Dian's POV
Seven Weeks After My Parents' Burial…
“rrrrrrrrrr! rrrrrrrrrrrrrr!'' The school bell peals indicating the end of another horrible school week. I shuffle along the crowd of students gunning for the door, my head covered in a black hoodie. I'm almost at my once shiny locker–now marked and tattooed with stalker, psycho, four-eyed creep– when I hear Kingston's booming laughter from the far end of the crowded hallway. He throws an arm over Claire Eastwood's shoulder, his fingers flirting to breasts that mysteriously grew into a C-cup over the summer. He pulls her head in for a kiss but she turns away at the last moment with a shy smile.
I realize they're heading in my direction and make a U-turn with a composure I don't feel but luck isn't on my side.
“Hey, it's the four-eyed stalker!” Someone hollers.
I freeze and the entire hallway bustling with kids keen to leave school suddenly quietens.
I can feel everyone staring at me and then Kingston ices the cake, “Hey, creep! You're supposed to be a hundred meters away from me, according to my restraining order.”
From the corner of my eye, I see him pull out a laminated piece of white paper from his bag, confirming the rumors spreading around town.
A buzz lights up the hallway and disgust is evident in their expressions as everyone glowers at me.
“Why the hell are you still allowed to school here, Beat it, psycho!” Claire snarls.
Soon, everyone is yelling, “Beat it! Beat it!”
I get shoved and pushed until my glasses are knocked off my face and I trip over someone's leg and fall hard on my ass. I reach for my glasses just as someone crushes them. I see Lisa Turner's boot grinding on my glasses. Claire Eastwood stomps on my outstretched hand and I snatch it back with a pained yelp.
I try to fight back but everyone crowds me, staring down at me with disgust and revulsion.
I pick myself off the floor, pushing through the crowd and my terror, and sprint in the opposite direction, smack dab into a hard chest.
Steady male hands grip my shoulders and I look up but my sight is all ruined from my tears and my long-sightedness.
“T-tank y-y-you,” I say to the blurred face.
“You shouldn't.” A gruff voice with a slight Russian twang answers.
He takes the hand Claire stomped on–now swollen– and places something cold on it.
“Come on,” He tugs me into an empty classroom and sits me on a chair.
Suddenly, I can't breathe and my heart jackhammers in my chest. I clutch the area, pounding it with my fist, hoping to make it better but it only gets worse. Dark spots start dancing behind my eyes and a loud whirr fills my ears…
“I can't breathe…” I wheeze.
“Count backward from one hundred.” He orders calmly, sounding almost bored.
I obey mindlessly and my eyes are dry and my heartbeat is regular as I reach number thirty-four.
“What's your name?” I ask to distract myself.
He stiffens, “That's not important.”
I tilt my head to regard him,“ What'd you mean?”
He abruptly drops the cold thing, “It means what I said. It doesn't matter.” he grinds out.
He paces to the classroom entrance and his features become less muddy.
Full inky hair, lean muscles, very tall, nice butt…
“You know they're right.” He starts quietly.
“Huh?”
“Your parents shouldn't have died that night. Your father shouldn't have died that night.” He turns to me and I catch a glimpse of black eyes and sharp cheekbones before his face is blurred again.
"Wha..."
He's saying it softly but the words slice through me like the sharp edge of a butcher's blade, “He wouldn't have died if you hadn't been so stupid!”
He barks out a harsh laugh, “You killed them… You killed your father. ”
“That's not true!” I protest, my voice cracking, “It wasn't my fault!”
I didn't mean for it to happen.
He ignores me or maybe he doesn't hear me, “Killed by his daughter. Killed by his own blood…”
“That's a lie! It wasn't my fault!” I cry weakly but get no response. He left. He just left.
I cry until my tearduct dries up and I'm left with a full throb in my head then I buy a mitten for my hand on the way home.
I enter the house to see boxes stacked in different corners of the sitting room.
......
“What do you mean, Manhattan?!"
I storm after Aunt Sherry who enters my dead parent's room and starts packing their stuff into an empty box.
“Stop packing!” I send the box flying across the room, it crashes against the wall and drops with a thud.
Aunt Sherry's eyes go wide in surprise, “What's gotten into you, Dian?!”
“I'm sorry.” I plop on the bed, tucking my hands between my legs to hide their trembling.
The bed dips as she sits beside me and tugs my shaking hands into hers.
"We can't stay here, Dian.” she says gently rubbing my palm against hers.
“But we just buried them, I– I can't leave them. You understand that, don't you Aunt Sherry?” tears clog my throat as I hold her gaze.
“I'm sorry Dian, but we can't.”
I clasp her hands, “But we can, Uncle Will's rich! He could buy the house.”
Her eyes hold so much sorrow, my heart breaks all over, “Your school called. Again.”
I tug my hands from hers, “That's nothing to worry about.”
She lifts my chin and peers into my eyes, “It is something to worry about, Little Dee.”
I bristle at the nickname.
“They're hurting you, Dee. They're saying horrible things everywhere in town, and with the dismissed lawsuit, now's the best time to leave.”
