Chapter 3
Lily's POV
"So what, you like Carter now?"
Vincent's question blindsided me.
He'd ditched Chloe and dragged me straight into the nurse's office. Now he was crouched in front of me, cleaning my wound. When the alcohol swab touched my swollen arm, I hissed in pain.
He stopped, leaned closer, and blew softly on the wound.
This was too intimate. I turned away.
"What? No!"
"Then why didn't you push him away?" His eyes narrowed. "You were SMILING."
"I wasn't—"
"Weren't what?" Vincent planted his hands on either side of me, boxing me in against the wall. "Hm?"
I could smell his cologne mixed with a hint of alcohol.
"Lily. Listen." He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. "You're MINE. I don't share. Got it?"
I lowered my lashes, putting on a shy face, and nodded slightly.
Vincent smiled, satisfied.
Fuck you. Who the hell gave you the right?
Back at the dorm, Chloe was blocking the door.
Three cheerleaders stood behind her—Madison, Ashley, and Sophia. Arms crossed, looking at me like trash.
"Well, well, Vincent's 'girlfriend' is back," Chloe sneered. "Don't tell me you actually think you're Cinderella now."
"Chloe, your injury—"
"Cut the act." She cut me off. "You're just a sidekick, get it? Without me, you're NOBODY. Think getting skinny makes you special?"
Madison chimed in. "Seriously. You only met Vincent because of Chloe."
I kept my head down, fists clenched.
"And," Chloe stepped closer, "the Ashford family will NEVER accept you. Vincent's just playing around. Once he gets bored, you're done."
I looked up at her.
"YOU introduced us."
Chloe froze.
"YOU set this up." I said slowly. "Regretting it now?"
"SHUT UP!" Chloe screamed. "Break up with Vincent NOW, or I'll make you regret ever coming to St. Judia!"
I looked at her twisted face and almost laughed.
"Really?" I said calmly. "Guess we'll see."
For the next two weeks, Vincent played the perfect boyfriend.
Picked me up every morning, saved me a seat at lunch, walked me to the library at night. He'd wait outside the coffee shop where I worked, and whenever a guy got too close, he'd pull me against him.
Once when I got sick, he ditched a frat party to bring me medicine.
"You're not going to the party? Everyone's waiting for you." My voice was hoarse.
"You think I'd ditch my sick girlfriend to go drink?" He held up the pharmacy bag. "Please, I'm not THAT much of an asshole."
"Vincent, I'm really fine—"
"No arguments," he shoved the stuff into my hands. "Take your meds and sleep. If you're still sick tomorrow, skip class."
The second he left, I wiped my hands on my sleeve.
Every time he touched me, I washed my hands after. Every time he called me "babe," I wanted to gag.
But I kept playing along.
Because I knew he didn't actually like me. He was just using me to get to Chloe.
But gradually, something shifted in those gray-blue eyes when he looked at me.
No longer just mocking and cynical—there was something else there.
One night, he drove me back to the dorm. Low R&B played through the speakers, one hand draped over the wheel.
"The coffee shop work wearing you out?" he asked suddenly.
"It's fine."
"Want me to talk to my dad? Get you something easier at the company—"
"No need." I cut him off. "I can handle it."
He went quiet for a moment, fingers tapping the wheel. "Lily, you know... you're different from them."
I didn't say anything.
"You don't text me every five minutes, don't go through my phone, don't flood my Instagram trying to mark your territory," he glanced at me. "Sometimes I feel like... you don't even care what I'm doing."
I kept my head down. "How could I not... I really like you."
He suddenly laughed and reached over to pinch my cheek. "You BETTER mean that, Miller." His eyes darkened. "Because I don't like being played."
On Homecoming night, I stared at the neon pink bodycon dress Chloe had given me, laughed coldly, and tossed it in the trash.
Last time, that dress made me look like a stuffed sausage and turned me into the night's biggest joke.
I changed into a black satin slip dress. V-neck hitting just below my collarbone, slit up to mid-thigh. Smoky eye makeup, nude lipstick, hair curled into loose waves with just a crystal clip holding one side back.
Finally. Not that fat girl anymore.
When Vincent came to pick me up, he completely froze.
"Holy shit." He looked me up and down and whistled. "You look fucking GORGEOUS."
I took his arm as we walked into the gym. The DJ's music was deafening, and everyone stopped to stare at us.
Vincent tightened his grip on my waist and raised an eyebrow at the guys checking me out. "Eyes off, boys. She's mine."
Chloe stood by the punch bowl, laughing with other girls.
But when she saw me, her smile instantly froze.
I excused myself to the bathroom. Of course Chloe followed.
She cornered me by the pool. Isolated. Empty.
"Gold digger," she sneered. "Think a new dress makes you someone?"
"Why are you freaking out?" I leaned against the railing.
"ME, freaking out?" Chloe shrieked. "You're just a novelty! He'll dump you soon enough!"
"Yeah?" I walked closer to her. "Then what are you so afraid of?"
Chloe clenched her jaw.
"This is all a game to you, isn't it?" I said quietly. "He was supposed to reject me, prove his loyalty to you. But here's the joke—"
I leaned in close to her ear. "He chose ME."
"SHUT UP!" Chloe raised her hand to slap me.
I caught her wrist and slapped her back.
The sharp crack echoed in the air.
Chloe held her face, staring at me in disbelief.
Then she suddenly stumbled backward on purpose, screaming as she fell toward the pool.
"HELP—!"
I just watched her thrash in the water.
The door burst open. Vincent rushed in, jumped into the pool, and pulled Chloe out.
Chloe sobbed. "She pushed me! I almost DROWNED!"
Vincent held the soaking wet Chloe, frowning at me. "Did you push her?"
I said calmly, "No."
Vincent looked between crying Chloe and calm me, hesitating.
Flashback—this exact moment when he chose to believe Chloe, had his guys throw me in the pool to "cool off," and I nearly drowned.
Vincent took a deep breath. "Lily, apologize to Chloe."
My heart sank.
Of course.
"Why should I apologize?" I laughed coldly.
"Don't make this uglier than it needs to be," Vincent frowned. "Just say you're sorry and we can move on."
"If she doesn't apologize, I'm calling the cops!" Chloe added fuel to the fire. "She ATTACKED me!"
I looked at Vincent, each word deliberate. "I didn't do anything wrong. I'm NOT apologizing."
Vincent's face darkened. "I'm TELLING you to apologize."
"Fine. Then we're done."
