The Riddle Of Us (Lesbian, Girlxgirl, Gay)

Chapter 3

Chapter3

Like watching a movie from the theater, Vera couldn't help but keep her eyes glued on the big screen that no one else could see but her. The show was called, 'Vera's Life,' and it featured a four-year-old her, seated on the big cream-colored sofa in their mansion back at California.

"What is the first lesson we're going to learn today?" Her tutor, a petite French woman, asked. "Do you have any idea, Vera?"

Vera's short legs swayed from the edge of the seat. Her father had told her the night before that she was going to learn something exciting for the first day, so she answered, "Being a baroness?"

"Wrong," someone chimed in. "It is not the tutor's job to tell you such things. It is mine."

Both Vera and the French lady glanced at the woman who entered the study. Tall, slim, most features dark except for the palest of skin, Vera's mother reached their side and gave Vera a quick peck on the forehead. "I changed my mind about today," she murmured. "We'll start you with more important things."

"Lady Ashborne," the tutor spoke. "If I may be so blunt. We agreed prior today that I will handle everything when it comes to the child's preparatory education."

"Yes, but not with this." Her mother's stare silenced the French. "Vera has familiarized herself with the alphabet since she was two. There are more important things to know right now."

"Like what, Milady?"

"Like the Price." Vera's mother tilted her head. Eyes getting darker now, it was as if a black hole was being sucked into the room with them. "Never trust a Price, Vera. That's your first lesson."

The screen featuring her life dimmed with static. At first, it was only a little, then bad enough to keep her mother's face from being recognizable. In a few seconds, Vera was no longer in the theater watching herself, but standing in front of Nyx; a Price. To make it worse, who she'd thought could be a potential friend was luring her with a key.

"I was wondering what this was for," Nyx said. "Now I know. It's for your notebook."

Vera sucked a breath between her teeth. The key was black— the same as her notebook. But it wasn't the color that revealed their connection. There was just something to it that said they belonged together, like Nyx and the smirk beginning to spread on her face.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"About what?"

"About your notebook and my key." Nyx tried to step closer at that instance, but Vera had moved away.

Never trust a Price.

Before long, she found herself saying. "You never got to tell me what you're doing here when we got down from the bus. Say it now or I'm going to lose it. Are you stalking me? Who gave you that key?!"

Nyx must have heard the alarm in Vera's voice because she immediately dropped the necklace to raise both hands. Her expression now was all reconciliation. Her tone dripping with nothing but sincerity when she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." The muscles on her throat moved. "I'm here because I'm curious about the Price and Ashborne's and want to find out more."

"But why here?" Vera insisted. "Why now when I'm also at Luca?"

"I'm not sure. My father sent me."

"Your father?"

"Yes. And he gave me this key." Nyx lowered a hand long enough to tug the chain around her neck. The black key jiggled with it. "Listen. I didn't stalk you, followed you anywhere, or befriend you in the bus terminal with a hidden motive. My father sent me here, and I saw it as an opportunity to learn about our family's history. You can't imagine what it's like to be a Price, Vera. I had to know why I was raised to hate the Ashborne's. They wouldn't tell me anything."