Vain (The Seven Deadly, #1)(78)

“I’m not prepared to see anyone we know here.”

“Shit,” he said suddenly.

Sav knocked on my window, startling me. I turned Spencer’s direction and gave him the dirtiest look. Sorry, he mouthed.

I got out and she eyed me with obvious disdain at my appearance. “Sophie?” she asked, obnoxiously raising her sunglasses as if that would change what I’d worn. A snicker left her lips before she checked herself. “Um, how are you?” she asked, letting her glasses fall back down on her plastic nose.

“I’m all right. How are you?” I asked.

“I’ve never been better,” she said, not disguising the obvious pleasure she got out of seeing her mighty queen fall so hard. Little did she know how much I could care less what she or any of the others thought of me. I just didn’t want to be kicked while I was already down.

Savannah led us into the restaurant and Spencer fell in beside me. “If I had any idea, I never would have done this, Sophie.”

I wrapped my arm within his to reassure him. “It’s okay, Spencer. I’ll survive,” I told him, offering a smile.

His eyes blew wide for a moment before he checked them. “I’m still very sorry.”

I squeezed his arm to reassure him it was okay.

We sat at two tables pushed together. Two by two they all came flitting in, dramatically announcing themselves with flourish by flaunting their ridiculous material. Everywhere I looked, an Hermès scarf, a Fendi bag, a Patek Phillipe watch would flash in my face. Before, all I could think of when I saw these things was that I wanted or needed to have them as well but after Masego? All I could think of was if I pawned these items, I could buy them food for a year, purchase a new generator or even a new building.

I was met by all of them with disbelieving eyes and snobbish contempt. I wanted to scream in their faces, “It’s your parents’ money! Not yours!” but it would have done no good. To my right sat Graham, Sav and Brock, apparently reunited, sat to his, then Spencer, and Victoria. They’d kept to conversation within themselves, excluding me on purpose. The icing on the cake was when Ali arrived with Brent.

My face flamed bright red when Brent nodded at me instead of speaking his hello. Ali wrapped her arm through Brent’s in a palpable attempt to show ownership. I wished to God everyone would disappear except for them so I could have apologized. Glancing around the table, I realized I’d wronged every single one of my lunch patrons. Suddenly, the urge to flee was discernible.

I sat quiet, praying it would end quickly for me. The waitress came and took everyone’s orders skipping over me by accident. Spencer had to call her back. I felt like I’d been punched in the gut when they all sneered under their breath at me, hiding their laughs behind manicured hands.

But then I reminded myself that I deserved it even from a group as selfish and unaware as that one because I’d created them. I’d never really regretted anything I’d done before Masego but I certainly regretted many after.

“So, Africa?” Victoria asked, her valley girl accent laughingly pronouncing it Africaw.

“Yes,” I told their riveted stares, hoping one word answers would suffice.

“Did, you, like, see lions and shit?” Graham asked.

“Occasionally,” I told them.

“Which one, lions or shit?” he added as if he was clever.

“Both.”

“Is that, like, why you look like you do right now?” Sav asked, making the table erupt in laughter.

“What? Comfortable? Or without a nauseatingly noticeable amount of couture on?”

“Did your dad lose all his money?” Sav needled, ignoring my own questions.

“Not that I know of,” I stated.

“You’re in serious need of a makeover,” Victoria added, her fingernails outlining a box around my face.

“I’ve just had one,” I implied, referring to my heart and soul.

They each looked amongst themselves and pretentiously and silently acknowledged with single looks exactly what they now thought of me, except for Spencer. Spencer seemed blissfully unaware what jackasses they all were but he was clearly aware of how uncomfortable I was.

“Sophie and I have to go, guys.”

He stood abruptly laying a few bills on the table and escorted me from my seat. As we left, a burst of repugnant laughter resounded from the table all at once. My shoulders sank into themselves but Spencer wrapped his arm around me and righted me.

“You broke the cycle,” he whispered in disbelief, his eyes bright with admiration.





CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN



I’d been home two days and I had yet to see my parents. I couldn’t tell if it’d been because I was practically living in my bed, more depressed than I could have ever imagined missing Ian, or because they couldn’t be bothered to come by and see me even though I’d been gone for months.

My heartfelt heavy the morning of the second, knowing I would have to appear in court, in front of Reinhold. I woke, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, not giving a crap. I knew I would be thrown in jail that day. This was the moment Reinhold had been waiting for.

The courtroom was exactly as I remembered it. Cold and desolate and devoid of hope. It felt as if my breath was sucked from my chest the second I placed a foot inside. I met Pembrook as his table and sat.