Harper
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“Just look at you, showing up to this party in a rag version of the designer dress my daughter is wearing. It shouldn’t evene as <b>a </b>surprise because you’ve always lingered behind people who were brighter and better than you. You’re just the quiet girl people remember when they need somebody <i>to </i>screw.”
Her words stung, but I held my head high, refusing to look away.
“I was watching you in the dining room. You make it so obvious that you still want my precious son–inw. It’s embarrassing. He’s never wanted you, not even my son does. He had his fun with you and that was it.”
Just as I opened my mouth to speak…
Smack!
The palm of her handnded against my cheek so hard that it echoed in the hallway. My head jerked sideways and the few strands of hair I had perfectly styled turned into a mess. The sting burned through my skin so hard that I just stood there with wide eyes and parted lips.
She took a step back, her chest rising with satisfaction. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the day you pped my daughter.”
“Harper!”
E and Zoey came rushing down the hallway from behind her as fast as they could in their heels Harper.
Margot looked back, like she was amused.
“Oh, hell no!” Zoey growled, shoving Mrs Aldridge to the side so they could get to me.
I only saw her lose her bnce with wide eyes, my friends blocking the view of what came afterwards.
“She fucking hit you?” Zoey’s voice trembled with rage as she held onto my right arm.
“I’m fine,” I said quietly even though my cheek was still hot and stinging.
“No, you’re not.” E gritted her teeth, standing on my left and holding my other arm.
I could finally <i>see </i>Mrs Aldridge and she was fuming as she fixed her hair. “How dare you? This is what happens when rats are invited where they don’t belong!”
“Oh, yeah?” E scowled. “Say that one more time and I’ll-”
“There’s no need for that. I said I’m fine,” I repeated, my voice firmer this time. I caught her wrist before she could get a chance at shoving Mrs Aldridge, too.
If that had been Tiffany, I would have pped her right back with no hesitation, but it wasn’t a bratty girl from school. It was a grown ass woman and I wasn’t raised to hit my elders no matter what. My mother and Anna
always told me that, especially my sister.
“I’ll <b>have </b>the three of you thrown out. Just wait!” she warned us as she stormed off.
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Even before she turned at the corner, E sighed with an effort. “Harper, I know you would’ve stopped me, but she’s still lucky I didn’t have my shoe in my hand. My heel is <b>so </b>sharp that I would’ve loved to rip through
her dress<b>!</b><b>” </b>
“Are you seriously okay?” Zoey’s voice was softer now as she neatly positioned the strands on the sides of my face.
“I just needed a change of scenery after what I saw between…” I trailed off, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I just needed a change <b>of </b>scenery. I didn’t know I’d end up with a p on my cheek.”
“If you want, we can go home.”
“Zoey’s right.”
<b>“</b>I’ll be fine. I just need a distraction.” I gave a half smile.
“You know what?” E raised her eyebrow thoughtfully. “There’s so much artwork to look at. That’s totally your thing.”
They had never been as interested as I was in art, but they held me close and led me straight to the second floor, right where I wanted to be.
I stopped in front of a painting and said, “Thanks, you two can go back. I bet Adrian and Aiden are looking for you right now.”
“Yeah, but that can wait.” E nudged me softly.
Zoey grinned. “She’s right, but Aiden is so dreamy, damn.”
Those words got a weakugh out of me. “I’m d you’re here with me, both of you.”
“You know, I’m still so mad about Mrs Aldridge pping you. I would’ve tackled her if you hadn’t stopped me.” E cracked her knuckles.
My lips curved into a warm smile. “I’m d you two were ready.”
“Do you
think Mrs Aldridge will seriously have us thrown out of this party?” Zoey nervously gritted her teeth.
E huffed. “Looks like we’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Okay, enough about that.” Zoey faced the art. “So… is this an upside down tree?”
“Nah,” E shook her head, “it looks like a person upside down and damn, that’s a big head.”
I chuckled with amusement. “You two are seriously hopeless. Let’s try that one more time. What do you see?” I pointed at my favorite painting.
<b>7:28 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>16
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“Uhh…” E tilted her head. “That’s <b>a </b>stick figure, probably about to be abducted by aliens.”
“Definitely aliens!” Zoey noted with full conviction. “The clouds look like a spaceship… or mashed potatoes?”
I burst intoughter while shaking my head. “Wow.”
E shrugged with a chuckle. “What? Don’t you always say that art is supposed to be open to interpretation? Fine, what do you see?”
I tilted my head, turning a little serious as I stared at the canvas. “I see a lone child sitting on a roof and staring at the stars. This reflects loneliness, innocence and longing for more.”
E and Zoey leaned forward to look at each other, then burst intoughter.
“Harper, how the hell were you able to get all that from this?” Zoey snorted. “You’re such a poetic nerd.”
“You two need to understand that art says the things we don’t know how to say. It captures the feelings no one else sees<b>.</b>”
E raised her hands in defeat. “Alright, alright, we get it. This has always been your thing, not us, but hey, we love you anyway.”
Zoey pulled me in for a hug, E standing right behind me.
“You know what?” I said with my eyes closed. “I think I’m done here and we can get back to the party.”
“Seriously?” They both broke the hug excitedly.
I rolled my eyes. “I know that you’re both dying to get back to the Bary twins, so let’s go.”
Mr and Mrs Aldridge and Uncle Sebastian left the party early, probably not wanting to get in the way of how wild the party could get without them around.
While moving through the crowd, I was looking around for Maddox but there was still no sign of him.
“Didn’t that witch say she’d make sure the three of us are thrown out?” Zoey’s eyes narrowed.
“She must’ve failed. I’m d she did!” E let out an evil chuckle.
As E, Zoey and I were on our way to our previous seats, Tiffany was already there with a slightly sober Kate and even whispered something to her while looking at me.
I couldn’t even tell my friends about it as they had decided to move faster at the sight of Adrian and Aiden waiting for them right where they had been before.
I was so bothered by ‘Tiffany’s sinister smirk that I kept looking at her even when I was already close enough to take a seat on the other end.
Thest thing I wanted was to deal with being around her, so I thought I’d change seats and let my friends
<b>7:28 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>16 </b>
have fun with the twins.
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Just <b>as </b><b>I </b><b>was </b>about to face another direction while constantly ncing at her, <b>I </b>mmed into someone and that made me snap out of it. I looked right in front of me, meeting Grayson’s gaze when I looked up.
<b>“</b>You might want to look where you’re going!” he yelled over the music.
He smirked at me and I forgot how to breathe.
“Hey!” I managed to say.
He suddenly brought his face real close, then ced his lips right against my ear. It sent shivers down my spine. “Enjoying the party so far?”
He pulled back just enough to lock eyes with me again and it felt like time had stopped.
Quickly, I snapped out of it, nodding while taking a step back just so I wouldn’t be too close to him.
I expected Tiffany toe over and do something as that was the first time she was seeing me with Grayson that close after a while, but she just sat there and even leaned back in her seat with her legs crossed.
He started talking to me about the party and the food and it was then that she rose to her feet.
To my surprise, she walked right past the two of us.
“Babe?” he called out to her, as if wondering where she was going.
Right before the next song yed, Kate had a sinister smirk and said, “She’ll be right back. She just thought it would be fun to y a little game.”
She looked right at me when she mentioned the second part and it left me feeling uneasy. Was this going to be another truth or dare moment? I hoped not.
<b>AD </b>
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