CH. 8 21 Questions

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Rosemary's P.O.V

Tonight was the dinner with Violet's parents. Dad said I had until 6:30 for them to pick me up. Enough time for me to finish up on homework. Who knows how long we were planning on being at Violet's house. Lola texted me earlier and asked to copy the homework that was given to us over the weekend.

As usual, the study room was empty. The bookshelves were dusty the first time I walked in. As if nothing had been touched in years! The other day when I was done with all my school work and bored, I cleaned up the room.

Searching for the answer to one of the homework questions, I flipped the page. From the corner of my eye, I saw someone walk in. Surprised, I looked up and saw that it was a girl, whom I didn't recognize. She was not in any of my classes.

"Oh shit, I didn't expect anyone to be in here," she looked just as surprised as I was.

"I'm actually finishing up," I started to pack up.

The girl chuckled, "Don't even worry about it, you can stay here," she was nice? Hmm, something new. "I promise to not make too much noise," she assured.

I chuckled, she made me feel at ease, "Honestly, I'm about to finish," I packed up the materials that I was done with. "So the room is all yours," I gave it all to her.

"Wow," she looked surprised. "You're different compared to all the assholes here," she added.

At the mention of that, I sighed, followed by a chuckle. "Thank you!" I took that as a compliment.

"That's nice," she smiled. "There's too many dumbasses who do a lot of shit talk in this prison," finally someone with some common sense!

"Yup, too many dumb-dumbs," I agreed.

"Yet you surround yourself with those people," the girl stated, which caught me off guard.

"I mean, they're in my class?" I didn't understand where she was coming from.

"You're around Violet all the time," she rephrased.

"Okay, well, she's my roommate," I explained. Not really like I had a choice.

"What about around campus? Either you're following her around or she is," stubbornly, the girl insisted.

"Neither?" At first this girl seemed normal but I don't know about that anymore...

"I don't know," the girl remained skeptical. "You're always within the same radius as her and her group of friends, including Melanie."

"We're all in the same classes," I reminded.

Regardless of what I said, she didn't seem to change her mind. What did I care though? I had no idea of who this girl was and I had to go already.

The girl sighed at herself, "I'm sorry! You must think that I'm one of these psychos," her cheeks warmed up in embarrassment. "Pushy-pushy!"

"Pushy-pushy?" I chuckled. That was kinda funny.

Seeing me laugh, the girl's expression relaxed in relief. "I didn't mean to come off as so pushy," she explained. "I get nervous around pretty girls-" as if letting something slip, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

Flattered, I smiled, "You think I'm pretty?" I put her on the spot.

"I mean..." kinda shy, she paused. "Yes and I always see Violet around you... there's no competing against her..." hmm, that lack of confidence...

"Why are you so intimidated by Violet?" Come on now, she needed more confidence.

"Everyone knows that no one can compete against her," she stated as if it were a fact.

I rolled my eyes at that, "And who says she's competition?" I smirked. The girl's forehead creased in confusion. "Violet demands attention but you can get it all on your own," I encouraged.

"Really?" Wanting to hear more, she pulled a chair to sit next to me.

From what I had heard and seen, Violet got attention naturally. She never actually had to ask for it. For this girl's sake, I was going to pretend that wasn't the case. She needed a confidence boost.

"I mean, you got my attention," I assured with a smile.

"Really?" Her eyes lit up.

"Yeah and I'd really like to know your name?" Showing her that she had my undivided attention, I closed my textbook.

At the sight of that, she smiled and glanced at the ground. Blushing, she stared back up to meet my eyes. "My name is Olivia," she introduced herself.

"Nice to meet you, Olivia," I returned the smile. "I'm Rosemary."

"I know-" catching herself, she added, "The whole school knows," she giggled, shyly.

Olivia was a pretty girl. Not Violet-gorgeous but she appeared to have personality. I didn't understand why girls here held back. Only because someone like Violet existed.

**********

One thing, my dad forgot to mention a minor detail. That he wasn't picking me up. Violet's parents arranged for their driver to pick up both VIOLET AND I! Before getting in the limousine, I took two Advil pills to prevent a headache.

