly.

"You haven't done much of anything to prove that, though. I am honestly surprised she has taken you back after all the shit you've said and done to her. Shocked, really," I smile, awaiting his wrath.