Chapter 21
Contingent (Adj.) occurring or existing only if (certain other circumstances) are the case; dependent on.
Ever since our weekend girl's night became a bigger hit than our Social Experiments, Victoria has been trying to figure out a way to combine the two. She had been coming up blank for the past three weeks, but today she'd said she finally had an idea.
Most of her ideas were contingent upon my participation since I had become a fan favorite. I guess I just give off the slutty vibe because they all jump at the chance to make me do something really awkward and against the social order.
She said there was one major flaw in her plan, but she wanted to see how well I handled today's Social Experiment before she divulged all of her wicked plans.
My challenge, if I chose to accept it- I have to ask one hundred guys for sex. This was the only part Victoria mentioned and honestly, it wasn't too far off from the norm so I agreed.
Looking back on it now, I should have known she would eventually expect me to follow through.
I didn't know what to expect when Edward cornered me at my locker on Monday. The halls were empty and quiet as classes went on with the scheduled last period of the day. I took my time leisurely scanning through notebooks to find the one that I used for my calculus class when all of a sudden I am spun around and my back is shoved against my locker.
I look up to see Edward's stony face, and clenched jaw, looking a lot like a fire-breathing dragon.
Next to him is Alice, with sunken bloodshot eyes and a pale face, looking both scared and anxious all at once. Instantly and without question, I know what this is about. Two months and eight Fridays full of drug-induced pleasure filled fun, all videotaped for live audiences.
"Edward-" I begin, but I'm quickly cut off when he steps into my face, my words catching in my throat.
"Tell her what you told me, Alice," Edward says but doesn't look away from me.
"Victoria has to be stopped Bella, she-" Alice voice breaks, and a tear falls down her face as she closes her eyes tightly.
Edward looks back at Alice and takes a slow calming breath. "Victoria paid Alice to have sex with a stranger last night." My eyes widen, and snap to look at Alice because I was not expecting that. "I caught her throwing up in the boy's bathroom a few minutes ago. She couldn't even make it to the girl's bathroom quick enough." He rubs his forehead and takes a step back to put an arm around Alice's shoulder. "Alice spent the night at Victoria's parent's house while they were out of town and she got Alice on X and cocaine. Victoria made her watch the video of her practically getting raped last night and made Alice do a reaction video."
"That can't be right. Victoria wouldn't-"
"She did, Bella. I just need you to be careful with her. You can't trust her." He pleads with his eyes for me to be understanding and protect myself. "Tell me; promise me you won't do something like this."
"I won't," I answer quickly, my eyes falling to the floor as my brain catches up with the seriousness of this situation. Victoria wouldn't do something like this. There has to be more to the story.
"Promise me." He begs.
I don't reply right away because even I still need answers.
Eventually, I relent. "I promise," I say, and watch as he leans forward to press a kiss to my forehead.
"Take care of yourself." His tone is friendly, almost paternal; it's been that way since the night of the gallery. I pretend it doesn't bother me, and that it doesn't hurt that he had taken a step back. I'm lying to myself and cheating us both out of happiness.
He'd warned me that he would get close, but what he didn't know is that without allowing it, he'd managed to get closer than anyone.
I thought I could fight his charm, and for a second I actually thought I was winning, but then he seeped further into my skin and lit my insides on fire. He'd succeeded at becoming more than my Prince, more than my rescuer, he was also the captor of my heart. He made it impossible to move forward because then I would have to leave him. Selfish of me to want him to follow me into the darkness when I was so unwilling to come to the light.