Chapter 1: Sex Scandal

Vanessa's POV

"Don't you think you should wear something that accentuates your curves?" Lillian asked as she lay sprawled across my bed, staring at the ceiling.

"You are supposed to be helping me, remember?" I muttered, tossing another outfit back into my wardrobe.

I had been searching for something gorgeous to wear to the bonfire for almost an hour, but every single thing I picked up looked awful on me.

The dresses were fitted, and the tops showed too much. Anything that clung to my stomach went straight back into the wardrobe before I could spend more than five seconds looking at myself in it.

Lillian sat up and shook her head. "Why don't you just wear a normal dress? You don't have to wear something oversized to cover your body. Vanessa, your figure is beautiful. I wish I were half as curvy as you are."

"You're just saying that to be nice."

"Why would I lie about something like that?"

"Because you're my best friend, and that's what best friends do. They make us feel better."

She placed a hand over her chest. "Girl, I am not trying to make you feel better. You are beautiful, and I'm tired of trying to convince you."

She climbed off the bed and stood beside me. "Look at me. I look like the letter I. Do you seriously want to look like me?"

"Yes," I answered without thinking.

Lillian had no idea what I would give to have her body. She could wear practically anything without first turning sideways in the mirror or tugging fabric over the parts she didn't want anyone to notice.

"You have no idea what you're saying," she murmured before dropping back onto the bed.

A moment later, she said, "Have you seen Cole's I*******m?"

"Um... no. Why?"

She sprang from the bed and shoved her phone so close to my face that I leaned backward.

"Are you trying to blind me?"

Cole Grayson was running on a treadmill, shirtless, with headphones covering his ears. His brown hair was damp, and sweat ran over a body that looked unfairly good for someone whose personality irritated me as much as his did.

"He is so fucking fine," Lillian said.

"Amen to that," I murmured.

"I knew it."

"That doesn't mean I like him."

"Nobody said anything about liking him."

I handed the phone back before my imagination became embarrassing.

"I want him," Lillian announced. "I want him so badly."

"Yes, you've made that painfully clear."

"Do you know how long it's been since someone has fucked me?"

I burst out laughing. "No one needs that information."

"Cole and his brother don't give a rat's ass about any of us," I said. "We just happen to go to the same school. They're from a Lycan bloodline, they're ridiculously rich, and everyone treats them like royalty."

"I can make him care about me."

"Ew. Those two are proud and pompous."

"But aren't they?" she asked.

I groaned. Eventually, I gave up and pulled on a hoodie with washed jeans.

Lillian stared at me. "What the fuck are you wearing?"

"Clothes."

"You look like you're going to help somebody move furniture."

"I'm comfortable."

"You're hiding."

My hand stopped on my bag.

She lifted both hands. "Forget I said anything. If you're comfortable looking like you escaped from a sad television show, let's go."

****

The drive took almost thirty minutes. I had expected maybe twenty people around a fire. Instead, almost the entire senior class seemed to be there.

Three minutes after sitting down, I regretted coming.

Everyone seemed to know where they belonged. I kept my hands buried in my hoodie while Lillian went back to Cole's page.

"You know he's not that hot, right?" I whispered.

She slowly turned her head.

I knew I was lying. Unfortunately, so did she.

"I have Spanish with him. His personality ruins his face."

"I still want him."

"Of course you do."

"Do you think they're coming tonight?"

"Nah. They're too cool for us mere mortals."

"Is Nathan coming?"

My amusement disappeared. "I don't know."

Nathan had barely answered my messages all week. Six months together, and lately I felt as though I needed an appointment to speak to my own boyfriend.

"You two are still having problems?"

"We're fine."

"He acts like he doesn't know you whenever he's with his friends."

I sighed.. "It's.... It's complicated."

"What exactly is complicated about acknowledging your girlfriend in public?"

I picked at a loose thread on my sleeve. Nathan was different when we were alone. He could be sweet when he wanted to be. He had been the first boy who made me believe being wanted wasn't reserved for girls who looked like Lillian.

"He loves me," I said. "And I love him."

"Sure."

"Don't do that."

"I'm not doing anything."

I checked my phone again; nothing from Nathan.

Around us, conversations continued until dozens of notification sounds went off almost at once.

Phones buzzed everywhere, then people started looking at me.

A boy near the fire covered his mouth while laughing. A girl beside him whispered something and stared directly at me.

Lillian had gone completely still.

"What?"

Her eyes remained fixed on her phone.

"Lillian?"

She looked up, and whatever she had seen had drained every trace of amusement from her face.

"What is it?"

She didn't answer.

More people were staring now, and I was getting more confused.

"Lil, what happened?"

She lowered the phone. "Vanessa..."

"Show me. What is it?"

"I don't think—"

"Show me."

Her fingers trembled as she turned the screen toward me. For a second, I couldn't understand what I was seeing.

Then I recognized Nathan's bedroom, his bed, and myself.

The video was playing beneath a message already forwarded through the senior-class group chat.

Nathan and I were having sex.