Page 78 of Vendetta

My heart clenched at the sight. My mom’s angelic features looked at peace for the first time since the loss of Emory, her face radiating with pride. And Landry… there was no price I wouldn’t pay to get her to smile at me the way she was smiling now. Maybe one day she would, and I could already guarantee it would be the greatest day of my life.

CHAPTER 40

LANDRY

Bexley wasn’t home by the time I made it back to the dorms. Cashton had caught me up on all of it, how both of our dads had received threats to mine and Emory’s lives. David hadn’t taken it seriously, while my dad… My dad hadn’t cared.

Shivers ran down my neck at the thought of having been followed without knowing it. I was more on edge than ever, overthinking every small sound and shadowed corner in the apartment. Part of me had even considered calling Cashton and asking him to turn around and come stay with me until Bexley got home, but I had ended up thinking better of it. Things were awkward enough as they were.

I made a quick dinner, headphones over my ears as I listened to the audiobook version of one of the romances Bexley and Olivia had recommended, distracting me from everything that had been going on lately. It was a nice escape from reality.

I shot a quick text to Bexley letting her know that I had put her dinner in the fridge before making my way to my room, ready for a nice hot shower before bed.

Turning the lights on in my room, I quickly undressed before rounding the corner into the en-suite bathroom and stopping dead in my tracks.

I couldn’t move, my entire body frozen. A scream lodged in my throat as my heart beat a million miles a minute, the audiobook becoming a distant blur in the background of my mind.

Written in what appeared to be blood, the wordsWATCH OUTwere painted across the long mirror over the sinks, the lettering covering it from end to end.

I screamed.

—

A week had passed without any more threats. I hadn’t even bothered packing a bag that night before racing out of the apartment, only grabbing my cell phone and wallet before bolting out the door. Olivia had let me stay over at her house, Cashton and Kaptan meeting us back at the dorms the next morning to install a new security system.

Cashton had been livid that I hadn’t called him right away, but I hadn’t wanted to add more to his plate after an already long day. Regardless, he had tried insisting that I come stay at his place for a few days, but I hadn’t wanted to leave Bexley alone at the apartment. Not to mention the fact that I wasn’t sure if I had fully forgiven him yet.

And though no more threats had appeared, we hadn’t made any headway on our end either. Cashton had looked more into the Centennial Eastside Initiative, while I had been scouring the internet to figure out what my dad had been working on that might be of any significance.

Bexley and I were currently headed to meet the others at Midnight Madness, a school tradition to start off the basketball season. The team faced off against each other in an exhibition match at midnight, as the name would imply, and apparently people went wild for it.

According to Olivia, booze flowed freely and after-parties took place more often than not considering that it was held on a Friday night. I got the impression that people went mainly to party rather than to watch the actual game. I had to admit, butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the thought of seeing Cashton. I hadn't heard from him all week, with the exception of a few short texts here and there letting each other know that we hadn’t learned anything new.

Bexley and I had made our way to the campus shop earlier to get two of the remaining basketball jerseys, both too big for us since they had run out of smaller sizes, but we had made it work. I had thrown a fitted turtleneck underneath mine to keep warm, pairing it with some ripped jeans and a high pony. I always felt more confident with a high ponytail, like it added some pep in my step. Maybe it was the cheerleader in me.

We made our way up the stairs leading into the off-campus sports complex, passing by the concession stands and through throngs of people, the music beating through the building as colored lights lit up the stadium. Bexley and I locked arms so as to not lose each other in the crowd.

Tickets weren’t required tonight, so it was pretty much open seating as we made our way through the halls, looking for the sign identifying the section number that Olivia had given us.

Taking the small flight of stairs nearest to our section, we instantly spotted our group near the front of the bleachers, a large number of other students surrounding them.

Energy flowed through the air, most people standing on the bleachers or up by the railing. Beers passed around freely as the countdown on the Megatron showed twenty minutes until midnight and the beginning of the game.

Olivia spotted us first, getting up from her seat and running to embrace us both. We followed her to where our group was sitting, greeting the rest of our friends who had all shown up—With the exception of Kaptan, which wasn’t surprising. He didn’t seem big on school events.

Cashton sat on the row above us with Zayn, sitting back in his seat with his arms outstretched on either side of him, looking like a god in his typical black hoodie and jeans. Bexley offered them a small wave before finding her seat by Olivia.

I settled on a wave as well, offering a warm smile to them both before sitting in the spot that Olivia and TJ had made for me, coincidentally right in front of Cashton. I’m sure that it was in fact anything but a coincidence, but I took the seat anyway and accepted the cup of beer that Olivia passed my way. I made sure to stay leaning forwards so that I didn’t accidentally bump into Cashton’s knees behind me.

We weren’t a couple, and I didn’t want to overstep. Especially after what his mother had said about him not being a fan of public displays of affection.

I fell into easy conversation with Olivia, TJ, and Nate. Zayn leaned over Bexley’s shoulder to explain the rules of the game since she had never been to one before, while Cashton stayed mostly silent in his seat behind me. I could feel his presence at my back, my neck warming as I felt his eyes occasionally land on the back of my head.

“Cash!”

I recognized the grating voice instantly, the sight of that raven black hair bringing me back to when I had walked in on her giving Cashton head at the first party of the semester, coupled with the time she had helped him slip the vodka into my drink during midterms.

A pang of jealousy flooded through me as she made her way up the bleachers, followed by her model-esque blonde friend, before taking the empty seat right by Cashton.

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