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Chapter 23: The Golden Key
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
VictoryAnne ViceAnd this book just hit 30,000 words! If you are enjoying this story so far, please leave a comment or a gem to show your appreciation! The more attention this story gets, the more likely it will be that others will see and enjoy the story as well. Thank you all for your support! VictoryAnne Vice
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The Bully Games Chapter 24: Founders
[Lily] The room is mostly empty, but it is still beautiful. Columns like those you’d find in fine colonial houses grace each corner and the wallpaper looks fine, French and antique. Atticus helps me take a seat on the bed with a solid wood frame that looks as old as the school. It has carved angels that have been shined to a glossy brightness. As I take a seat along the edge, I find myself facing a row of ornately framed windows. “All Legacy suites have a similar view, but I think your view is the most spectacular,” he sounds a little bit jealous as he points out the window. “Look, there’s Cayuga Lake, and over there,” he points a bit more to the left, at a sparkle of light in the distance, “That’s Seneca Lake. Your room is the only one with a clear view of both.” I nod noncommittally not wanting to admit how much this view, this room is affecting me. I could sit here and stare at this view forever. I wonder how many times my mom looked out these windows and watched the wind
The Bully Games Chapter 25: Broken Ties
[Lily]“Hey Nyx, what’s going on here? It’s me, Lily!” I bang on the door growing more and more agitated the longer I stand in the hall. Atticus is long gone, and I am alone. I hear the sound of three different deadbolts unlatching. Slowly the door creaks open. “Lily?” When she sees it’s me and not a trick, she throws the door open and wraps me in her arms. “God up in Heaven I was so worried about you!”“I’m fine, I’m fine!” I pat her back as she hugs me. “Atticus and I just had some breakfast and…”“But you were gone all day!” she moans. “I thought they had thrown you into a pit.” She pulls me in tighter. “No pit, just a bedroom. My bedroom or I guess my mom’s and..”Nyx stiffens. She pulls away. Looking down she sees the key. "I thought this was your bedroom.""Well Atticus took me up to the Legacy floor and showed me my mom's old room and said that I could move in if I want and..." I'm babbling, but I can't stop myself. I am trying to help Nyx see the logic in this situation but
The Bully Games Chapter 26: Keeping Score
[Lazarus] “Now that we are all here," I announce as Simon finally takes his seat. "Here are where the standings are so far,” I pull my records up on the computer. “Ace is, of course, in the lead.” I nod towards him. "Thank you, by the way, for the uploads. I've found them...very educational." There are a few chuckles in the room. Ace has been very good at keeping track of his efforts. The shot of her running has been downloaded to more than a few phones. "Does anyone have any objections?" I look around. Nobody can deny that Ace has deserved the top spot so far. He has had the most success developing a relationship of trust between himself and our target. Not only that, but any fool with eyes can see that she is more than a little bit attracted to him. "Veronica has second place," I announce evenly. "Because of her intervention, she has managed to create enough envy within our target to encourage her to start the game. She has also shown the capacity to build trust with her. I wou
The Bully Games Chapter 27: Neighbors
[Lily] Nyx leaving without saying goodbye still burns. It's been two days and still, I can't forget the look of fear in her eyes when I told her about my mother's room. I tried to find her by the walnut tree, but she never came out into the field. I know, because I have a perfect view from my room. She was so angry and frightened the last time we spoke. When she comes back to school on Monday, hopefully today she'll be more like herself. I miss my friend. The students who live nearby often go home on the weekends, if their parents aren't too busy with their important jobs. I never go home. I live on campus even during the holidays, one of the few who never leave. My grandfather says it is because the servants deserve their time off too, and he doesn't want to pay for a year-round nanny or maid. I've considered writing to my grandfather to let him know about my change in status. Maybe if he heard that I am now a Legacy instead of an outcast, he might see me differently. Maybe he mig
The Bully Games Chapter 28: Bad Blood
[Lily] At the sound of my screams, Atticus comes rushing into my room from next door, his hair messy and his tie hanging around his neck. “What happened?" he is out of breath as he places a hand on each of my shoulders his eyes wide with concern. "Liliana, are you okay? Did you hurt something? What…?” I have lost the ability to speak so instead I point a shaking finger toward the bag, which has begun dripping and oozing onto the hardwood floors, creating a large, gory puddle. Inside the garment bag is a uniform that has been soaked in the blood of some animal. On the lapel is a note that reads “bastard.” In the bottom of the bag is a dead rat. On that rat is a nametag that says "Lily the fake." No wonder Evie was in such a good mood. She had left me a little surprise. Atticus takes a step back, avoiding the puddle and looking around for something to absorb the mess, settling on a large towel from the bathroom. It looks and smells like I murdered someone in my room. "Your gi
The Bully Games Chapter 29: Picture Perfect
“Now get dressed,” Atticus demands. “We should already be down there. We’re lucky they’re waiting.”I want to mention that they won't start without him, but I am honestly so touched that he found me a uniform that I have lost the will to be snarky. He even cut the right trouser leg to the knee so that my cast could fit. It was simply one of the most thoughtful and considerate things anyone has ever done for me in a very long time. Just when I think I understand Atticus Preston, he goes and does something like this--something sweet."Are you ready yet? Come on, It doesn't take that long to..." Atticus slams open my door. "Hey! Get out!" I scream. The shirt is covering most of my upper half but my cast is wedged awkwardly in the pant leg, leaving much of my bottom half exposed. The slit didn't go quite high enough. The two of us need to talk about boundaries. That, or I need to invest in another lock or three like Nyx did. I can't just have him walking in whenever he feels like it.
