Charlotte watches our interaction with interest. She’s the quiet one who came to live with us by pure chance. Over the last five months, since we’ve all been living together, she and I have become friends. But she’s still a bit of an outsider, preferring to stay in and keep to herself, rather than joining in activities with us.
“You okay, Charlotte?” Chace asks, sensing her tension.
“Maybe I’ll stay here tonight,” she replies. “It doesn’t exactly sound like my thing.”
Charlotte is dressed in a long denim skirt and a coral T-shirt. Her pale blond hair is pulled back in a high ponytail. She doesn’t look like she’s going out, but I know she’ll enjoy it. Every time we’ve managed to drag her with us, she’s had a good time.
I lay back against the cushions on the sofa. “No way. You’re coming.”
She leans in. “I know I said I wanted more of the university experience, but I’m pretty sure a play about martyrdom isn’t it.”
“It’s not only about the play. You know we’re going for the after-party.”
“Now I know I won’t enjoy that.”
“What did you do before Lylah adopted you, Charlotte? Stay home and play chess against yourself?” Sonny asks, laughing at his own comment.
I grit my teeth.
“Don’t be a dick, Sonny,” Chace says, backhanding Sonny’s chest.
Charlotte ducks her head to avoid Sonny’s gaze, and I glare at him.
Sonny sighs. “You’re right. That was mean. Char, I’m sorry.”
She nods, but I don’t think she forgives him. I wouldn’t if I were her.
“Can we move on and have a good night tonight, please?” Sonny asks. “We’re all single, and since everyone”—he stops and looks pointedly at me—“well, almost everyone loves Valentine’s Day and doesn’t want to be alone, hooking up is practically a guarantee.”
Sonny doesn’t have a problem getting girls, but if every woman on campus could hear how he usually speaks, I don’t think he would be as popular.
Charlotte looks up and nods. “It’s forgotten.”
Sonny’s gaze meets mine. “Lylah?”
I shrug. It’s really not for me to forgive him. “Sure. I just want to have a fun night.” And for Chace to realize he’s in love with me. Having fun at the party might make this time of year a little more bearable. “No more breaking hearts this year, Lylah,” Isaac teases.
Here we go again…
I harrumph and point at him. “Shut up, you. I didn’t break anything.”
“Please. Jake left school because you rejected him.”
Jake, one of our other friends, tried to kiss me last year. It was right before I went home to spend Valentine’s Day, the anniversary of my parents’ death, with my brother, Riley. Jake knew that I was upset and still thought it was appropriate to kiss me. Er, no. I pushed him away and told him he could go to hell.
Looking back, I could have been a tad more diplomatic telling him I didn’t like him, but I was emotional. My anxiety was raging, and I was dreading going home. It still felt—feels—so fresh that they are gone.
He could have chosen a better time to get rejected.
“Jake did not leave because of me. He left five months after that happened.”
“Because even after all that time he couldn’t get over you,” Sonny adds, winking at me.
Chace stands up. “Guys, cool it.”
He’s always there to tell everyone to back off when they’re teasing me. I can handle myself, but they’re relentless with the Jake thing, so it’s nice to have Chace backing me up.
“Mate, we’re only joking,” Sonny says to Chace.
I’m about to jump in when the doorbell rings.
“Want to wager who’s out there?” Chace asks.
“I bet it’s one of Sonny’s ex’s who can’t take no for an answer,” I guess.
Sienna laughs. “I bet it’s the girl who keeps following Isaac around like a lost puppy. She’s a total weirdo.”
“Nah,” Isaac says. “I bet it’s Nora trying to be Lylah’s BFF.”
I roll my eyes and walk to the hallway.
Nora lives in a house across the street. She’s nice, and we’ve studied together a few times, but she’s been forcefully trying to insert herself into my circle of friends. It’s not that I don’t like her, but we have nothing in common besides our classes.
I tug open the front door, and am greeted by an empty porch. “Guys, it’s just a prank ring and run!” I call.
I’m about to shut the door when I see an envelope on the doormat. It’s cream and addressed to Sonny in typed letters. There is no return address or postmark, so it must have been hand-delivered.
Bending down, I grab it and take it inside.
“Who the hell plays ding-dong-ditch after the age of twelve?” Sonny asks.
I hand him the envelope. “Must be one of your friends. This was left on the doorstep.”
With a frown, Sonny rips open the envelope and pulls out a piece of paper. The next words out of his mouth are wholly unpleasant. His glare is so intense, it’s like he could set the paper on fire.
“What is it, man?” Chace asks, looking over his shoulder. “Secret admirer?”
“Probably. Whoever it is, they’re dead when I find them out.”
I share a look with Sienna, silently asking if she’s in on whatever prank has been pulled on Sonny. She shakes her head.
“Show us,” Isaac orders, and Sonny turns the note so we can see.
My eyes widen as I read what’s on the paper. Each letter has been cut from a magazine or newspaper. It reads:
“That’s creepy. Who would send that?” I ask. Students around here hit pranking pretty hard, like any college. But it’s usually stuff like replacing ketchup with hot chili sauce in the dining hall or filling communal areas on campus with pink and red balloons. People don’t usually write personal notes, not that I’m aware of anyway. Usually they stick to big, public pranks with a large audience and a large laugh.
“Do you think it was one of your castoffs?” Charlotte asks, her blue eyes glistening. She’s enjoying Sonny’s discomfort.
“I don’t think I’ve done anyone that clingy,” he replies.
Lovely.
“Whatever, it’s only a prank,” Chace says. “Is everyone ready? Let’s go.”
Sienna and Isaac head out first, Sienna practically glowing with excitement. Charlotte follows Sonny out, looking like she’d rather do anything else. Chace waits for me and holds out his arm. I loop my arm around his.
You Will Be Mine
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The Lost Page 23
