Chapter 27
Part 1
Aubrey Antonette Posen always has a goal. She actually has more than one and she keeps them neatly written in a special notebook. It is also true that she is dead serious in doing everything to achieve every single one of them and so far, she's doing extremely well at it.
Determination and hard work has always been the life blood of the Posens so it's no wonder her whole family consistently abides by it. As a matter of fact, prestigious and illustrious are the very words always used to describe her family. Which is why there is no room for error and error is certainly Aubrey's worst fear. To fail is not an option and the pressure is always immense. But Aubrey handles it all with grace. She's always succeeded in getting what she strived to achieve and that's really all that matters to her.
Aubrey always shoots for the stars. It's what she had been trained to do. It's what is expected of her and the name she carries. And for as long as she remains on top of everything her life will surely be sailing perfectly, just the way she always wanted.
That is, until one Stacie Conrad came sauntering into the picture.
Anastacia Cerise Conrad or Stacie 'Aphrodite's problematic child' Conrad, as she is famously called, came one evening strutting confidently along the expensively polished tiles of Constantine Albert in her bold red high heels as she laughs along her sister and cousins.
Of course, like the Vanderbilts, they immediately draw everyone's attention. From their Parisian leather aesthetic to their seductive-sounding French banter, they stand out so brightly, especially when they proudly wear the symbol of their blood red family crest embroidered on their jackets and carved on their rings. A habit every elite never forgets to show whenever out in public.
Cocky and wild, that's a Du Pont for you.
As a matter of fact, they happen to be massive flirts who always love to party and have 'fun'. Obviously, the kind of people Aubrey and her sophisticated family would never ever associate with.
Also, it's no secret that the Vanderbilts and the Du Ponts have been huge rivals for centuries which means Aubrey's disgust for them increases even more. She even wonders how the Du Pont bloodline managed to join the ranks of royalty with their cheap and reckless way of life.
Great great great uncle Vlad Dracula must surely be disappointed if he were still alive.
However, Aubrey's not in the mood to fight openly with a Du Pont. She might never be in the mood for it in this lifetime. It's tiring and will amount to nothing but trouble anyway. Besides, between working to secure her top spot in class and cheerleading practice, Aubrey is just too busy to concern herself with useless matters. So, as usual, she ignores them instead, like any mature vampire would.
But then again, Aubrey will take no care into involving herself with the Du Ponts, be it in a rivalry war or devious trickery, for as long as they stay out of her way. However, should they make one wrong move in messing with her family and getting in the way of her precious goals, now that's a different case.
A good example of that would be when she finds herself suddenly sharing the top spot with none other than the newest, popular 'it girl' of Constantine Albert, Stacie. A feat nobody has ever done before.
Add in the fact that due to Stacie's academic records in France and her astoundingly high score in her entrance exam the supposedly junior student had been accelerated up a couple of subjects at the same year level as her makes it even more… humiliating.
That's when Aubrey finally realizes that Stacie Conrad is a huge threat to her carefully planned number one streak. Which is why she vows that no matter what happens, that cunning fox is never going to knock her off her top spot, her throne.
Eventually, after the push and pull for dominance, with Stacie throwing air kisses and winks her way every time Aubrey loses, the Du Pont ultimately slips and falls down third place and to be honest, it bothers Aubrey that she doesn't seem affected by it at all. It's as if she's just been playing a game all this time then suddenly got bored halfway. It's insulting, to be honest. Aubrey takes her future really seriously and she's always believed that the steps to success start in the classroom. For Stacie to belittle that, is making her blood boil.
Besides, Stacie losing to her doesn't even settle to her as fair. The Du Pont seemingly, as previously pointed out, got bored halfway through and has shifted her focus back to making-out under the moonlight with just about anyone she fancies, a scene Aubrey has the misfortune of witnessing every once in a while.
Silently, she shakes her head and tries not to gag whenever she spots Stacie engaged in a heated lip-locking session by the fountain with popular volleyball star player, Carina Salvador.
