xviii. sincerely, vicious.

Wednesday passed in vivid colors and recurring laughter among us. The girls and I took Von to a few places throughout the day which included Starbucks in the early morning (a must), shopping for a few hours, then laser tag. Later in the day we all still had work to go to and Von went to dinner with her brother anyway so it worked out. Of course, I tried to join them to no avail. Von never liked me living out ‘me being her sister-in-law’ fantasy.

The rest of the week we stay at Von’s to plan the party and continuously promise our parents we’ll go to school and that we aren’t having boys over when Drew has to work late. We’re all on our phones booking things last minute because of the sudden change but we manage.

By the time Saturday morning arrives, we’re all up with triple expresso shots and running around the place, giddy and a little disappointed because only Von gets to see the yacht early since she doesn’t work a regular minimum wage like us people on earth. I’d already let my manager and coworkers know I’d be leaving early that day since I typically work all day on Saturdays.

I’m gathering my things to leave so I can go get ready with the girls when a presence crowds the right side of my body. I glance at Ray out of the corner of my eye, already knowing it’s him. He carries a nasty energy and I’ve been staying away from it more quite recently.

The day before yesterday, I came into work just in time to hear Ray conversing with one of our waitresses—Claudia, a petite brown-eyed brunette who’s nice enough to converse with if she’s ever in the mood. He had some *really* nice things to say that included that if *someone* hadn’t been so “friendly” with the customers they wouldn’t be getting groped.

Imagine both our surprise when he turned around and saw me standing there. Suffice to say that interrupted my energy more than I needed at the time. I didn’t tell my girls, but they’d known something was wrong Thursday night when I came in and hardly spoke before taking a shower and going straight to bed.

I turn my phone on and watch the screen light up as he begins the same set of words he’s been spewing the past week.

“Kira, I said I was sorry. I was out of line.”

I don’t even look at him because I don’t want to and if I do, I can’t guarantee what the outcome will be.

This is a beautiful day. It’s my best friend’s birthday party and we’re celebrating it to the fullest. I won’t let him and his negativity taint it.

I zip my bag close and hike the strap on to my shoulder, peering at my phone as I unlock it and walk around him. I try to anyway.

Ray’s hand catches my arm and I snatch away from him as if he sliced at me with a knife. I glare at him. “Don’t touch me.”

He throws his hands up, exasperated as if he has the right to be. “I said sorry!”

For the first time in days—*months*—I let myself snap at him. “I don’t believe you.”

Calvin Clearmont is a sore topic for me for a lot of reasons. And hearing Ray say something like that was just the icing on top. It didn’t matter who it came from and sure Ray’s an ass, but that kind of ideology… from him? I guess I shouldn’t even have been surprised, I’d made it on the guy’s blacklist just because I don’t have intimate feelings for him.

I take a step back but keep my voice low since other employees are starting to stare.

“I don’t care what you have against me,” I say, hardly keeping the venom out of my voice, “but it’s that kind of thinking that condones and justifies rape and you can keep that bullshit and shove it up your ass because we,” I gesture between us, ignoring his shocked expression, “are done. If you thought there was ever a chance of being cool with me again, you’re dead wrong.”

I leave him standing there gaping and feel great about it. I’d let him treat me like crap for months all because he couldn’t handle rejection. Because just as I had the right to say no, he in his own right could hate me for it. But the second those toxic words left his mouth, it was over. Raymond is dead to me and I don’t care who doesn’t like it.


I’m the first of the rest of my friends out of work, so they’d told me I didn’t need to wait on them and they’d carpool. The drive is a little over an hour and it gave me some time to think—something I’m not fond of on days like these. So when the thinking went too far, I put an audiobook on.

When I’m in the parking lot at the docks, I keep my hands on the steering wheel and rest my forehead against them. I take deep breaths. In through my nose, out through my mouth. Slowly. I keep doing that for a while—clearing my mind, feeling my heart beating against my ribcage steadily, bringing myself back to calm and openness.

*No one defines you. You are wonder, you are pixie dust, you are rare.*

Letting out a long breath, I feel a low hum resonate throughout my body and I open my eyes. “I’m rare.”

I look out the window and the sight of the ocean glimmering and glinting in the afternoon sun makes me smile. Then my giddiness is back and I reach for my phone to text Von since I have no clue which one of the dozen yachts floating on the water is supposed to be hers for the night. I have a feeling rich people don’t take kindly to strange teenagers even looking at their property for too long.