“Yeah, well they're not wrong,” I mutter.
“Yes, they are. It WAS NOT your fault Dian Josephine Fibarthorn.” She admonishes.
“But it is!” I shout, startling her, “It is. If I wasn't so selfish they'd still be alive.” I stand up, my cheeks heating, “If I didn't mute their texts, they'd be here and you'd be in Manhattan… If I wasn't so hung over a boy… If only I hadn't missed curfew, I'd have Mom and Dad with me, right here! Not you! I don't want you!” I run into my room and slam the lock in place.
It's all my fault.
Everything is my fault.
They died because of me.
They're gone because of me.
Self-loathing eats at my soul and my freaking will to live as tears and snot stream down my face. With a frustrated scream, I smash everything I can lay my hands on until my room is a pile of broken furniture. Exhaustion kicks in and I fall asleep sitting behind the door.
I wake up the next morning with a pounding headache and a plan to start over. I find Aunt Sherry sipping hot coffee and staring out the kitchen window.
She turns and sets down the coffee pot and comes over to hug me, “How was your night?”
I breathe in her coffee scent that reminds me of Mom before I step away, tears stinging my eyes, “For one, I have a crazy headache from all the crying,”
She draws out a chair and nudges me into it.
A tablet is placed in my hand which I ingest with a sip of the warm water she sets beside me.
“More,” she urges and I finish the cup of water.
“I'm sorry about last night, all the yelling and the stuff I broke and—”
“I understand Dee.” She says softly.
“I didn't mean those words, I love you Aunt Sherry and I'm grateful you're here with me, right now.” I reach over and hug her.
We hold onto each other and she says quietly, “I also wish they didn't die, I wish I didn't have to be here except during Thanksgiving, prepping naked turkeys…” I snicker at the fond memories.
She looks me in the eye, “You shouldn't beat yourself up, sometimes bad things happen to good people,”
I nod, my eyes watering again.
“Good, and you should listen to me because I'm a medical expert, so I know these things, yeah?” She gives me a gentle nudge.
“Yeah,” I say, nudging her back with a smile.
“About moving to Manhattan… I'm cool with it.” Her smile could break through the roof as she pulls me in for another hug.
“We've handled your transfer papers, you can resume next week… ”
“Okay,”
It's like she's in my head because she adds, “.... Will and I signed the adoption papers last night, how do you feel about Josephine Dukes?”
My smile is watery as I reply, “A bit corny but... I like it.”
Please tell me what you think 😊😊😊
JoJo's POV Four years later... “You're really okay with this?” Aunt Sherry gives me another once over. “Of course, Mom,” I squeeze her stiff shoulders, “I'm social media influencer Jojo Dukes of the KMJ Gone Girls', not psycho stalker Dian Fibarthorn.” “You know we'll call this off the moment you say the word.” Uncle Will chirps from the back of the car. I look back at the Manhattan Mansion and I don't feel any itch. I won't miss the nosy neighbors who gossiped about the mysterious couple and their dour-eyed kid that moved into the huge house they'd been eyeing or the enormous space in the house that was always void of humans or fun memories. I won't even miss my biches. Speaking of, my screen lights up and I see two new messages from our group chat. A wide grin splits my face. Mal: @Me, U gon yet??? I need me ur logins to get these for our next vid. (sent a pic) Moscow has some crazy ice skates. 😏😏😏 Ken: I miss u Jo 🤧🤧🤧 Me: Not❌❌❌ on ur deathbed @Mal Me: Ah mis
JoJo's POVMake-up ✔️Camera ✔️ Go live! 🎬I click the red Go Live button on the Instagram app. Unsurprisingly, I have three thousand views increasing by the second. Dozens of reactions and comments flood my phone and I read a few,Sandrakisme: What are you wearing gurlll💘💘 them lips be smokin'Jainleo&san: Your make-up is super flawless Jojo😭😭😭 We need another facial routine🤧🤧🤧Charle4twix: What u say Jo😜😜😜, a thousand bucks for one night, I tip well🥵🥵🥵I swing my gaze to the camera on the top of the screen and slap on a wide smile. Let's get this over with.“Hey! It's your girl Jojo from the KMJ Gone Girls and next week we're hosting The POAT #partyofalltimes on our beach house out here on the West Coast to celebrate our last year in high school,” The comments blow up with excited messages.I fake a pouty look and reply a mention, “I'm sorry @Ariay, it's strictly invite-only.” “Now, we want y'all in our party, so we're giving out a hundred slots to our top fans bu
JoJo's POV“I'm gonna murder you biches!!!” I yell at them, splashing around as my hands break the calm surface of the chlorinated water in slapping motions.My heart bursts at the sight of my two best buddies and I realize how quiet and lonely it'd been without them these two weeks. I missed these bitches.Mallory has taken position on my lounge chair and my headphones are now blasting some shit rock music while Ken tosses off her clothes, revealing a pale two-piece. She cries her excitement and jumps into the chlorinated water before I can stop her.“Mallory, you witch! Get out of my chair and drop my headphones!!!!” I yell like a Banshee while the bitch calmly tugs the headphones up and gives me a quizzical look, “You say something there?” She smirks and I want to wring her neck.I flip her off with two itchy middle fingers and she cracks up like the witch she is, a smile draws on my tight lips before she pops the headphones back on.Ken blubbers as she breaks through the water su
