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Chapter 35: Under the Canopy
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
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The Bully Games Chapter 36: Missed Connections
[Lily]I could still feel the burn of Atticus' lips as I watched his car drive away. It wasn't a kiss, it was an assault, a fit of anger and frustration. And yet…"He is grieving," I say, trying to convince myself that it must be true. "He didn't mean it." But even as I say these words I do not believe them entirely. There was pain there, so much pain, but I can’t help but feel there was something else. He feels so much more than he lets on to others. He wants people to see him as confident, cocky, and in control. But he is still just a kid, just like me. 17 years old is so young to feel the weight of an entire family dynasty on his shoulders. He was acting in anger and grief. But that doesn’t mean everything he said or did was wrong. It just feels like lately I cannot speak to Atticus, not with the unpredictable flavor of his feelings. These days I’m not sure if I’m going to get the bitter or the sweet. Looking down at my outfit, I see the changes that Madison made--the torn hem
The Bully Games Chapter 37: Mysteries and Missions
[Liliana] I placed the photo of my mother on the wall next to my mirror. I tried not to think too much of the mystery it presents with a teacher in the photo, but I can’t stop myself. There is more to this story than Professor Devin was letting on. He had said he had seen her around school when they were students. He never mentioned he had photographed her, nor had he ever mentioned that he worked with her in the fashion world. But I also didn’t have much of a conversation with him. Maybe it wasn’t so much that he was hiding anything but a lack of opportunity. I think today would be a good day for me to drop in on one of Madison’s classes. But that can wait until tomorrow. Today, I need rest. If I’m lucky I’ll get to sleep long enough to forget about today and everything else. “Liliana Adare,” there is a knock on the door. So much for my nap. Dean Michaels is standing outside of the door along with a man holding an electronic screwdriver and a bag that rattles with odds and ends
The Bully Games Chapter 38: Correspondence
[Lily] The first thing I do as soon as I get on the airplane is email Nyx. She lives in New York, and I want to check in on her. “I miss you so much! Please be okay!” I write before pressing send. The message to my grandfather takes a bit longer. ____________________ Dear Grandfather, By the time you see this letter, I will already be in New York. I realize that I should have written to you sooner and I apologize, but things have been moving so quickly. Atticus Preston and the other Legacies have decided to try and make amends this year for the terrible treatment they gave me in the past. Atticus swears that he has become a new person and that he wants to be my friend. So far, for the most part, he has been a very good friend and I am surprised at how nice some of the other Legacies have been as well. I am currently living in Mom’s old room. It’s weird, being in a space that once belonged to her, but also comforting. The reason I’m heading to New York is because Madison St.
The Bully Games Chapter 39: Pen Pal
[Nyx] I’ve been trying to leave my house for over a week, but my father insists on keeping me under house arrest. When he found out about the locks on my dorm room door, we had a “conversation.” I fell apart, telling him about Lily, the Legacy Seven, and of course Atticus Preston and his obsession with my best friend. And then I told him about the skeleton keys. He was livid. The thought of my being exposed to those “privileged old-money brats” whose ancestors probably enslaved ours, made him see red. He called the dean of the school, who would neither confirm nor deny my “allegation”--which of course verified the truth of my words. So he began calling his attorneys. Being a music mogul does have its advantages, but unfortunately not enough to take on the mega-corporations behind the Legacy families. They said they’d try, but unless we can PROVE what we claim, there is nothing they can do. Essentially, there is nothing we can do to protect ourselves. “The best thing you can
The Bully Games Chapter 40: Gloss and Shine
[Lily] Our first stop on the itinerary was St. Claire Studios in Uptown. I don’t know what I was expecting. I had never been involved in fashion, nor had I been anywhere near a fashion house. Even though Adare Industries has an entire fashion branch to its overarching arts-based philanthropy projects, I have never even been allowed to attend formal functions. At first, my grandfather said it was “for my protection,” because I was “too young” and he wanted to keep me safe.But then one night, after one too many glasses of wine, he confessed what I know must be the truth. “Fashion is full of predators. I don’t want you to end up becoming a whore like your mother. Never again. Never another Adare.”The fashion house takes up the top 20 floors of the building with the remaining 40 divided up between other businesses, including an art gallery on the bottom three floors. By New York standards, it is a medium-sized skyscraper, not one of the biggest by far, and several dozen stories more
The Bully Games Chapter 41: Family Honor
[Lily] “Why would you show me this?” As the photographer continues to snap photos of the entire interaction, I fight to hold my anger down as if my family’s dishonor was nothing more than entertainment. “Were you trying to hurt me?” Madison’s shock looks genuine enough, but Evie’s glee-filed leer from across the room ruins the effect as the other Legacies gather around, expressing looks of dour sympathy. “Is this all just some sick joke to you?” “I don’t understand?” Madison looks truly shocked. “We at St. Claire are very proud of this image. It won a Pulitzer.” “That’s great!” I exclaim. There is another flash and I turn on the photographer. “Stop taking my photo!” I scream at him. He takes another photo. I step forward. Atticus steps between us. “The young lady said to stop.” His voice is hard and flat. The photographer takes a step away from the imperious force which is Atticus Preston, growing smaller in his shadow. “I...I’m just doing my job,” he sputters, glancing o
The Bully Games Chapter 42: Headshots
[Atticus] I don’t trust him. There is something about the way he smiles at her that makes my skin crawl. Photographers are notorious flirts. Many of them use their position to take advantage of beautiful young models. Considering her family history, you’d think Lily would know better. It’s embarrassing watching her speak with him, smiling at him, pretending to not see what is happening between the two of them. He’ll play nice, be her friend for a moment, and then once he has her where he wants her, he will make his move. I know what he is doing because I’ve used this tactic myself. On her. I thought she was smarter than this. "Okay everyone, back to work!" Madison claps her hands to get everyone's attention. "Tony quit," she glared at me, letting me know how angry she was at my interference. "So Link," she points at that photographer monopolizing Liliana's attention. "You will get to do it!" Madison is too cheerful as she says this, a nervous edge slipping into her voice as
The Bully Games Chapter 43: Bully-napped
[Lily]Atticus must have lost his mind.Why on earth did he get so angry? He ruined the photoshoot and hurt Link, who was doing absolutely nothing wrong. "Atticus!" I shout. His behavior is scaring me. "What are you doing? Where are you taking me?""Away from those vipers!" He grumbles, holding me tighter, almost possessively. "I just...I don't know Lily." He almost seems to deflate as she says this. "The way that they were looking at you...The way they were having you pose it was...it was wrong."He grows very quiet after that. We had agreed to be friends, secret friends, but this felt like something different. Or like he wishes it was something different. Just like when he kissed me in the woods. This doesn't feel like friendship. This feels like jealousy. But he has Evie. He says he needs her. Is it possible that his needs have changed?Atticus hails a taxi. As soon as it arrives, he scoots me into the back seat with him and gives the driver an address uptown. We drive there in
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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