She was just about to turn away from the disgusting scene when Stacie's eyes suddenly glance upwards, staring directly up at the transparent glass windows of the library where Aubrey's table is situated. Taken off guard, Aubrey doesn't immediately avert her eyes—or habitually roll them in annoyance—instead, she stares back at her, unable to pull away for some reason until it snaps when Stacie gives her a wink, followed by that irritating smirk that again, makes her blood boil.
Also, she's not flustered.
She mentally reasons that her heated cheeks are a result of the unmeasurable amount of anger sizzling in her chest. She's just about mad enough to flip all the tables in the library right now and for the record, it normally takes a lot to make her feel that way. In the end, she leaves earlier than intended, thoughts of strangling a certain Du Pont weighing heavily in her mind.
Of course, Stacie suddenly decides that the spot by the fountain would be her playgirl mansion, bringing anyone she desire to blatantly make-out with which also means Aubrey's favorite spot—take note, a highly coveted spot—in the library has been tainted with such a vulgar scene.
But would that stop Aubrey from getting her peace?
Definitely not.
The perks of hailing from a very affluent family is that once you demand something everyone instantly takes action.
Her solution?
Curtains.
Golden Italian curtains, the colour of the Vanderbilt family crest are instantly hung up the library windows in order for Aubrey to get her focus and privacy back without any distractions to steal her attention away. And with that Aubrey adds that to the list of all her victories—of which she has all handled maturely on her part.
That makes two points in her favour now.
Aubrey believes in fighting without having to stoop down low on to the same level as your enemies. There's always class in everything she does and she takes pride in it. But then make no mistake, if anyone tries to disrespect her family she can play savagely as well.
So when her cousin, Chloe, comes home teary-eyed because of a Du Pont who blatantly humiliated her in class, Aubrey is suddenly hungry for revenge. But if anyone thinks that she's going to foolishly go charging towards King Darius' daughter and heir of the Du Pont bloodline's high seat then they're wrong. Aubrey is smarter than that and she also happens to know that there is nothing that angers someone more than going after their loved ones.
Love is weakness. Love is strength. Love makes you do things, stupid things. It makes you go crazy.
Aubrey Posen doesn't want to go crazy. If she could personally beg to the higher forces up above to take her heart instead, she would've done it in a blink of an eye.
And who would be a better target for revenge but one long-legged brunette who has pissed her off multiple times with those unwelcomed winks and smirks she keeps throwing Aubrey's way as if she wanted it. Mind you, she'd rather go on a blood fast than be in the company of a Du Pont.
Her revenge was simple. It only needed a bit of bribery, a lot of patience and the perfect timing to work.
See, the thing about executing a perfect plan according to Aubrey herself is not to rush things, even if your emotions dictate otherwise. So, she waits in silence like a predator in the wild, getting ready to pounce until the opportunity comes.
And it does.
Stacie officially dates Ethan Williams, a non-elite, a fact that makes Aubrey cringe. How the Du Ponts could just make relationships with anyone out of the elite circle baffles her. Ethan wasn't even an athlete or part of any important school organization. He was just some average guy who seemed like he'd be into art and poetry—based on the sketchpads he carries, the art books he reads, the relaxed borderline lazy attitude, minimalistic fashion and the unkempt mop of hair he sports.
In short, Ethan was nobody important. He's just one of those people standing in the sidelines. Yet, somehow, Stacie sees something in him to make her stay in a relationship for that long. Aubrey thinks that it's probably because they are so alike and as everyone knows, birds of the same feather fuck each o—flock together.
As Aubrey knows, Stacie only has flings that last in a span of days, three days at the most, all of which she takes to her 'playgirl fountain', all except for her current boy toy, which makes Ethan valuable to her.
This is where opportunity opens its doors. Revenge can finally be served.
It's harsh and brutal but when Beca 'I hate everyone except for people I want to fuck' Mitchell continues to make her cousin's life hell, Aubrey can do nothing but simply… return the favour.
And Ethan has an ex-girlfriend.
This is where the bribery comes in.
Money is not a problem for Aubrey. The Vanderbilts have always paid people to do whatever they want done. Every elite family has but the Vanderbilts easily bag the award for the most times they've done it. It's a family trait which Aubrey has acquired since birth. So if she needed to pay one jealous ex-girlfriend to wreck havoc on the romantic paradise Stacie and Ethan are currently residing in to get her revenge then… she's just acting on what she's been taught to do.
