Page 20 of Vicious Knight

Billie had just asked me about my life in L.A. when someone clears their throat loudly and in an overly exaggerated manner.

We all turn to see a pretty black-haired girl standing at the door who could be a dead ringer for Megan Fox. In fact she looks more like Megan Fox than she does.

Joining her are a group of the girls who follow her as she glides in, her Jimmy Choos clicking against the floor.

“Well look at this.” Her tone in those few words is condescending as hell. “You’d think that the latecomer would have at least had the sense to keep her voice down in our room, but here she is stealing the show.”

One guess; this must be Tiffany.

Everyone is silent. Not the kind of silent when people stop talking to show respect. But the other kind. The kind you witness when they’re protecting themselves.

“I’m Tiffany, latecomer, your president.”

I already can’t stand a bone in her Dior-clad body, but I know better than to show her how I feel.

“It’s good to meet you. Sorry about yesterday and for just now. I was just?—”

“I don’t care. Listen to me and listen well.” Her eyes grow large with contempt. It’s strange to see someone look at me like that when we’ve only just met. “Don’t you ever be late for anything again. Not while I’m president of this sorority. As punishment you can clean the kitchen and do the dishes for the rest of this month. The dishwasher broke yesterday, so there’s plenty of work to do.”

“You want me to clean?” Who told me to ask her that? And in that are-you-serious tone?

Tiffany glares at me as if I’m dog shit she’s trying to avoid stepping in. “Yes, latecomer I want you to clean. You can add cleaning the toilets and bathrooms to the kitchen for your insolence. I want it done by midnight and everything must be spotless every single day for the rest of the month. Go. Now.” She points at the door.

I look back at Isabelle and the girls who watch in absolute horror, but no one is saying anything. Of course not. They don’t want the same fate as me, or worse.

Embarrassed, I leave the room and head to the kitchen with my legs trembling. Not because I’m scared of Tiffany—hell no— but because I loathe being bullied and unable to stand up for myself.

I can’t believe Tiffany is allowed to treat me like this, but why am I even surprised. This is how the Knights treat people. Like they’re nothing.

Right now I have to be nothing to fit in and not draw even more attention to myself.

Chapter 5

Ivy

“Need some help?”

I lift my head and look at the lilac-haired girl standing at the door, watching me. She’s holding a mop and bucket. Two things that look completely out of place against her cute little jumpsuit and ballerina pumps.

I’m still in the kitchen. I’ve been in here for an hour already and it looks like I’ve barely done anything.

“I won’t say no.” I set the cleaning sponge on the side and smile at her. “I don’t want you to get in trouble though.”

“I won’t.” She walks in and sets the mop and bucket to the side. “I’m beyond the reach of Tiffany’s bitchiness. I would have defended you earlier but we’re not allowed to challenge our superiors in front of the others.”

“Oh. Thanks for coming to help me.”

“No worries. I’m Eilish.”

“That’s a nice name. I’ve never heard it before.”

“It’s Irish.”

“It’s very pretty.”

“So is Ivy.”

“Thank you.” When people compliment my name I always think of my real name—Annika. That was a pretty name. My father gave it to me.

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