Chapter 232
Clementine:
We had a great discussion in our room, where the three of us decided we would do our best to be sent back to the academy.
After that, we had to leave because we knew there would be a lurker somewhere around, keeping an eye on us, and then he would report back and let the headmaster know we were all gathered in one room together.
If it led to him sending us back to the academy, we would have been fine with it. But that wasn’t how it would go.
The punishment for this specific action would be being sent to different places. That wasn’t what we wanted anymore.
However, if we caused enough trouble that one or two families decided it was better for us to go back, they would send us. We knew the rules well enough. They were written on the envelope very clearly.
So with that in mind, we walked out of the room together. I took a deep breath because I knew I was about to face so many people who didn’t like me—Troy’s older brother, Troy’s mother, and Troy’s stepmother.
As I wandered around, I noticed Troy and Haiden were pretending to just have fun at the party, the little celebration for the marriage of Messi and Mariana.
I caught the way Messi kept looking around. He had a smug face. I absolutely hated his smug face. But could I do anything? If they wanted to get married, they would get married.
I walked over to the counter and stared at the drinks being served.
“Is there anything very light?” I asked the person behind the counter.
He nodded and began preparing a drink for me.
I knew whose attention I was about to get. There was no way he would see me and not come over to bother me.
“Ah, Clementine’s Stark. What an amazing day to be alive, right?” Messi appeared, commenting from behind me.
I smiled and turned around, giving him a hard glare from head to toe, then looked forward again as I accepted the drink.
“What happened? You’re not very happy to see me?” he pressed, obviously taunting me. He just wanted to get under my skin.
“What is there to like about you?” I shot back, pouting and shrugging.
“I didn’t know you were still so sassy,” he chuckled.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know I was supposed to act a certain way when I see you. But how is everything?” I asked, smiling as I took sips from the alcohol. It was very light, but I already knew how I was going to act.
Seeing us talk probably caught Mariana’s eye, and she started walking toward us.
“Everything is perfect. I am the crowned alpha of my pack, and I’m getting married. Never had a good life,” he chuckled, shaking his head.
“Oh! I hope you didn’t abduct your mate to marry you?” I taunted.
As soon as the words left my mouth, I watched his face harden. Some guests standing nearby suddenly turned to look at us. Messi shot them a look before turning back to me.
“Stop saying what you cannot prove,” he hissed under his breath.
“I’m not here to prove anything. I was just saying. I mean, I was a victim of it, so all I can do is tell my truth, right? Please don’t mind me. Sometimes with alcohol, I just lose my mind,” I replied while shaking my head to steady my thoughts.
I made it seem like it was the alcohol messing with me. They didn’t know what counted as a big quantity for me. I had planned to put all the blame on the alcohol from the start.
“Well then, you should stop drinking. And also learn to act a certain way. It’s not like you can live a teenager’s life. Don’t forget, you’re going to the North. Do you think that kind of sassy attitude would work there?” he asked, shaking his head aggressively.
At the same time, Mariana arrived, but she didn’t say anything. She just stood next to us, especially near her new mate.
“Ah, the North. Yeah, those monsters. Sometimes I wonder if some of them escaped to this place as well,” I commented, giving him a side-eye.
“Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean?” Mariana finally spoke up.
As she stepped forward to question me, I noticed the concern on Messi’s face. I had given him the impression I was dizzy and losing my mind from alcohol, so he didn’t want her speaking with me while I was drunk.
“Let’s go. She always says the stupidest things. She used to be Troy’s friend and would come over. I remember she always behaved this way,” he whispered to her, trying to take away my credibility.
“What? No, that’s not true. Don’t say that. I mean, I was pretty nice. Even when he tried to abduct me, I was still nice to him,” I purposely let that slip.
The way Mariana’s eyes widened told me it had worked.
“What? What is she saying? You tried to abduct her?” Mariana demanded, her eyes warning him to be honest.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to say it. You know, it’s just that I slapped my forehead, pretending to be worried.
“I want to know the truth. What is going on? Why is she making these claims, and why are you standing there silently listening to her?” she raised her voice.
He gestured at her and gave her a warning look to keep her voice down.
“No, I want to know. What is she saying?” she insisted.
That was when his mother somehow got a whiff of it. I knew she would. She arrived and started hushing us with a hand gesture.
“What are you three doing? This isn’t the place to have this kind of conversation. And you? Do you have nothing better to do? It’s his celebratory dinner for heaven’s sake!” she hissed at me.
I shrugged and stepped away.
“Sure, I was just saying,” I muttered, rolling my eyes, acting unhinged.
“She said he tried to—he tried to kidnap her,” I heard Mariana whisper to his mother, trying to explain our argument.
Messi was glaring at me now. If he really thought he could do the same to me again, he was dead wrong.
“She’s a liar. She always does that,” lady Gracie snapped.
“Am I though? I mean, I’m not the one who stole someone’s phone and started rumors about her best friend on her social media,” I snapped, because it had been in my heart for too long to stay silent.
As soon as I brought up that one big turning event that destroyed my friendship with Troy, even Troy gasped.