If there is one thing Aubrey has learned about men it's that they can be easily manipulated. You just need a pair of boobs and a whole lot of booze. Throw in a former flame and watch as the foundations of love burn down the ground.
Ruthlessly, she gets front row seats to the drama unfolding in front of her as she sips on her fruit juice, looking like she just won the highest bid for a rare piece at an art gallery.
She takes amusement in the way that Ethan desperately tries to beg for forgiveness and explain how drunk he was that night at his friend's birthday party, drunk enough to do things that he didn't mean to do.
Stacie answers him with a slap on his face and walks away.
Aubrey considers her revenge successful until she sees the look of hurt on the brunette's face. It is enough to erase the amused smile on her lips in an instant. But Aubrey never admits guilt, at least… not out loud.
Besides, Stacie wasn't 'that' serious about him, right? Surely she'd be replacing him with someone else in a week right?
She doesn't.
In fact, the long-legged Du Pont seemed lethargic, her gaze always far and her natural playfulness toned down to an alarmingly low level.
But that's temporary, right?
It doesn't seem like it.
One more week passes by and Stacie remains surprisingly single and unavailable. Her absence at her favorite make-out playground is starting to become worrisome—and as much as she hates to acknowledge it—even for Aubrey.
She takes down the curtains in the library and she's intentionally marked an answer wrong so the Du Pont could snicker about it like she usually does when Aubrey makes—a very, very small—mistake and not look far away out in the window uninterestedly.
Four more days pass with the weekend slowly approaching and finally Aubrey is ready to admit that she's unable to take it anymore. Especially when whispers of one Beca Mitchell being the cause of Ethan Williams's sudden decision to quit school—due to health reasons according to his family—had become loud enough to reach Aubrey's ears.
Pushing her books aside, she packs up early and heads out walking with a purpose, a yellow post-it in the palm of her hand. She takes a sharp turn along the hallway and quickly spots Stacie placing her books in her locker, obviously finished with her classes for today.
Aubrey continues without stopping, eyes locked on her target as if she was in their family's private shooting range, firing bullets precisely inches—if not at the center—from her mark.
Stacie moves to close her locker by the time Aubrey reaches her and in a smooth move, she wordlessly slams her palm against the locker door, completely shutting it close for her.
When the Du Pont snaps her head towards her in surprise, Aubrey cocks her head to the side, motioning over the yellow post-it now sticking on the front of Stacie's locker, the one Aubrey stuck whilst said slamming of palm on metal—smooth, indeed.
The brunette naturally looks at the note curiously, reading the words scribbled elegantly in cursive fashion. The confusion and disbelief in her eyes grows even more obvious as she turns her head back at Aubrey who now has gracefully swivelled in her heels to walk away.
It only takes five long seconds until she hears footsteps following her towards the school's fountain. When she stops, she pauses for a few moments until the footsteps behind her finally catch-up.
"You leading me here to be alone would only mean that either you want to kiss me or kill me. Although I personally would prefer a mixture of both 'cause angry make-outs are hot but you're call, sweetheart," Stacie slowly teases. There's an unusual lack of bite in her tone yet Aubrey still rolls her eyes for two reasons.
One, the nerve of her to think that she wanted to be lined up with those cheap girls she brings to this unholy place. And two, the unnecessary nickname that makes her want to vomit.
She's no one's 'sweetheart'.
Turning around—because she likes a dramatic effect when confronting enemies—she stares pointedly at the brunette, arms crossed and an eyebrow perfectly arched.
"Neither," she answers coldly, using the infamous Vanderbilt intimidating icy glare.
Stacie mockingly gives her a disappointed look before sitting at the edge of the fountain, one leg casually crossing over the other while she leans back, palms resting on stone to support her. It's all done in such an effortless manner and Aubrey almost gets lost in a trance. Almost is the word because unlike others who have foolishly been blinded by the witch's spell Aubrey is no fool. Her vision is undoubtedly perfect.
"Okay, so a little something in between. Cuddling then?" she eyes her amusingly. "I can do that, sure, if you ask nicely," she adds with a growing smirk on her lips.
