Page 34 of You + Me – Against the World

I’m not really sure that was necessary…

“Thanks, Lancaster Junior,” he says, his voice still hovering somewhere between fake gratitude and outright cockiness.

“I didn’t do it for you, Arcadi. Now you’re going to stop being a smartass and explain yourself.”

“I don’t have an explanation.”

“Come again?” my brother snaps.

“Seriously, I can’t explain it.”

“This is your place, right?!”

“Yep.”

“And you’re telling me you don’t know how it happened?”

“The photo was taken from the street, not inside my apartment, Sherlock.”

“If I were you, I’d change my tone, dickhead.”

“Or else what? You’re going to hit me again? Or call your dad and tell him? Get all your buddies to beat me up? No, way man, you can’t do that to your sister.”

“If I received the photo by email, it’s probably already halfway around campus, you dumbass!”

I freeze at the thought.

“Think about it for a second, will you? Read the caption. Whoever sent this is targeting you. ‘Keep an eye on your sister.’ That’s not directed at me, you idiot.”

“It also says, ‘Shame on the Lancaster family.’ Now, what do you think that’s all about? Do you not get the message, Arcadi? Anyone would be ashamed to be seen with you. No normal girl would ever want you.”

“I don’t think Alma agrees with that…”

“Oh, so you’ve suddenly remembered I’m here! Unbelievable!” I huff. “Are we good? Are you done with your petty squabbling?”

Vadim lets out a dry laugh, while Basile glares at me.

“And you! Are you really saying you don’t know how you ended up at his place in the middle of the night either? How you found yourself half-naked in front of his window?”

“That’s none of your business, Basile.”

“Well apparently it is!” he yells, pointing at his computer. “Fuck! What the hell are you doing? Do you want to throw your life away?”

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Vadim growls.

“Shut up.”

“Stop it! Why is no one trying to figure out who could have taken this damn photo?”

“Who knew you were going to his place?”

“Nobody,” Vadim answers.

“Clémentine knew,” I correct him immediately. “But she’d never do that.”

And Felix Alonso had been there just before… But saying that out loud would mean betraying Vadim, so I keep this information to myself.

“Who else?” Basile snarls through gritted teeth.