Jeremy's POVI take a bite of the red apple and watch the juice slide through my fingers down the length of my arm and on top of the pristine counter. I force myself to ignore it as the tic starts and I count backward in my head.1011, 1010, 1009, 1008…The silence of the moment is punctuated by teeth-crushing apple bits and the steady drip of apple juice.My phone buzzes and I glance at the notification.Unknown: WE KNOW WHAT YOU DID THAT NIGHTMy incisors bite sharply into the fruit, leaving a gaping hole in its place as the cell pings with another notification from unknown. I count before I read.999, 998, 997, 996…Unknown: WE HAVE PROOF I make a quick work of the fruit and toss it in the bin then find the kitchen rag and vigorously wipe the counter according to my counts before heading to my room. The apartment is silent until the phone buzzes again. My expression furrows and I remember I have a loose end to bind.Watching my mother die when I was eight broke something critical
Jeremy's POVUnknown: This video will go viral if you don't do what is required of you (sent video clip)Me: What do you want?Unknown: Isn't it obvious…Me: You'd have to be more specific.Unknown: We want you Jeremy Vongov.Me: You know who I am then??Unknown: Jeremy Vongov the elusive bastard heir of Russian Businessman, Maxim Vongov rumored to have blood ties with the Russian mob.Me: Then you know my father is a man to be feared, no?Unknown: We know that and more.Me: Enlighten me.After a long pause, three dots appear on the screen and I smile to myself.Unknown: We wouldn't want to bore you with mundane details of the contact.Me: Yes, the two drunk girls stupid enough to bug us, I take it they're your 'contact'Unknown: Your concern is with the video we just sent because one click and your father's empire is ashes.Me: You think you can get away with this?Unknown: Jeremy Jeremy Jeremy, you know this isn't time for threats, especially not from you.Me: You should run while y
JoJo's POV Ken and I peer into the burner phone, “What's with the burner?” “Activating Stage Two.” Mal: WE KNOW WHAT YOU DID THAT NIGHT Jeremy Vongov doesn't reply so Mallory shoots him another text. Mal: WE HAVE PROOF Still no reply, Ken takes the phone from Mallory, “Let me, I'll rile him up a little.” Ken: This video will go viral if you don't do what is required of you (sent video clip) “Why would you send him the video? you just played our trump card in the first round!” I yell. “So, he knows we're not messing around!” She yells back. Three dots appear, “Told you it'd work,” she smirks. Jeremy Vongov: What do you want? “WhatdoIsay WhatdoIsay?” Ken whispers like he can hear us, her anxiety spiking through the roof. “Oh hi there! Jeremy Vongov, we stalked you for a few days because we need your help to take down a common enemy… okay, not exactly common because you don't care about Kingston… actually you don't care about anyone but he cares about you, he sees you as h
Seven Hours to #POAT… I enter the dingy breakfast diner and spot Junnev sitting in the far corner facing the parking lot. I slide onto the faded crescent-shaped leather cushion opposite him, noticing his pinched expression. “What?” “The food here's lousy, Kila,” He shoves at the tray of chips, giving it the stink eye. “Oh, what a tragedy,” I reply with a hand to my chest and mock concern on my face. “Fucking prick.” A dry chuckle escapes me and a few heads veer in our direction. Malakai strides in two minutes later and there's a storm brewing in his eyes as he settles beside Junnev. Junnev looks at him, “What's with the sour look?” “Did you trace the link?” I ask. “I tried to hack into their firewall but the bitch locked me out.” He looks pissed. “Bitch?” “The encryption was a tragic love story and before I could figure that out, she locked me out.” He complains, “Only a wild bitch or some lovesick fuck would think that shit up.” “The blackmailers must be those girls,” J
Jeremy's POV Malakai is the party playboy who throws the wildest parties in school history. He's the free spirit who's friends with everyone and can see inside everyone's dirty locker. Literally. He's also the renounced son of Jimmy Falconer– leader of the Scottish Mafia. Junnev is the football team's Co-captain so he has a default pass into Kingston's circle, plus his girlfriend's friends with Kingston's girl–Claire Eastwood. He was one of the spies my father sent to monitor me. Meanwhile, I'm the billionaire bastard Slash Genius Artist. Leaving the bluster to Justin and his boys, I'm the elusive brat who the females swoon for whenever I pass by. They leave presents in front of my workshop like I'm some stray they're trying to tame. It’s irritating but if it gets Kingston blowing off his rockets then I'll allow it. Yes, I have an entire classroom to myself, a space I utilize for my guilty pleasure–sculpting–courtesy of my father's generous donation to Sabbel. My Father watches m