Controlling her emotions by slowly breathing in and out, Aubrey closes her eyes, constantly reminding herself why she is trying to 'civilly' talk to a Du Pont. It's pointless but she knows she had to do this, for herself.
"I paid Tara to seduce Ethan. She's still into him apparently and hated you so she did it," she finally spits out.
Her eyes wanted to look elsewhere but she is a Posen from the Vanderbilt bloodline and has a reputation to maintain. She has dignity and class among all other superior qualities. Besides, Aubrey maybe a lot of things but she is no destroyer of relationships, the serious type of relationships to be exact.
Hailing from a family of the largest number of arranged marriages—because a bloodline doesn't just maintains its purity unless you do something about it, Aubrey knows what is real from what is fake and unfortunately, she's seen a lot of the fake to know that having something real is sacred and precious.
Her own mother loved someone else when she married Aubrey's father. Unfortunately for her father, he, in the other hand loved her mother dearly. Obviously, nobody wins in such a scenario and Aubrey wants to believe that she'd never share the same fate but then she knows that eventually, she'd soon thread the same path if needed to.
There's no bond in arranged marriages. You just remain single or at least, that's what it must feel like.
Aubrey does wonder sometimes of a living a carefree life and of getting to choose freely but that's all it is, wondering.
Freedom, the one thing Stacie has that she doesn't. She'll never admit that one either though even as she looks straight into the Du Pont's eyes, a mixture of different hues of green swirling around her irises. Astonishingly, there's gentleness in it that Aubrey didn't know she'd ever witness.
"I know"
The short reply throws her off-guard and she suddenly she doesn't know what to do. In fact, it's confusing enough that the thorns she has surrounded her heart with spike up as a shield whenever she feels confused. Isn't this the part where she lashes out at her or something?
"Oh, great! And when are you going to come flying back into the arms of your boy love then? This exhausting dramatic act you are sporting," she says with a flourish of her fingers all over Stacie's form before sarcastically adding, "Is enough to land you a spot in the drama society. Congratulations or as you say in French, Chapeau!"
Stacie only lets out a soft chuckle, shifting her weight a bit to one side as she looks down on Aubrey's pristine Gucci heels.
"I won't,"
Stacie answers in the same short manner, making Aubrey cross her arms in front of her chest.
"Why? Because he bores you or because of the rumours that your cousin or the infamous commander of the raccoons sent him to the hospital after accidentally giving him a coma?" she bites back sharply.
If it bothered Stacie, she didn't let it show instead, the Du Pont simply shrugs, "Because it doesn't matter if he was drunk or if someone paid his ex-girlfriend to seduce him. He still did it,"
The Du Pont finally looks up back at her and Aubrey finds herself yet again unable to look away, "It's no one's fault but his. It was his decision in the end that matters. That's the thing about people who cheat," Stacie continues to say.
"They always had a choice and they chose to break something beautiful for something… temporarily satisfying. If I truly loved someone, no matter how many people throw themselves at me in a million different ways, I'd never do that to the person I love," heels scrape against the gravel and Stacie is standing in front of her.
"And when I fall for someone, I don't half-ass anything. When I give myself, I give myself completely without any hesitations. When I choose to love someone, I'm all in that when they break my heart, I crumble apart in the worst way possible,"
"So thank you," she finally says with such softness and sincerity that it makes Aubrey run out of words to say as she stands awkwardly still. Nobody has ever acted this way after an insult and for her, it's disturbing.
"Thank you for saving me before I could dive down even deeper to the point where it's all too late. At least, this way, I can still pick myself up,"
Stacie's lips curve into a small smile and really, Aubrey thinks she's in some weird dream where everything's just the opposite of everything she's ever known because for a second there she suddenly doesn't feel like kicking a Du Pont off a 50 storey building.
Stacie moves to leave, bag hanging loosely on her shoulder, but before she could go, the brunette stops and slightly turns to look back at her.
"I have a strong tendency to blindly see only the good in someone no matter how much of an ass they are which is also why I seem to fall in love so easily. They say that it's my biggest flaw and maybe it is," she shrugs and Aubrey wonders why in the world she's sharing something this personal with her, of all people.
