AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Camile says querida dios again but, this time, it’s a whispered prayer.
Verity has had her hair cut. Or, more accurately, Verity looks like she’s been attacked by garden shears. Her beautiful blonde hair is short, and much darker as it’s mostly what were her roots. It’s spiky, and not in a good way.
“It looks like she had a fight with a lawnmower, and then got dragged backward through a house fire,” Camile whispers in awe.
I giggle, but I’m feeling a strange sense of dread in my stomach. I hate Verity, but she didn’t do that to herself. Kirill just took her cap.
“Oh, God, I think the Devils did that to her,” I whisper.
Camile looks at me and rolls her eyes. “Zee, you’ve got to get with the program. Of course, they did. I told you they were fucked up and would ruin your life. Verity is their friend. If they did that to her, and God knows why, imagine what they do to people they want to fuck with.”
My stomach churns, and I scribble in my notes, writing stupid stuff, trying to distract myself because I cannot have a seizure here and now.
Luckily for me, the doors at the bottom of the lecture hall open and a woman with so much charisma I am jealous saunters in. She looks like that nineties game character, Lara Croft. Her hair is pulled up into a high ponytail, and even from here, I can see she’s got cheekbones you could cut glass on. Her top is a tightly fitted black t-shirt, and she’s wearing black, close-fitted jeans, and biker boots.
Glancing at the rows of students, she shocks me when she raises her arm, as if holding a gun, aims, and with a soft boom from her lips, pretends to fire. The student she aims at stands. It’s a girl called Suzy, who I don’t know to speak with.
“Suzy, what is the number one reason criminal’s get caught?”
“Dropping their guard, Miss Davies.”
“Exactly. Dropping their guard. Thank you. You may sit. Now, why does this happen? Complacency. Hubris, thinking you’re better than everyone else will almost certainly lead to disaster. Today we’re going to look at a very interesting true crime case where blind stupidity is what got the criminal caught.”
I am so enthralled by her lecture that I forget my fears, and my panic, and the fuzziness warning me I might be going to have an attack subsides. I indulge in a little fantasy that one day I might have her confidence.
Maybe if I act as if I do, then I will? It must be amazing to be so comfortable and powerful in your own body. I make a vow then to try to channel some of Miss Davies’ energy in the future as I go through life.
After the lecture, I head outside for some fresh air with Camile. “Wow, that was an amazing lecture.”
“Yeah, you can see why the Vipers like her. As if they’ve got a chance.”
Kirill saunters over. “Hey, Duchess, how you doing?”
He’s wearing Verity’s ballcap.
“Oh, crap, we’ve got that meeting,” Camile says as she scrambles to her feet. “You coming, Zee?”
We don’t have a meeting, but I know she’s trying to keep me from the Devils, so I nod.
“No, wait. You can be five minutes late. I need a word with you.” Kirill holds my arm.
I’m about to argue when his two wingmen stalk over to us.
Camile sighs, shoots me an exasperated look, but then shrugs. “Okay, fine. But don’t be longer than five minutes, Zee, or we’ll get shit.”
“I promise I’ll be there in five.”
She turns and mouths library to me from behind the guys so I know where to find her.
“Can you guys make this quick?” I ask. “I’ve got to go.”
Kirill spins the ballcap around, and I glare at him.
“Taking her hat was a dick move,” I say. I want to ask if they did that to her hair, but I’m too scared of the answer.
“You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew what she did to you,” Tino growls.
“I know she hates me, and she’s been nothing but vile to me, but still…”