The Bully Games Chapter 30: And Then There Were Eight
[Lily] “Liliana,” I correct him, blinking. “Did you know my mother?” He takes a step back, finally seeing me as more than a disruption to his morning. "Yes," his eyes soften. “We were both students here at the same time. I’d see her in passing sometimes. You…” he pauses, “You look exactly like her.” The quiet sound of grasshoppers and the wind rustling through the branches of the walnut tree overhead is interrupted by a loud cough. "Now that we have her status confirmed," Lazarus chimes in, "Could we please take the photo before the light shifts again and we need to do this all over again tomorrow." The whole group groans in response. Professor Devin takes a moment to look at the scene before them. “I have an idea.” Everyone is forced to get up from their seats. Madison, who came to the shoot with a full makeup case, sets to work making me look more presentable. By the time the stools have been rearranged, my hair is pulled back in a simple glossy braid, which rests on one should
The Bully Games Chapter 31: Pizza and Priorities
[Atticus] We all went out to pizza after the photoshoot. Liliana opted out. She was already overwhelmed by the morning’s activities. So our pizza lunch ended up being a status update on the progress of our game. The waiter didn’t bat an eye when I ordered a pint of beer to steady my nerves. Even in our prep school uniforms, the townsfolk know not to question us when we ask for something. Madison, Evie, and Laz are sitting very close together looking at a screen. I don’t know what they have planned, but by the way, they keep giggling and pointing, I can already tell it is going to lead to some kind of spectacular heartbreak for Liliana. Which is the point of all this. I designed the game this way--to drag out her pain slowly over time so that by the end of the year if she makes it that long, the devastation is so complete that she finally breaks. After three years of trying, we will finally show her what it means to be a Legacy--and how she’ll never live up to the challenge. Today
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The Bully Games Chapter 80: Taken
[Lily]Spending my evening with Link has been a blessed relief. He is just here for me, as a friend who cares, and he has worked hard all night to keep my mind carefree as we talk about everything from favorite books to movies that we hate.It has been a great distraction from the burning stare I feel along my spine. I can feel that Atticus is watching. But every time I start to look nervous or grow sad, Link has sensed it and taken me somewhere else, out of Atticus' path, or found some new way to distract me, to keep me from falling apart, or worse, into Atticus' arms. He even shields me from the spiteful energy radiating off of Evie as she glares at me right before screaming her relationship woes all over the dance floor, spewing hatred at Atticus. I will need to give Nyx a very big hug later. "So I was thinking," Link smiles as we take time to admire the ridiculously ornate and well-stocked food area, "Actually I was wondering if you have any plans for the upcoming holiday brea
The Bully Games Chapter 79: Counting Your Losses
[Atticus]It was a relief when Evie finally left me alone. Her presence grates on my nerves, and her kisses leave a foul taste in my mouth like wine turned to vinegar. Loving Liliana has taught me how kisses should taste. Sweet like honey candy, not bitter and cold. But how do I tell her how I feel? Will she believe me?I wouldn't if I were her, not with how I've treated her over the years. Even these last two months, with how close we've become, I could understand why she'd take a moment to pause and consider that it might all be one big trick. The sad thing is, she wouldn't be entirely wrong. This whole escapade started as a cruel way to make a brilliant soul dark, corrupting her fully, before tearing her apart like some kind of pagan sacrifice. We wanted to lift her above everyone else before we took her down so fast and so low that when she hit bottom the pain would be more excruciating.And it was all my idea. And I can't say anything about it or I not only risk my spot as a l
The Bully Games Chapter 78: The Equinox Ball (part 2)
[Evie]"Can you believe the nerve of some people," I grumble in Ace's ear as I pull him into the tent? "Bringing the riff-raff to OUR ball as if...""He's hardly the riff-raff, Evie," Atlas cuts me off, "He's your cousin," he pulls away from me. "You know, if all you're going to do tonight is talk about Link, I'll find something else to do with my time."Ace puts his hands in his pockets and stands there, staring at me, his blonde waves flipped over one eye. He looks bored. Or I should say, distracted. All night he's been looking over at her thinking I wouldn't notice. Fine. Two can play that game. "You know what, Ace," I hiss. "If hanging out with me is so boring, maybe we should BOTH do something better with our time," I take a step away from him expecting him to reach forward and apologize like he usually does. But Atticus doesn't move. He stands there, his face as hard as stone. "Go on then," he urges. "Go bother one of your friends. I don't care what you do with yourself, Evie
The Bully Games Chapter 77: The Equinox Ball (part 1)