But weirdly, here she was standing a couple of steps apart from Aubrey… talking like they aren't from two entirely different sides of a centuries old rivalry.
"Which is probably why… I don't think you are the bossy bitch made of ice as you like everyone to believe. I think," Stacie falters for a few moments, curious eyes wandering off a little as if finding the right words to describe her thoughts until she finally does.
"You're an old fashioned romantic who is so scared to feel for fear of having your heart placed into the wrong hands, of people who don't know how to handle a love so pure and tender. But I think you shouldn't be scared because I believe that sometimes we need to go through pain before finally reaching the happiness we all deserve and you, Aubrey Posen, deserve to be happy just like everybody else," Stacie smiles and Aubrey feels it burn against her skin like a tattoo.
"Ciao, Bella," Stacie bids her fondly in Aubrey's own mother tongue before walking away, leaving the Vanderbilt staring at her retreating form.
She's wrong and Aubrey feels her blood boiling at her words. She's not weak as Stacie seems to assume. A romantic, huh? Well, she doesn't know her at all! Aubrey is anything but that. Even if the world ended she would never succumb to making herself vulnerable to others. Love is just a temporary feeling, a sudden desire filled with lust that blinds you into thinking that it's going to last forever. But what does a Du Pont know anyway?
Absolutely nothing.
Stacie returns to herself two days later and it's like their little secret meet-up never happened at all. Aubrey would like to say that nothing's changed but unfortunately, it's obvious that there's been a small shift in the way Stacie interacts with her.
The winks and flirty side-comments have grown in intensity and Aubrey is certain that this is all part of the game Stacie Conrad is playing. Which means that she mustn't lose and breaking by getting affected will be a win for the Du Pont. And because she is no easy opponent, Stacie, on her part, tries even harder.
Harder, meaning those little love letters which aren't exactly 'love letters' that suddenly keep flowing down Aubrey's way, unfortunately. For Aubrey, the better words to describe it would be 'annoying waste of ink written in annoying red coloured letters'—a very Du Pont colour.
Today was no different either as she opens her locker first thing in the evening to find another red letter with her name on it, written in such elegant cursive fashion, the fifth one in the past three weeks.
Do you know that Purgatory has the best milkshakes in town? I'll take a guess and assume from those pretty lips that strawberry is your favourite flavour. Care to correct me on that later, sweetheart?
Love,
S
Du Pont's and their excessive flattery and use of buttery nicknames.
Naturally, she crumples the paper immediately and stashes it away in a small secret canister where four other crumpled red letters have been hastily discarded to. Make no mistake, she would've thrown it in a real garbage bin if there weren't so much snooping in campus. Having the whole school find out that she's been receiving secret 'annoying waste of ink written in annoying red coloured letters' from a Du Pont, no less, is a rumour she doesn't want to ever spread. That would be the very definition of the end of the world. So for now, she keeps them in her locker where no one would even dare touch unless you want your fingers chopped off.
As for the reply to those 'letters', Aubrey chooses the option to ignore all of it. As a matter of fact, she would then continue to ignore them for the rest of the year until she finds her dear cousin, Chloe, wiping away tears. Tears that are rare to see on the bubbliest and warmest Vanderbilt. One Chloe Beale crying is an extremely serious thing and requires immediate attention because that's just not right. But when Aubrey notices the rip on the collar of Chloe's shirt, warning bells start going off in her head and she's suddenly burning with rage.
Chloe is the most loved Vanderbilt. Hating her and purposely doing her harm only means that, that person is only made out of pure evil, a deranged psychopath, a murderer hired to kill without any moral compass, a soulless, heartless being who had not been given any hugs when they were little for the very reason that there is just absolutely nothing to hate about the most friendliest redhead. Chloe is the kind of girl that always wins by popularity vote and she does, if you take a minute to stare at the awards hanging up the Beale estate. Not to mention, there's a certain charm that the redhead possesses that has made her good at disarming people with just one smile.
And like the angel that she is, Chloe proceeds to hide her sadness with the assurance that there's nothing to worry about and continues to ask Aubrey how her day was. But then Aubrey isn't willing to let it go so she dives straight to the point. This is a serious matter and somebody needs to pay. Nobody messes with her family and walks away unscathed.