Violet was blabbering nonstop, annoyingly. Pretending to be hanging myself with a rope, I pulled the nonexistent rope and choked myself to death.

"How I wish it were real," Violet scoffed.

"How I wish you'd shut up," I remarked.

"How I wish you'd play dead without the play," she retorted.

"You're demented!" Violet scared me.

"I feel like choking you," Violet groaned.

"I'm not kinky like that," I commented, perfectly knowing that she'd get irritated.

Violet jumped over to sit next to me, which startled me. I flinched at first but relaxed to feel her close. "Oh you're so funny!" Violet pinched my cheek. Within seconds, she pinched harder, causing pain. Oooh shit, that hurt! At first, I thought it was a gentle caress but it was her sneaky way of hurting me.

Catching on to it, I smacked her hand away.

"That hurts!" I yelped in pain.

"Oh I'm sorry!" She brushed my hair, only to end up pulling it.

"Stop that!" I jumped away from her.

Violet wasn't fooling anybody with her assaults in disguise as caresses! The moment this limo parked, I was jumping out of it! It was dangerous being back here alone with this little devil! If only our parents knew that they sent us into a war battle by sending for us together.

-

All night long, Violet was hogging up my parent's attention. Mom and dad were falling into her scheme! In front of them, she acted like a perfect little angel! The opposite of what she really was. Laughter rung throughout the room with these three. It felt like I was in the twilight zone. Violet had been replaced at one point without me realizing it!

While Violet devoured my parent's attention as if she were their daughter, I had my own side conversation with her parents.

"Your parents tell us that you don't get anything less than an A," Mr. Delaney commented.

I nodded in confirmation, "I'm working towards getting into the best university I can, meaning that I need to turn those A's into A+."

"You must spend all of your time studying," Mrs. Delaney assumed.

"Many hours go into it but there's time for everything," I assured.

Mr. Delaney's forehead creased, "Then why does Violet have such a hard time finding time to fix her grades?"

For one, I could not speak on her behalf, "She's a busy girl?" Honestly, I did not want to plain out say that she did not give a care about her education. That most of her time was spent on shopping. How did they not know this? After all, they had to give permission for Violet to leave campus. If not, she found other ways. Like bribing the security team around campus to let her out. Or simply by escaping.

Regardless, they must have known. After all, they hired me to tutor and babysit her.

"But you seem to manage just fine," Mrs. Delaney commented.

"Yet again, I don't have much of a social life," I threw myself under the bus for Violet. Why? I had no idea. All while Violet was trying to steal my parents from me. Seriously, she had their undivided attention all to herself. Whether it was because they missed her from when she was a little girl or because she was simply charming them. Why did people love her so much and so easily?

"You prioritize your education and Violet should learn from you," Mr. Delaney believed.

"You'd be an excellent influence on her!" Mrs. Delaney added.

If Violet heard that, she'd have a heart attack. "We're so busy that we hardly interact," I excused.

"But a friend like you would do her good," Desperately, Mrs. Delaney insisted.

Mr. Delaney glanced at Violet to make sure that she wasn't listening. Too caught up blabbering and laughing with my parents, she forgot that we existed.

"We're not going to sit here and pretend that she's all sunshine and rainbows," her mom took over. I mean, I knew that but her own parents were talking this way about her? Damn. "But Violet is a girl with a good heart, she just needs some guidance," she explained. Oooh okay...

"You're the perfect good influence for her," her dad insisted. "I'm really grateful that you agreed to looking after her," he added.

Glancing at Violet, I watched her laugh hysterically. Along with my parents, whom were having the time of their lives with her.

Catching her breath, Violet forced herself to stop laughing, "Rosemary really had an obsession with eating purple crayons?"

Oh god, they were telling her that story?

"Purple was her favorite color," catching her own breath, my mom confirmed.

"Yeah, not anymore," I corrected. "Little girl stuff," I added.

