Page 21 of Beautiful Delusions

“What do you mean?” I look out the corner of my eye. Letty slumps lower, covering her mouth with her hand.

“I don’t have all the details. Something about a prestigious family in Dubai who were seeking an arranged marriage for their daughter. They have big connections with the adoptive father and his business, so it made sense one of the Thorns would take her as his bride. Lucas is the oldest,” Letty half shrugs. “He’ll be wed and living in Dubai by the end of summer. Whoever they’ve chosen as their last pet, they’ll need her to unite them more than any of the others have.”

“No pressure then,” Jazzie chuckles from her seat, throwing up a peace sign. I scowl at the back of her head. Sometimes I don’t know why my mind insists on still seeing her everywhere I go, but I couldn’t be without her either. She’s the leech I can’t withdraw from my system, the crutch I’m too dependent on. But even she hasn’t been as present while the Thorns have seen me comatosed from coming and drowning in dick.

“Miss Chambers,” that familiar shrill voice comes. I drag my gaze up to find Mrs. Patrick sneering at me instead. “Would you like to indulge us in the ways Shakespeare uses environmental imagery in his work?”

“Gladly. Shakespeare used descriptions of the landscapes to convey important messages that are essential to the plot. For instance, in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the imagery of the Moon plays a vital role in building the story and dialogs between the characters.”

I raise a brow, staring down Mrs. Patrick until she gets the message to leave me alone from now on. As it turns out, Ezra grilling me has its uses. We already covered this module of the course and have started on the next. If I get top marks in hisnext pop quiz, Ezra has promised to eat me out like a crazed lion destroying a carcass–his words.

Mrs. Patrick stands stunned, before moving on to insult someone else’s intelligence. It was rather ballsy of her to call me out after Kyan’s warning, but I don’t need his protection. I can handle myself just fine.

For the rest of the lesson, I force myself to concentrate. Despite my mind reeling, and my heart both heavy and light at the same time, I won’t fall behind. I won’t give Mrs. Patrick the satisfaction. Jotting down notes, managing to hold three highlighters between my fingers at once, the bell shocks the life out of me. It’s over already? Letty is packing up and preparing to leave as I remember I had more questions. I’d rather not badger the Thorns with my curiosity, and Letty is proving to be my best source of information. Hastily grabbing my backpack, I shoot up the steps after her.

“So, the pet they chose,” I nudge her shoulder, keeping my voice low. “Do they take her home to meet the family, buy her gifts and stuff like that? It’s like hiring a girlfriend and buying her off with nice things?” If Letty finds my questions strange, her laugh doesn’t show it.

“Oh no, nothing like that. It’s literally sex on demand. Sometimes, the chosen girl can supply snacks to their buddies, be shown off at parties, sit with them at lunch. That sort of thing.”

“Have they ever grown attached to one?” I frown, hanging off her every word. “Maybe held onto a girl for longer than a semester?” I follow Letty down the hallway to a lecture I don’t even take. She pauses by the door, looking me over. I hide a blush, trying to appear genuinely curious. I need to know where I stand, and what the pets before me did.

“Hmmm, nope. It’s more like a business agreement honestly. Everyone knows their role, and there’s no place for affection.”Shrugging one shoulder, Letty smiles and tells me she’ll see me in the canteen later. I wave her off, walking a few paces backward. Just a business agreement, no affection. It doesn’t seem to sit right with what I’ve expected so far. My phone pings, alerting me I have a counseling session in five minutes with Lorna. For the first time, I don’t drag my feet, ready and smiling as Lorna opens her door.

“Sophia! How lovely to see you. Please come in.” I step over the threshold of her office, a skip in my step. Tonight, as a reward for attending my counseling session, Kyan is setting up a movie night in the lounge. I don’t care what we’re watching. All I know is there will be tons of affection, and Lucas is serving the snacks, having offered to be my butler in the buff. Now I know that’s not something a typical Pet would experience, I’m even more excited.

