Chapter 6 - The Great Confrontation

Vine

As if to show off, Miriam waved the back of her ring finger at me,

"Hey, ugly duckling, checking me out?"

My eyes scanned her body, and that's when I realized that she was not wearing her own dress.

She was wearing my favorite golden colored lace dress that I sewed by myself while I wasn't going to school. I'd kept it in Drew's house, saying that I would wear it on the day he would host his Victory party but now...

Anger boiled my blood over, till I could feel it on the tip of my fingers and every skin pore.

But I kept mum, not wanting to attract any attention to myself. I was still on my own when...

Without warning, Miriam took a glass of red wine from a passing waitress and flung it's content on my body.

I gasped, watching as it dripped down to my dress and unto my skin and ruining my make up.

"Miriam... Why... You..." I was so lost for words but as usual Miriam had something to say.

"Wasn't this dress meant for your proposal? How come it didn't later happen? Was it because… you're a wolf less slut?” Her voice was loud and sharp, causing a crowd to gather around us.

Goddess knew how hard I tried to calm down. Tried to make my hatred for her not to get the better part of me so I won't commit murder, but she went on.

"Ugly Duckling!"

People began laughing at me, this time, not behind their hands, but openly pointing their fingers at me.

"Did she just wear that to a party?"

"I heard she's so shameless..."

Miriam had a satisfied smile on her lips as she closed the distance between us, folding her arms over her chest.

"Who invited you to this party? Did they know your sex tape was all over the internet?!"

Instantly, tears brimmed in my eyes as I felt like those fingers pointed against me in condemnation had turned to thorns poking at every inch of my body.

I couldn't breathe. My chest tightening from unshed tears.

In that heat, I walked up to Miriam and landed a slap across her cheeks.

If I was going to be hated on, then, I'd better give them a good reason to be the villain.

"What have I done to deserve all these from you?"

"Huh?" I drew closer.

Miriam saw the anger in my eyes, momentarily forgot that I was wolf less, flinched and stumbled backwards.

Her cheeks heated with embarrassment as she glanced around, fearing the crowd might see her as weak.

Good. Let them see it. The guilty are always the ones who flinch.

"You seduced my mate, you spoiled my image in front of my parents and I let you, then why can't you let me pick the remaining pieces of my life?"

"Let you be?” She scoffed, rubbing the spot where I had slapped her.

"That's the last thing I would want to do. You deserve everything happening to you right now."

"Why? Why do I deserve your cruelty? Miriam, when we were friends, I was good to you. I sacrificed a lot just to make you happy, is this how you pay me back?!"

I've been wanting to ask her this ever since she betrayed me. We are from the same plate... She wore my clothes... Gossiped together...

"That's exactly why I want to bring you down, Vine," She scoffed, "You make it seem like you're complete and have everything going good for you, while everyone has to notice my deficiency. You're smart, you've got the perfect boyfriend, and you're adored by your parents, meanwhile, as for me..." She let the silence complete her sentence, all while yelling in a whisper.

"...Can't you see? That's why I wore your perfectly crafted dress, and I'm glad you can do nothing about it."

"It's a shame you're jealous of things I can't control," I retorted, "How can you even be jealous of me?"

I looked at her. Really looked at her. And when I realized I can't fight battles against someone who saw things I couldn't control as victory, I silently turned around to leave.

I didn't want to murder anyone just yet.

However, I was stopped short by Drew holding back the collar of my gown,

"You're here as a maid, right? Now, why don't you serve us?"

Laughter echoed in my mind.

I forcefully shoved away his hand, and began making my way out through the large crowd.

Perhaps, because he was popular, they found nothing wrong with him humiliating me for their amusement.

As I walked, my gaze landed on a young man whose face was partly hidden behind the shadows of his hat as he leaned against a pillar, with a relaxed posture like none of this ever bothered him.

I scoffed. If they wanted a spectacle, I'd give them one — just not the one they expected.

Slowly, I raised my face and looked Drew dead in the eye over my shoulder, letting him see exactly how little he'd broken me.

My gaze didn't falter. Rather, they dared him to stop me or show even an ounce of the control he thought he still had over me.

And then I made a decision with rebellion and revenge dancing on the edges of my heart...

I closed the space between me and this mystery guy with a hat.

Our eyes met and something seemed to pass between us at that moment, his gaze piercing into mine like he could read my thoughts by just staring at me, and unconsciously, I shuddered.

He was the guy I slapped earlier.

Maybe that's why my skin burned with an electric heat as I stood on my toes, my hands slipping to the back of his neck.

Leaning in, I smirked with a confidence I had never felt before....

Damning the consequences, I kissed him... Hard...