Violet scolded me as if I were interrupting something important. As if my parent's attention belonged to her and I was getting in the way.

"Violet, why don't you take Rosemary to see your room and you guys can catch up," her mom suggested.

"I don't think that's necessary," Violet dismissed.

Mr. Delaney cleared his throat, "Violet, we sort of want to have our bonding time with Ross and Mary," he basically stated as an order for her to leave.

In that very moment, Violet frowned and narrowed her eyes down to the ground.

"I bet your room is messy," I commented to her.

Offended, Violet gasped, "It is not!" Her features bunched up together.

"Show me then!" I dared.

"Follow me!" She stood from her seat and stomped out of the dinning room.

Stifling a laugh, I hurried to follow her. I knew that was the only way to get her to leave. If I knew anything about Violet was that she could never back down from a challenge and/or let an opportunity past by of proving me wrong. Violet was a bit of a neat freak. Obviously, I knew her room was going to be organized. Either because she kept it that way or because the house maids did.

-

Violet's P.O.V

The last thing I imagined was to have Rosemary in my room. Weirdly so, I had nightmares about it. Others would consider it a dream but I- well, I don't know what I thought of it as. Once or twice, I had nightmares about Rosemary walking directly up to me and kissing me. Weird as fuck, right?

Before bringing her up here, I grabbed a champagne bottle. When I popped it open, I chugged about 1/4 of it. Rosemary warned me not to. Did I listen to her? Fuck no!

What my parents did down there was disrespectful! They thought I didn't hear them but I heard it all! They basically threw me under the bus with Rosemary! Wanted her to get close to me. To pretend to be my friend to keep me in check! How about when they wanted me to leave? I was having such a great time with the Myles family! Excluding Rosemary, of course.

Blasting music in my room, I danced around all over it.

"Maybe you shouldn't drink anymore, we have class tomorrow morning," A grandma as usual, Rosemary attempted at taking the champagne bottle from me.

Smoothly dodging her, I spun around, dancing. "Maybe you should let me be a disappointment to my parents as always," I took another drink and laughed, moving my hips to the rhythm.

Resembling my parents, Rosemary shook her head in disappointment and distress, "You don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do," I raised the music volume.

Rosemary went over to lower it a bit, "Violet," she took the bottle from me.

"Give me the juice back!" Reaching for it, I crashed into her body. Face to face.

"You're against me, do you realize that?" Rosemary hid the bottle behind herself.

Pushing against her body, I tried reaching around her. "Rosemary, why are you so mean to me?" Basically with my arms around her, I looked up to meet her eyes. Lost in them, I froze and gulped down hard.

"I just want to help you," she mumbled out, sounding nervous.

Slowly, I pulled away, "I don't think you can..."

"What's wrong? Why are you drinking?" Either I was too buzzed or she sounded genuinely concerned. "You seemed perfectly fine at dinner," she pointed out.

Tell her the truth? Not that she'd care.

"What do you care? You probably just want to use it against me," I walked to my bed.

Rosemary placed the champagne on my nightstand and walked over to my bed to sit next to me. "And why would I want to do that?" She questioned. Too buzz to answer, I shrugged. "You and I don't get along but I don't want to hurt you," she clarified.

Honestly, I didn't know whether to believe her or not. After all, my parents practically begged her to watch after me. This could have been her way of following their request.

"Rosemary, everyone always wants something from me..." I paused. "Whether it's popularity, favors, or contacts," I elaborated. "People are clout chasers and I'm a stepping stone."

In shock, her eyebrows arched, "You really think that?" Sarcastically, she chuckled. "You're not a stepping stone," she argued, which I rolled my eyes at. "Violet, I'm serious!" She reassured. "I know I'm just going to feed into your ego but you're more than that! There's so much more to you than what you lead on! Your parents know that!"

Where was my bottle? I needed to drink to that bullshit! "My parents think I'm a lost cause!"

"They don't though!" Rosemary claimed, a little too passionate about it.

