Chapter 25

The Bean Gallery

Nico di Angelo

After a particularly long walk, we arrived at the parking garage, which was huge and two floors. It took a lot of willpower not to say "wow" again.

Snow picked one of her cars, a silver Porsche. We got in and drove off. The interior was nice, too. It had leather seats, and an amathyst butterfly mirror charm. It was purple. There was a bunch of shopping bags in the back that hadn't been taken in yet.

Taylor Swift played on the speaker. That was her favorite singer, and I always pretended to complain, but really I kind of liked her music too. Snow liked a lot of hardcore kind of music too, like me.

"Sorry about Garnet," She apologized. "She's always mean to my boyfriends. But she was nicer to you than any of them."

"S'okay. All she really did was call me an old man and 'the boyfriend.'"

She laughed. "Yeah, well it's good you didn't think she was that bad because my brothers are going to be worse and my Father is going to give you hell."

"Well, that's...that's...I need a positive adjective."

She laughed. "Oh, we're here." It was a small neat building with a green sunshade with the words Bean Gallery painted on it. She parked on the curb and we got out of the car. We walked up to the door.

"After you," I said and held the door for her.

There was a very calm atmosphere inside, there was a counter with a menu plastered on the wall behind it and the seating area was filled with couches seated around low tables.

"Snow!" Several people shouted.

"Hey, guys! I'm back!"

"Where have you been?" One girl asked.

"Topaz and I had a business affair in New York. After that, I spent some time in Los Angelos with my boyfriend and his parents."

"Is this your boyfriend?" A guy asked.

"Yeah, his name is Nico di Angelo."

"That sounds Italian," One guy stated.

"It is."

"Why don't you all tell Nico your names, I'm going to get some coffee and a sandwich. Angel, you want anything?"

"Just a latte."

"Kay." She went over to the counter.

"I'm Scarlett Stone." She looked like a stereotypical model, very pretty, with curled blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and a perfect figure.

"I'm Sterling Deran," A very good looking guy with shoulder length dark hair and warm brown eyes.

"Aurora Lawrence," She was a stunningly pretty blonde girl with brown eyes. The name sounded familiar, but I couldn't place why.

Next was a beautiful dark haired girl named Helene Flores.

"I'm Harvey Evans," The guy had a dangerous vibe around him, and he had dark hair and eyes that were almost black.

Snow handed me my drink and sat next to me. "I see you've all finished introducing yourselves. Hey, where is everyone?"

"Europe." Scarlett said.

"Why are they all in Europe? Schools about to start."

"They planned a trip to make them feel better because they all got Hoffman," Helene explained.

"Ooooh, Hoffman for psychology. Ouch. I heard he intentionally fails everyone."

"He DOES!" Aurora exclaimed. "My brother Brent was a straight A student, he did all his homework and studied and everything, but Hoffman intentionally had the school buy a bad grading machine, and refused to redo the grades when they found out they were not all failing grades. But if you suck up to him, he gives you a written test and grades it himself."

"I think I'm going to have to flirt with him," Scarlett decided.

"Scarlett! He's like 52 and married!" Helene said, exasperated.

"Hey, I'm willing to do ANYTHING for good grades."

"Oh, Scarlett, you're such a slut!" Harold told her.

"You're a bigger one! And I need good grades because my Dad gets mean if I score under a 94 on anything. He says I'm dishonoring the family name."

Sterling looked very concerned. "What does he do if you go under an A-?"

"He yells and tells my Mom she needs to let him kick me out because I'm worthless and 'a danger to the family'."

"A danger to the family?" I said, and everyone jumped. I was used to that by now.

"Yeah. Weird things...tend to happen to me. My dad has always acted like he hates me, and less than perfect grades give him a great opportunity to get rid of me."

I thought it was best not to ask what "weird things" she was talking about in front of a group of mortals.

Aurora tried to change the subject. "Oh, you guys! My cousin is missing!"

"Which one? You have a big family," Harvey asked.

"Bryce. The weird one. The one who tortures animals."

"Ah, that one," Sterling said, raising his eyebrows.

"He tried to cut my puppy's head off!" Helene screamed.

