Page 7 of Vicious Games

“Lucky!” Stella chastises. “You just had to ruin other people’s fun. It took me forever to convince Anna to go.”

“I don’t know, Stella. Maybe Lucky is right. Everyone in my grade already has a date. It would look weird if I showed up alone. I can go next year,” Annamaria says, shutting the laptop. “That is, if anyone asks me.”

I watch her leave the room, Stella glaring at me as if the only balls in imminent threat are mine.

“Asshole,” she mutters before rushing after a crestfallen Annamaria.

“That was shitty of you, brother,” my twin scolds with a frown.

“What? You didn’t like the idea of her going either.”

“I never said that. I just didn’t like the idea of Anna going to a school dance alone.”

“Exactly.” I point to him. “You know what kids at Sacred Heart would say if she showed up without a date. This way, I protected our sister from being the laughingstock of the whole school. Sue me if I’d rather she hate my guts than become a social pariah.”

“You know Anna couldn’t hate you even if she tried.” He chuckles.

“Stella doesn’t seem to have that problem.”

“That’s because Stella hates everyone.” Enzo grins as he flops onto the couch beside me. “Still, it would have been nice for Anna to mingle with somenormals.Maybe even get her first kiss or experience her first crush. It fucking sucks that all she knows isthe life.” He eyes the four walls that we call home. “If anyone deserved a bit of normalcy, it’s Anna.”

“And what’s so bad aboutour life?” I arch a brow.

“Maybe that it isn’t for everyone.” He shrugs.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” he replies, tilting his head back against the couch’s headrest.

When a long stretch of silence falls, I know his mind is no longer on our baby sister’s dilemma and is instead focused on the shitshow that happened at school with Mother Superior.

“So, what are you going to do?” he finally asks.

“About?”

“Graduating.”

I exhale sharply. “You want my honest answer?”

“You never lied to me before.” He elbows my side, trying to lighten my mood.

“I fucking don’t know what I’m going to do, but tutoring some dumb jock isn’t happening.”

“Stereotype much? Why do you assume it’ll be a jock?”

“Come on. Who else would need tutoring?”

“Plenty of students need help with all sorts of classes. I’m not bragging, but not everyone is as smart as us, you know?”

“Yousoundlike you’re bragging,” I smirk.

“Okay, maybe a little.” He grins. “Still, it’s your fault for not putting in the hours. I told you not doing your community service would bite you in the ass eventually.”

“So you did,” I grumble. “I’ll figure something out.”

“You better. Or it’s your ass. Remember, Dad won’t let us initiate into the Outfit without at least a high school diploma. It’d suck balls if I had to take theomertàwithout you.”

A chill runs through me.

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