I’m all smiles and excitement again by the time I’m stepping on to the huge boat that sways gently under the tide’s current. The thing is bigger than I thought which isn’t a bad thing considering there’ll be like a hundred and fifty people here. The least.

Caterers run about the place and décor consists of black, violet and gold balloons and ribbons, plus gold glitter lining the floor. By the time I get to the open deck, my mouth is dragging on the golden glittery floor.

The thing really is huge.

“Wow, she’s overdone herself,” I say lowly. Not like Von goes for anything less.

“So what do you think?” Von’s voice calls from my right.

She’s standing on the other side of the sleek honey brown deck, her hands held out to her sides and a wide smile on her face. She hasn’t dressed down yet, still in some joggers, sneakers, and a crop top.

I eye her, then the rest of the deck as we approach each other. There’s a wide jacuzzi in the middle of the floor on the lower level with built-in brown leather seats surrounding it and others scattered here and there in a booth-like fashion.

My hands curl around the gold bar of the railing that separates this level from the low drop. The deck is set up kind of like a stadium with three levels and the jacuzzi at the very bottom in the center of it.

“Are you sure this isn’t… a ship?” I say, looking out at the water.

“Don’t ask me, I didn’t listen to the dimensions. My parents like to downplay though, so it could be.” A smile tugs at her lips but she keeps her eyes on the horizon. We still have about two or three hours to get things sorted and change before people start showing up.

Von’s never been one for surprise parties because according to her, only she can plan her party right. After knowing her as long as I have, I can bear witness that that is true.

She claps and spins to her left. “Oh,” she holds her hand up and I follow it. On a high podium, a DJ appears out of nowhere, setting up his equipment. How did I not see him? “This is Babyface.”

My eyebrows draw together at the name but I smile at the guy and wave. He does not have a babyface that’s for sure. He’s all sharp edges and perfect symmetries that I have to stop myself from openly checking him out since he’s looking at me.

He grins and nods, his green eyes sparkling in the sunlight just like his honey-golden complexion and brown wavy hair.

“Play something fun, Baby,” Von says, already walking away, “you’re officially on the clock.”

The guy grins even wider. “You got it, boss,” he says in a deep timbre.

I hurry after Von, grabbing her arm and saying by her ear, “He’s so fucking-”

“I know,” Von replies and we fall into a giggling fit like the teenagers we are.

People start showing up around six because we made an announcement earlier in the week that we will be setting off to sea with or without people at seven-thirty sharp. We do have a sunset to watch while zipping down a waterslide.

I just know a lot of employers were lied to today. I didn’t have to explain myself to mine, I just let him know I’d be leaving early. For one, I work on holidays when we’re open, hardly take sick days and I’m almost never out. And Henry’s a cool dude when he wants to be.

The girls and I wear bathing suits provided by Von. So that’s not good.

“So girls,” Yvonne says, unable to stop smiling, “No one serves tonight except the servers.” She gives us pointed looks. “Understood?”

I shrug.

“Sure,” Gina says.

“Why couldn’t you get me a one-piece?” Jodene whines.

Gina and I snicker, watching her pull the cup of her bikini top down, then up again to cover the cleavage that pops out.

“You better work those boobies,” Gina hypes.

“That’s why I got these.” Von spins and runs over to the closet.

We’re in a room on the first floor of the yacht. There’s like ten rooms down here for no reason and Von reserved one for us the get ready in. Her bikini in particular is my favorite. It’s black with golden spikes sticking out on the fabric.

She comes back with several thin cover-ups for us to choose from and Jodene lets out praises of gratitude. Me and Gina grab one each, but Von doesn’t, happy with her ass out. I would follow her lead but know I’ll be getting into altercations with my brothers and I don’t want the night to start off sour if everyone hears me telling them to fuck off.

I get a sheer, robe-like one. Gina gets a golden one that’s more like a really short, see-through dress, and Jodene gets an actual robe, that hardly covers her ass anyway, but it’s the only one with a belt.

“Ready?” Von says, holding her arms wide as she glances at each of us. We all agree, enthusiastic, and ready to party, only for her to stop by the mirror on our way out.

“Von your hair is perfect,” Gina says.

Von turns her head, fluffing her thick hair that falls past her shoulders in dark defined curls. She ditched the lace fronts just for the rest of the week and every time I wonder how she keeps all her hair under it without a lump to give it away. I’ve seen the process, still can’t believe it.
Gina snatches Von’s wrist and drags her away from the mirror and out the door.

“Wait!” she complains, but Jodene and I are pushing her the rest of the way. “I have to be perfect!"