"Once when he was in town, he was buying a bunch of matches and gasoline, and I asked him why and he threatened to burn me alive. I hit him, and he tried to burn my family's mansion down." Sterling said.

"He hitted on my girlfriend and ended up with some new scars," Harvey said darkly.

"He did the same to Topaz and I and tried to take a swing at her and I broke 4 of his ribs and his right hand," Snow said with a smirk.

"He tried to kill my cat, but I didn't find out until he left and he went unscathed," Scarlett said angrily.

"I know, he was terrible. But he's been missing for over a year now. I mean, I didn't really like him, but he was still family, and I hope nothing terrible has happened to him." Aurora said sadly.

"Well-"

"Shut up Harvey," Sterling snapped.

"It's okay. Whatever happened to him he probably deserved. He always goes around picking fights for no good reason."

"Speaking of fights, guess what I did today?" Harvey asked menacingly.

"Oh, God, what did you do?" Helene asked.

"A guy on the street called me 'rich boy.' He was going to beat me, but I broke his arms, carved in his face, and slit his throat." He said proudly.

"Not saying that's not cool, because it is, but how do you never get caught for all the stuff you do?" Scarlett asked with genuine interest.

"First of all, they are usually provoked. My dad can hire bottom level lawyers who can prove it wasn't my fault. Second, I'm careful. I don't tell anyone but my close friends, and I'm good at hiding bodies. A lot of experience. I'm also good at blaming other people for it and coming up with the perfect motive."

Sterling clapped his shoulder. "Don't worry, Harvey. We still love you, no matter how much of a psychopath you are."

"Hey, we're all psychopaths here. We should start a club. Snow, be in our club."

"Kay, but we're not forming a cult where we worship the ultimate divinity of the great Scarlett Stone."

"Of course not. But there may be some ritualistic murders here and there." She smiled.

"No offense, but I don't think the rest of you can join. You're too sane and empathetic. Now Nico, YOU'RE a possibility..." She mused.

"Gee, thanks," I said.

"Nothing personal. But you're dating Snow, and she tends to go for the violent type. Not much for a Prince Charming. And she beats the shit out of them too."

"Don't talk like you're not the exact same way," Snow told her.

"I know, Best Friends Forever!" She said, and they made a heart with their hands.

"So how are things with you and Caine?"

"Yes, how is Simmons?" Sterling said with a flash of teeth.

She sighed. "He got arrested."

"For what?" Snow asked, smirking.

"He ran over an old lady."

"Very characteristic," Sterling said.

"It was an ACCIDENT!"

"Yes, because accidental crimes are very prevalent with him," Snow said sarcastically.

"IT WAS!"

"How has his dad not gotten out of it?" Harold asked. First normal thing he'd said since I met him.

"It was his grandmother."

"Ohhhhhh," Everyone said at once.

Helene's eyes were wide with shock. "Mrs. Simmons? Oh my God, is she okay?"

"She's fine. In the hospital though," Scarlett said reassuringly.

"Helene, what is with your weird thing with elderly people?" Sterling asked critically.

"They're sweet. They give you peppermints and chocolate chip cookies and all they ask for in return is a foot rub."

"Ew," Harvey said.

"The only old people I know call me a 'whipper snapper' and 'youngster' and yell at me to get off their lawn," Sterling told her.

"Well old men don't like teenage boys. They all like me though."

"Ew," Harvey said again.

"No, not THAT way, Harvey. They just like to spend time with me," Helene explained.

"Yeah, because THAT'S what old men are thinking about when they're with you, 'Oh, Helene, would you rub my bunions, then we can-"

"I've got to agree with Harvey, Helene. Have you SEEN Herbert the pervert?" Sterling said.

"That's Family Guy! It's a parody! It's not really how they act."

"I beg to differ."

"Oh, shut up, Sterling."

Snow's phone beeped. "Oh, we've gotta go. Sorry guys!"

"Why?" Harvey pouted.

"Topaz's plane just landed. We have to pick her up."

"At least give me a hug."

"Okay."

She did and then Sterling asked for one too. Scarlett told her she would skype her later, and Aurora and Helene said they'd join.

Finally, we were out the door.