"Oh but they do!" I laughed at that bullshit. Remembering that she sat the bottle at the nightstand, I crawled over the bed to grab it. "Rosemary, loosen up!" I scooted back to the end of the bed to sit next to Rosemary.

"By drinking?" She questioned.

Entertained by how her forehead wrinkled in distress, I laughed, "A drink per question," I proposed. Puzzled, Rosemary's forehead remained creased. "For every drink you take, I'll answer a question," I elaborated.

"Yeah, I'm not playing into your little games," the grandma wanted no part in my fun activities.

"Light weight?" I mocked and took a drink of the champagne.

"No," she flatly denied.

"Oh so you're scared?" I figured, adding pressure.

"You can't trick me into drinking!" Someone was getting too offended.

Chugging another drink of champagne, I chuckled, "Never said I was! All I'm saying is that my parents and your parents have been drinking and it's probably going to be a long night-"

Rosemary interrupted me, "My dad and mom won't have me waiting, they know I have classes tomorrow," she defended.

"Okay but they're with my parents right now and that means they're already drunk," I argued. Skeptical, Rosemary shook her head. "Do you not hear them drunkly laughing from all the way up here?" I pointed out. Argument enough! My mansion was enormous! For us to hear them, they had to be extremely loud. To be loud as such, they had to be beyond drunk!

Surrendering, Rosemary sighed, "Fine but can't I just ask you questions without drinking?"

"What would be the fun in that?" I didn't see it. "Rosemary, stop being such a grandma and take the damn drink!" I practically pushed the bottle to her face. Mainly because I lost my balance.

"I am not a grandma!" Hissing, Rosemary snatched the bottle from me and took a big drink.

"That's not going to do anything to you," I was not impressed.

"This will!" Rosemary chugged another drink. Entertained, I smirked. Rosemary whipped the running champagne from her mouth. "First question, are you even human?" She well meant it as an insult but that was not going to slide with me.

"No, I'm a goddess," I smirked, confidently.

As if she were not surprised at all by my response, Rosemary rolled her eyes, playfully.

-

A whole bottle in and Rosemary was loosening up. More laughter was coming from her than I had ever heard before. Buzzed, her expression softened. Resting her face on her hand, she stared softly at me. I couldn't help but to smile. Rosemary looked so beautiful. The champagne had no influence on me. This was the real me thinking this.

"Next question: Who do you like?" Rosemary was getting too comfortable asking these questions.

"None of your fuckin' business," I shrugged, not playing into it.

"Okay but I took a drink to ask this question, so you have to answer," even while being buzzed, Rosemary could argue.

"And you care so much why?" I questioned. "Trying to see if you can compete or what?" I smirked. At this point, I wanted Rosemary to be brave enough to tell me that she was attracted to me.

Sarcastically, Rosemary laughed, "In case we're compatible for double dates." Huh? "You and your crush, Olivia and I." Whoa? Olivia? From Montgomery? Suddenly, I felt a pressure in my chest. Tonight, I did not expect to hear Olivia's name. Any other girl's name in general.

Holy shit, why did I feel so hurt by that? Why was the champagne hitting me now more?

"Olivia from Montgomery?" I felt myself sobering up.

"Yeah, I met her today and she's really pretty," Rosemary confirmed, adding more pressure to my chest.

Rosemary liked someone? She found someone else to be attractive? Someone else caught her eye? The pressure in my chest intensified. What was this?

I swallowed the knot in my throat, "You should go," I pointed out the door.

"But why?" Rosemary looked so confused.

No way could I let her know that I was taken back by the mention of Olivia. Rosemary would hold that against me.

"Because I want to throw up!" Technically, I wasn't lying. After the mention of Olivia, I felt sick to my stomach. "So go now!" I pulled her off my bed and practically pushed her out of my room. "And don't ever fuckin' talk to me again!" I slammed the door in her face.

Anyone could get Rosemary's attention, apparently! I didn't want her attention if it was that easy! Why did I continue to think that she was different? Nothing special to Rosemary! She continued to prove me wrong when I tried giving her the benefit of the doubt!

Thank you for reading!

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