Page 18 of The Secrets of a Sin

First Latin Translation Book

Opening the cover, I flip through the pages and realize this is exactly what I was looking for. Happy I found it, I reached into my bag and pull out Phoebe’s necklace and peer at the engraved words on the side.

Nunc scio quid sit Amor.

With each word, I flip through the pages finding the English terms that correspond with them. It doesn’t take long to find, and when I reach the last word, confusion hits me hard.

“Now I know what love means.”

Slightly taken back, I realize that Phoebe had a lover.

A secret lover who upset her the day before her death.

I’m no detective, but to me, that sounds awfully coincidental. I’m not saying that whoever this stranger is killed Phoebe, but maybe they knew something we didn’t. Possibly that she was suicidal and took her own life. Or perhaps something more sinister happened. That someone so cold-blooded truly did murder her. Questions upon questions swirled in my head and I immediately thought of Arsen.

Maybe he was right after all?

* * *

After leaving the library, I grabbed a sandwich from the cafeteria and found my favorite oak tree outside to sit against. It was a beautiful day; the temperature was ideal, and the sun was shining down until something moved in front of it and blocked it out completely.

“You look like you could use some company.” A sultry voice from above me announced, causing my head to lift in surprise. Annalise’s slim frame hovered over me, along with Priscilla on her right and Verity on the left. They all peered down at me with such a fierce intensity that I felt them pierce my soul. All three had such a powerful energy, but when they were together, they were explosive. With a sly grin across her lips, Annalise was the only one that didn’t show apprehension on her face as she took a large bite out of the red apple in her hand. Verity watched me curiously with a raised fiery brow while Priscilla chipped away at the black polish on her nails.

“Uh, sure.” I half-smile, shifting my back up against the tree a bit more. Annalise squats down in front of me and the others sit on each side, so we're now all sitting in a small circle. I continue to eat my sandwich awkwardly and notice a moment where all their eyes meet simultaneously.

“Do you always eat out here alone?” Annalise asks with a tilted head as she brushes her blonde waves over her shoulder.

“Yah, but I don’t mind.” I nod. “It’s peaceful.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see Priscilla roll her eyes as she resumes scratching at her nails.

What the hell was her problem?

“You can always eat with us, Char.” Annalise offers. “We don’t bite.” She chuckles and they all join in. Her tongue then darts out and moves across the top of her teeth in a leisurely movement. She drags her tongue across each tooth and my eyes watch the strange gesture closely. And apparently, I wasn’t the only one transfixed as Priscilla observed Annalise with lust-filled eyes.

“I don’t think we’ve met properly.” Verity speaks up, dragging me out of the weird trance I’m in. “I’m Verity. I think we have theology together.”

We did. Plus a few other classes but I didn’t bother mentioning it. “Charlotte McKinney.” I smile in return, finding myself lost in the way her emerald eyes contrasted against her red locks. Verity and Annalise could be classified on almost the same level as far as their appearances went. Where Annalise had a more classical beauty, Verity had been gifted with a curvy waist and a more modern take on today’s beauty standards.

“And this emo bitch over here is Priscilla.” Verity grinned in Priscilla’s direction, causing her to halt her nail picking and glare. “I’d watch out for her, though, because she might actually bite.” She chuckles softly.

“Seriously, never ever. And, I mean ever, refer to me as emo again.” Priscilla scowls. “Fucking emo...” She mutters in disbelief under her breath, brushing back her dark wispy bangs from her forehead. Focusing on Priscilla, she’s the last person I’d expect to be friends with Annalise and Verity. She was the edgier girl of the group. Wore dark makeup - a rebel, if you would say. Especially for someone living at a catholic boarding school, she definitely had a bold taste and gave zero fucks about what anyone thought of her.

“Oh relax, P.” Verity shushed her with the wave of her hand.

“You’re right, though. I do like to bite.” She widens her mouth and chomps down seductively. “But you'd have to be the last person on this planet for my mouth to touch your skin. Maybe not even then.” She spits in her direction while Verity looks seconds away from jumping her.

“Dike.” Verity snaps.

“Pill whore.” Priscilla coughs.

Verity gives her a fake smile. “I always knew you were secretly in love with me.”

“You’re not my type.” She shook her head and puckered her face like she was grossed out.

“Girls, stop.” Annalise jumps in with irritation laced in her soft voice. They both frowned in unison, following her command swiftly. “So, how've you been doing with everything that’s happened?” She aims her question at me with eager eyes.

“Fine.” I nod slowly, knowing that in reality I wasn’t fine. But telling them that was impossible without getting interrogated for more answers. And I wasn’t about to unload my problems on three girls I barely knew.

“I saw Phoebe’s brother walking the hall one morning.” Verity interrupted, “He’s got the whole David McCall, Patrick Bateman vibe going on. It’s sexy as hell.” The mention of Arsen has me sitting taller. Of course she saw him and thought he was attractive. Anyone with two eyes could see that.

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