Chapter 20: Lilly
"Charlotte is our school’s belle," Lilly said between bites of her apple. "Those girls you saw with her? They’re her cliques. The biggest bullies in school."
Anita listened quietly while peeling fruit for the girl. Earlier, Lilly had been wary of letting Anita stay, afraid that being seen together would put Anita in trouble. But after Anita calmly assured her she could handle it, Lilly reluctantly gave in... and that’s how they ended up here.
With Lilly telling Anita about Charlotte.
"They’re like vipers in designer clothes," Lilly muttered, lowering her voice like the walls had ears.
"Charlotte’s sister-in-law funds half the school’s events. She’s also a board member, so the professors pretend not to see anything. And the students? Most are either scared of her or dying to be in her inner circle."
Anita nodded, placing a slice of pear on Lilly’s tray. "So, how did you end up being her target?" she said calmly, like a curious friend.
It would be a lie to say Anita didn’t suspect Charlotte could be bitchy to her peers. Anita knew her better than her family, because she was Charlotte’s go–to when she messed up and needed someone to clean her mess, considering that her mother and brother were on the harsher side.
Anita spoiled Charlotte to the last letter. She’d been the problem fixer for the whole family, but especially for the girl sitting pretty at the top of her college social food chain –Charlotte.
To Anita, Charlotte wasn’t just a sister-in-law; she was the baby sister she wished she had...or had lived.