"Who did this?"
The deadly tone in her voice is enough to catch Scott's attention as he passes by Chloe's room.
"What's wrong?" he asks and as soon as he rips off his headphones from his ears, Aubrey quickly replies, eyes never leaving Chloe.
"Some barbarian with a brain smaller than a pea had made the mistake of having wronged our cousin,"
Her words finally snapped something inside Chloe because those big baby blues quickly look up at her in alarm.
"No, she's not—it's not like that," the broken reply comes and Aubrey's fingers twitch at the small slip up.
For fear of having Chloe shut them out again, she lets it slide and listens silently instead.
Pulling Scott inside the room, Chloe closes her door for fear of any eavesdroppers before facing both of the curious and worried looks on their faces. She lets out a shaky breath and Aubrey braces herself for a huge revelation only to be disappointed when Chloe ends up giving them something vague instead.
"It's my fault. I'm the only one to blame for this. I did something wrong, something unforgivable, to someone who… trusted me,"
Of course both she and Scott follow it up with a million questions along the lines of something like, 'Is someone harassing you?' and 'Are you being threatened to do things?' but Chloe proceeds to keep giving answers they wouldn't be able to understand without the proper context.
"No," their cousin sniffs, tears forming at the corner of her eyes as she looks down the floor like her whole life had been ruined all in a second. "Like I said, it's my fault. I ended something beautiful. I destroyed something so pure. And now I will regret it for the rest of my life. But I deserve it,"
The tears begin to fall and Aubrey feels so helpless. She hated it because what else could she do at this point. Especially when Chloe starts pleading at them.
"Please don't tell anyone. Just, please,"
Aubrey meets Scott's uncertain look. Both of them filled with confusion and worry. This was so heavy to carry in secrecy yet loyalty is strong in their bloodline and Aubrey, no matter how helpless she feels, would certainly carry it to the grave if she must.
However, it doesn't mean that she wouldn't get straight to the bottom of this. Whether Chloe likes it or not, she's going to find out who is responsible for this and fix the problem. Nobody can blame her, really, Aubrey is all about tackling the issue in a smart way and being smart means shutting her mouth for the meantime until she proves her theory.
Her theory actually starts with a name but without evidence through some secret investigation to back it up then it's all that is, a theory. Aubrey's not blind, she observes things that people would just usually let pass and she's definitely observed a couple of strange things regarding her cousin ever since the start of the school year. They were all small things but that's where it all starts, right? From something small like a simple glance.
There's one way to prove her theory and it would require her to drop into drastic measures like lowering herself down one level. Doing that would mean breaking every rule in her rule book but what choice does she have?
So, on a beautiful Friday night, Aubrey trades in her precious bed, warm soothing tea and calming essential oils for a one loud, suffocating trip to a private party downtown. The one place she knows the person she seeks will be. At least, that what the 'annoying waste of ink written in annoying red coloured letter' reads.
I know you can dance but cheerleading choreography isn't as fun as carefree dancing. Dance with me, darling. I promise, I'm not that bad on my feet. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.
Love,
S
Sighing, Aubrey walks up to the huge private residence. The scent of human blood wafts all over the place and she frowns at the fact that Stacie attends human parties. It's not really a bad thing but it's risky to make friends with one given the nature of their kind. It won't be long until they start asking why the only time they see you is when the sun comes down, among many other inconsistencies like say, the extreme fascination with human veins—Can I touch your jugular vein? It's just so, so pretty.
Approaching the gate, a man greets her. He is huge like those bouncers guarding a club and has that eagle like eyes that scrutinize you from head to toe. Donned in all expensive signature clothing and an air of aristocracy, Aubrey gets the much more polite greeting in contrast to those who seemed to try too hard to fit in and impress people.
"Name, please,"
The words start making her stress levels spike up because honestly, nobody really asks her that. When a Posen walks in any occasion, such nonsense things are never asked of her. But this is human territory and despite pure elite blood running through her veins, she isn't exactly famous in this world—with the exception of Italy as the Posens are hugely recognized for being such an affluent family just as the Du Ponts are in France.
