Page 80 of The Secrets of a Sin

“What the fuck did you just say?” I ask on a snarl that reverberates from deep within my chest.

Did she really just mention Phoebe?

“I said, you better leave before I call and tell someone that Arsen Hale is back on school property trying to assault me in the hallway.” She stares at me from about a hundred feet away with a straight face.

“Just like Mr. Ben tried assaulting your friend, right?” I jab back, knowing that I would hit a nerve.

Her nostrils flare, but she doesn't respond. Instead, she flips me her middle finger and walks in the opposite direction from me, and safely away from Charlotte’s door where I can rest easy for a moment.

But only for a moment because I knew, without a doubt, she would be back.

26

CHARLOTTE

My day dragged on incredibly slow and painful. This morning I woke up to an empty bed, no note from Arsen, or even a simple goodbye before he left. To say it didn’t hurt a little would be a lie, but maybe that’s just how he was. Or maybe he was still learning how to be in a relationship if that’s what you could call us.

After classes and a long, overly extended announcement about Sister Mary taking over as Principal, I decided to head back to my room where I’d impatiently sat waiting for Arsen. Six hours doesn’t seem like a super long time, but to me, with nothing to keep myself preoccupied, they were the longest six hours of my life. And it was only seven right now.

So, I just sat on my bed, and I did what I do best, think. I thought about my future. Arsen and I’s future after I leave St. Catherine’s. Would he want me to move in with him? What was I even going to do after I graduated? Go to college? Which college? And what the hell would I study?

Everything was so simple right now. We talked, we spent time together, we fucked. Three very easy things that weren’t exactly that effortless for us. And to mix in more stresses, we had Phoebe’s murder to solve. It should have been hard to even think about screwing someone who just lost his sister and recruited you to help solve her murder, but as depraved as we are, we couldn’t help it. We were drawn to each other like two polar magnets, and once we connected, it was a celestial explosion.

Fucking heavenly beyond words. I seem to have found a new obsession. A new disease that I pray I’m never cured of.

Then suddenly, breaking the silence in my room, a knock on my door vibrates the walls.

“Who is it?” I shout, feeling lazy and not wanting to leave my bed.

“It’s me.”

Annalise.

Fuck.

I instantly want to tell her to go away, but a gut feeling tells me I shouldn’t. Perhaps if I talk with her more, I can try to pry out information about Phoebe. As much as Arsen would hate it, I need to do this for him. Despite his reluctance.

“Come in.” I announce as nicely as I can, knowing our last few encounters didn't exactly go too well. If I was going to get her to confess, I needed to play nicely.

The door gradually opens, and a flash of her blonde curls comes into view before her whole frame enters the room. I immediately notice she’s changed from her uniform to a short black miniskirt and a hot pink blouse that hangs off each shoulder.

“Hey.” She grins, with her hands still on the door.

“Hi.” I smile back, wondering why she was so dressed up, but I had a feeling that before she was sent here, she wore outfits like this constantly.

“I feel like we got off on the wrong foot the other day.” She groans while dropping her focus onto the ground before glancing back up. “I said some terrible things that I’m sure made you extremely uncomfortable. I just want to apologize and hope you still want to be my friend.” She frowns.

Slightly taken back by her apology, I skeptically study her before brushing my hair behind my ears. “It’s fine.” I answer, still slightly embarrassed by what has happened between us in the time span of us knowing each other.

Sighing, she shuts the door and stalks over to my bed before dropping down beside me. Right away, I can smell her floral perfume as it enters my nostrils and possibly my bloodstream by how potent it is. “It’s not fine, Charlotte.” She groans sadly. “I just want us to be friends. I want you to like me, not hate me.”

“I don’t hate you.” I respond, even though I’m not entirely sure how I felt about her. Or Priscilla and Verity, for that matter.

“I tried coming here this morning to apologize, but I ran into Arsen Hale.” She scowls with darkened eyes. I try not to react, but my form stiffens.

“You did?” I question stupidly.

“I caught him roaming the halls, close to where Verity’s room is.” She focuses on me as my heart sinks. “I stopped and asked him what he was doing here, but he caged me into the wall and told me to keep my mouth shut.”

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