The sun is especially warm today, a subtle breeze shifting through my hair. There’s never been a better time to have a free period. I should spend this afternoon studying some more, but the call of a grassy bank and a book was too much to deny. Sitting on my jacket, I tug up my sleeves marginally. Just enough to expose some wrist. My legs are bare in a pair of khaki shorts, bathed with heat as I recline fully onto my back.

“Hey there, you sexy minx.” Lucas’ shadow is cast over my face. Peering at him through my glasses, I suddenly bolt upright, checking no one else is nearby.

“What are you doing here?” I hug my book to my chest like armor, as if Lucas would dive on top of me if I didn’t.

“Looking for you, obviously. I thought you’d be back at ours after lunch.”

“Um…no?” I frown. Racking my brain, I don’t think I’ve missed a memo. Granted, I have been heading back to theirs most days, favoring to be around people rather than sit alone in my dorm. Even the basketball team being noisy in the kitchen or shouting at their video games doesn’t bother me. They’re apparently well-trained enough to not pay me any attention, which I prefer. “Were you guys waiting for me?”

“Not particularly,” Lucas smirks and sits at my side. Hanging his arms over his knees, he looks across the campus to where the library’s spires can be seen. “I just figured you’d want to get ready for the gallery fundraiser tonight. Maybe I’m presuming too much, but I figured you might need one of these.” Reaching into his jacket pocket, Lucas pulls out a single blue pill. My eyebrows hit my hairline.

“You hate me taking meds,” I watch the side of his face carefully. Lucas keeps his smirk in place, despite the sigh that steady moves from his chest to his nose.

“I’m not a doctor or a psychiatrist, as Kyan keeps telling me.” Lucas looks at me with a playful glint in his green eyes. “I don’thateyou taking what you need. My only hope is that if we can help build your confidence, if we show you how strong you can be, you might not have to rely on them as much. A life of synthetic highs…it’s not what I want for you.” His smile slips the smallest bit as he places the pill on my palm. I remember back to what Ezra said in the hospital, about his mom overdosing. I chew on the inside of my cheek.

“And why would I need to relax for an art show?”

“The gallery fundraiser,” Lucas corrects. He drops back to lean on his elbows. “Don’t you read the student messages andbillboards? The school is putting on a gala to raise money for abandoned and abused children, and all of our families are invited.” I shoot to my feet, the book falling aside. Families? Parents?

“But, surely they…they have to be invited, right? I would have to send a personal invite if…if…” I twist back to Lucas, no longer caring if anyone is nearby. He looks at me too apologetically, and my heart stalls.

“I mean, unless they read the university newsletters, which are sent out electronically.” My eyes widen, the world around me tilting. Before I collapse, or utterly lose my shit, I throw the blue pill into my mouth and swallow it dry. Nothing happens at first, the tremors in my limbs taking over. My mother wouldn’t come here. She won’t come, right? I look to Jazzie leaning against a nearby tree.

Depends,she half-shrugs.How vindictive do you think mommy is feeling today?Oh god, she’s totally coming. I wrap a hand around my throat, focusing on the rise and fall of my chest.

“Come on, let’s get you back.” Lucas wraps an arm around my shoulders. He carries my backpack and the library book, leading me down the grassy bank.

A feeling of persistent dread simmers, but I manage to gain some control over my breathing and stammer out a weak, "Okay." My limbs feel leaden, but Lucas is patient, matching his stride with mine. The chill of fear lingers, but the Klonopin starts to work, the edges of my anxiety beginning to blur and fade.

The walk back to Thorn Manor is quiet, framed by the gentle squelch of grass under our feet and a distant grind of traffic. The breeze continues to play with my hair, and I use it as a focus point, trying to enjoy the remainder of the afternoon rather than let myself spiral. For an introvert to choose to be outside, it must have been a glorious afternoon. I just can't summon the energy to enjoy it now.

As we near the huge whitewashed buildings, I catch sight of Kyan waiting on the porch. He spots us and moves toward us with a worried frown on his face. Striding to a stop in front of me on the stone path, he hesitates, fisting his hands to hold back from taking my face and kissing me. Despite everything we've been through and the amount of public interactions we've had, they're still honoring my request to keep us a secret. I think it adds to the appeal.

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