"Aubrey Posen. But actually, I'm not—" she struggles to say, pausing as she prepares herself to speak the words she has never uttered in one sentence all together.
"I'm… not really invited. My, uhm, friend is in this party and I really need to see her. It's an emergency,"
She feels like being choked and burned at the same time but she manages to say it, all the while anxiously glancing at the invisible line between her and the guy.
If there was one thing humans got right about them, it's the fact that vampires have to be invited before stepping inside human private property otherwise you just… cannot enter. Nothing extreme really happens to them if they do enter without being welcomed but for some reason if in case, a situation happens where they are forced inside without any welcoming it causes them extreme uneasiness, anxious nail biting, excessive nervous sweating and heart palpitations that just makes them want to run back outside.
At this point, she's already questioning herself as to just how much she cares about her cousin to sacrifice her own well-being by manipulating security and forcing her way inside—a very easy feat if not for the place being private property—when her desperate thoughts of 'plan B' is cut short.
"Ms. Posen, you can enter. You're name is on the list," the security says as he steps aside to let her pass.
Oh?
Gathering herself from the initial shock, she tentatively takes one step inside, ultimately crossing what was once the forbidden line in the process. Exhaling in relief, she then clears her throat and mutters a soft, 'Thank you' before continuing on inside.
The party scene isn't entirely foreign to her. Aubrey had attended almost every sort of social gathering. From huge celebrations like weddings to small friends' birthday parties, she's no stranger to the night life—both literally and figuratively. She's even been to a club, well, snuck into one with Chloe nonetheless.
But to be honest, it's not really her scene. Usually, it's Chloe who begs her to attend the wilder parties and those damn, big blue eyes staring at her pleadingly are to blame. Unlike Chloe who shines in any social occasion with all that unlimited energy for socializing, Aubrey would rather just go to a quiet little corner and enjoy her mocktails in peace.
However, now is not the time to shy off into a corner as she walks through the center of bodies dancing happily without a care in the world, eyes scanning the whole place until it finally lands contact on a pair of amused forest green eyes.
Stacie Conrad pauses at the sight of her, possibly a mixture of surprise and disbelief, not wasting even a second as she ditches the guy she's been getting closely acquainted with. Desperate calls for her name are ignored as she walks towards Aubrey's direction, her eyes never leaving hers like a predator securing its prey. Aubrey, again strangely finds it hard to look away.
When Stacie reaches her, there's a small smile on her lips that makes Aubrey's stomach flip and before she could even utter a word she feels a soft warm hand wrapping around her wrist.
Her mind struggles to catch up and when it does, she finds herself at a less crowded area near the pool, far from sweaty bodies and alcohol breaths. Stacie gracefully whirls around to face her and finally Aubrey finds her ability to speak.
"Look, I'm not here to shake my hips to a poorly remixed song that is just loud enough to make my eardrums burst. I have something important to talk to you about," she begins to say, her voice straining to be heard above the music. Which is quite ironic considering that vampires have superior hearing and can easily communicate with each other from across the room. Still, it's basic instinct to yell over loud music.
However, if she expected to initially not be taken seriously, then she's absolutely right because Stacie ignores her words and starts dancing in front of her.
She tries to protest but her words stay stuck in her throat when the Du Pont steps closer, their bodies now only inches apart. Instinctively, Aubrey inhales sharply at the sudden close proximity, lungs filled with Stacie's intoxicating perfume.
Damn the French and their amazing perfumes.
"What? Can't you Vanderbilts dance for fun? Is that something we Du Ponts beat you at?" Stacie teasingly says in a tone that makes the hair at the back of her neck rise. But seemingly, it wasn't quite enough to the Du Pont as she moves even closer to Aubrey. Lips ghosting over the shell of her ear.
"Like so many other things," she slowly whispers before abruptly pulling away with a smirk and walking away like nothing happened.
Aubrey blinks rapidly, her heart racing uncontrollably like never before and again that unexplainable feeling at the pit of her stomach as if someone had been twisting her insides. Watching the Du Ponts retreating form, it has occurred to her that never in her life has she ever felt so unsure.