[Lily] "Link!" I run around the other Legacies, who all give me strange looks as I ruin the perfect line of their precessional. I don't care about their sneers. I only care about my friend, who I haven't seen since that strange weekend in New York. "Lily," he opens his arms. "I am happy to see that you are happy to see me," he gives me a rakish half smile, before looking down at the corsage in his hand. "I wasn't sure if you'd be happy to see me or not." My face falls hearing the note of uncertainty in his voice. He's been nothing but kind to me, but I've been a terrible friend. Link and I have been corresponding via video chat and email, but I stopped calling when Atticus and I began our nightly study sessions. Part of the reason was because I was just too busy to make the time. But the bigger part, the part that makes my heart stop in my chest, is that it felt like I was cheating. Even though Link and I have never been anything other than friends, I know he likes me, and I gue
The Bully Games Chapter 76: First Dates
[Lily]Atticus has been conspicuously absent this week leading up to the ball. I haven't once seen him enter or exit his room, nor is he taking meals with the rest of the legacies. "Does anyone know what happened to Ace?" I asked the crew the second morning he didn't show up. Nobody responded with words, but Evie gave me a whithering look, and Veronica's eyes opened wide with warning. The message was clear enough, even without anyone saying a thing: Don't ask. That afternoon, I responded to his invitation and slid it under his door. By now, I'm sure he's seen that I will not be going with him, but that I am also not going alone. Instead, I'll be tagging along with Nyx and whomever it is she is taking as a date. Nyx has been so secretive about the identity of this date, that I can't help but bubble over with anticipation and curiosity. I can easily say I am more excited about the idea of who she is taking than I am about whatever little surprise she has in store for me. Friday nigh
The Bully Games Chapter 75: Not According to Plan
[Atticus]I am in no mood for this meeting. Especially not with the way Evie is acting, like she's already won something.She has a plan, I know she does. She hasn't set it off yet, but it feels like I'm waiting for something, something big to happen. I promised Liliana that I'd protect her. But how do I protect her while still following the rules of the game? One of the biggest rules is that we do not tell anyone else outside of our tight circle of seven what is happening.This is why we are meeting in Laz's room, the room furthest away from Liliana's, to have this final meeting before the Equinox Ball."Alright, the first order of business," Laz starts. "Does anyone have anything to report?"Evie is the first to raise her hand. "I'd like to give Simon kudos as far as gluttony," Evie points to Simon who grows very red in the face, I'm not sure if it is from embarrassment or some other emotion. He almost looks mad. "His work at the club was a prime example of gluttony. Of course, it w
The Bully Games Chapter 74: Bully for You
[Lily] By now, Atticus knows I received the invitation. There is no way that I didn't not with how everyone else at school is chittering in corners about it. Which is why I'm not surprised to see him waiting for me at the base of the legacy stairs. "Liliana," he stands, reaching for my books. "We need to talk. About the invitation, about everything." "Then talk," I say a bit more gruffly than I had intended as he follows me up the stairs. "Not here," he gives me a meaningful look and I shake my head. There is no way I'm going back into his bedroom. If he gets me in there, I'll end up in his bed, and then he'll find ways to distract me. I need to keep my mind clear and I can't think straight when his hands are on my body. I wish I never knew what it felt like to be kissed by Atticus Preston. "I don't think it is a good idea for us to be alone together," I wait for him to reach me at the landing and then lean in and hiss, "Somebody saw us this morning, Atticus. We weren't care
The Bully Games Chapter 73: Yes or No
[Lily]The poor freshman looked terrified as he handed me the invitation. "Thank you, Ms Adare," he bowed as he backed away as if I were some kind of royalty. People are so terrified of Legacies that even a "not quite" Legacy like me is a person to fear. The envelope is cream and embossed with gold and overly fancy like everything else at this school. He must have planned this because my name is engraved on the invitation. That isn't a last-minute detail. This isn't a reaction to my behavior this morning or a way to apologize for being an ass. He had planned to ask me. He wanted me on his arm at the biggest school event of the season. I pause. Was he telling the truth when he said he does care about me? Could it be..."This changes nothing," Nyx insists. "So what if he planned to ask you out before you dumped his sorry ass if you can even call it dumping him since you weren't really in a relationship," she points out. "So what if he wanted you to be his date? You know it probably
The Bully Games Chapter 72: Confessions
[Lily] It doesn't take us long to get cleaned up. I borrow one of his shirts so I'm not naked in the hall, and he gathers up all of our clothing to be washed by his cleaners. I always feel a bit weird after these sessions. I'm not sure if I should be thanking him, or pretending like it didn't happen. While my body is finally relaxed, getting all the pleasure it craves, my heart is more confused than ever. One moment I feel alive, like my whole body is afire. The next, I feel lost and a little ashamed. I let myself become Atticus' dirty little secret. What would Nyx say if she knew? She'd be disappointed. Never mind Link--we aren't technically dating but we do correspond. What would he think of this little "arrangement." Just because we aren't technically having sex doesn't mean this isn't a betrayal of sorts. What am I doing if this means nothing to him? Atticus stops me as I reach for the doorknob. "Liliana, talk to me." It's a struggle, but I make myself turn and face him. "At