A Posen always has control. Not this. She dictates how things would turn out and how it should be.
Stacie Conrad is challenging that.
And a Vanderbilt never backs out from a challenge.
Something flickers in the back of her mind and for a moment, all her thoughts go blank, her body moving on instinct as she takes off her coat, mindlessly leaving it draped over one of the sofa seats as she confidently takes one step after another, retracing the trail Stacie has left.
Her hand reaches out until her fingers curve around Stacie's inner elbow, her grip firm yet careful not to inflict any pain. When the Du Pont turns to her, surprise mildly evident in her eyes, Aubrey pulls her close, sea green eyes locked on to forest green. There's no resistance and in a second that same perfume scent fills her lungs yet again.
"You want to see me dance?" she asks in a low challenging tone before completely closing any space between them. "Then let's dance," she says as she wraps an arm around the brunette's waist, fingers tracing over smooth skin when her lips brush over Stacie's ear.
"But then I'm afraid that you'd never find a better dance partner after this," she whispers as her hand finds Stacie's. When she takes a step back, she twirls the brunette around and when they connect back again like magnet, Aubrey's front against Stacie's back, their hands still linked together as Aubrey's arm wraps over Stacie's chest, they sway in perfect rhythm to a beat of their own.
The minutes turn to hours, Stacie's arms now wrapped around her neck, fingers tangled around her blonde locks while her own fingers run over smooth skin. There's a lazy smile on both their faces yet they don't talk about it. Nor do they talk about how nothing else seem to matter right at that moment.
And maybe Aubrey deems this is where her mistake happened first.
She must've known then. Must have been smarter than that but she wasn't. All of that power for control and bloodline rivalry lost as Stacie's leans her forehead against hers. Thoughts of her carefully planned night gone as the Du Pont's eyes slip down her lips. Thoughts of Chloe and her theories regarding Stacie's evil cousin fading far away as her own eyes fall down luscious slightly parted lips. Soft lips that lightly press against hers.
She really should've known better.
Before it was all too late.
Too late to stop.
"Can I… kiss you again?" Stacie asks ever so softly, lips inches from hers and there's something vulnerable in those eyes as if there was that fear of her rejection. Their dancing has toned down to the slightest swaying and without even thinking, Aubrey slowly pulls the Du Pont closer, lips finding its way back home to equally soft lips. This time there's hunger in this kiss like it had been building up for so long, desperate for release.
She never thought anything of it then but in the end, Aubrey's fear had come true.
She's fallen into a trap she herself laid out.
Aubrey Posen has gone crazy.
It's not strawberry. You taste like cherries just like my name. I like that. We need to talk or if you don't feel like it then maybe… you might like to dance with me again? Tomorrow night by the fountain.
Love,
Your favorite dance partner
Author's Note:
Cerise is cherry in French.
Staubrey, anyone? Yes? A million times yes?
When Stacie falls in love she says she doesn't half-ass things. Guess it's true after all. I mean making all those annoying waste of ink written on annoying red letters for almost a year without a single reply? The girl is willing to wait for as long as it takes. Damn. I want a Stacie Conrad.
To be honest though, Aubrey never told her to stop. Keeping all those annoying waste of ink written on annoying red letters instead of burning them? I mean there's that option too, Aubrey! But then a rewarding special dance after a year of courtship was her answer. Old fashioned romantic indeed, Posen. Damn. I want an Aubrey Posen too.
And that adds up to our list of secret Vanderbilt-Du Pont love affairs.
Part 2 is going to be quite interesting.
Also, Aubrey can be a very good detective. Her theory about Chloe's secret is so on point. Like, Beca would be there checking every box on Aubrey's checklist in awe. Deranged psychopath? Check. Murderer that is hired to kill? Check. Not enough hugs when she was a child? Check. I mean, looking back on Chloe's deliciously baked cookies: 'Y u so evil. U need hugs'. Check. Check. Check. Looking back, Bechloe has come a long way. Now they are getting married!
Hang tight, loves. We're getting near the end and I'm giving everything my brain cells can produce to get it done perfectly. Thus, the very long gap between chapters. Apologies. I'm doing only the best for my Bechloe.
