Deadly Silence (complete) Chapter 69

“Leave her alone!”

Vivian looked over to see Theo standing close by, his hazel eyes were glaring at Laurent, who returned the look with a bored one of his own.

“This doesn’t concern you, Theo,” her brother told the boy before turning his attention back to Vivian. “Well?”

“I said leave her alone, Laurent,” Theo repeated as he pushed himself between the siblings and forced everyone to take a step back. “Why are you even bothering her, anyway?”

“I said this doesn’t concern you,” Laurent repeated as he brushed off a speck of imaginary dirt from his shirt, as though it had gotten there because of Theo. “Mind your own business.”

“Did you get a message from her last night and think she wanted something more from you?” Theo continued, his hands balling into fists as he refused to move from where he stood.

A look of mild disgust flashed across Laurent’s face before being replaced by one of annoyance. “I said…”

“Both of you need to calm down,” Vivian interjected, choosing that moment to step around Theo so she now stood between the two boys. “Everything that’s going on? It doesn’t concern *either* of you so I’d appreciate it if you’d both stop doing … whatever this is.”

Seeing Theo suddenly appear and try to protect her had left Vivian feeling off balance. Did he think she was incapable of handling the situation herself? Or was there more to it than that? She couldn’t figure out how his actions made her feel so she decided to end the situation as a whole and worry about it later.

Much later.

“You know I can’t do that, Vivian,” Laurent replied.

“You can’t tell her what she can and can’t do,” Theo snapped at the boy with the faded blue hair.

“Of course I can,” her brother huffed in response, crossing his arms as he looked Theo up and down. “Who do you think you are, trying to step in like this?”

“I said *calm down*,” Vivian snapped, sending both boys her deadliest glare. “Neither of you can tell me to do shit. Laurent, I don’t care what you might have been told to do, or what you think you need to do, but I don’t want help. I don’t want you, or anyone else, meddling in my life. And you,” Vivian turned to Theo, who’d begun to smirk only for it to disappear when she turned her attention to him. “You’re in the same boat. I don’t need a white knight to jump in and protect me, from Laurent or anyone. I’ve already decided how to deal with what’s going on and both of you need to respect that choice and *back off*.”

“You know I can’t do that,” was Laurent’s retort but Vivian spun to face him, taking a step closer as she worked to keep her anger in check.

“Yes, actually, you can do that,” she told him.

“I’m not willing to risk Dad’s wrath just for you to do nothing about these people.”

“Then shove all the blame on me.”

Laurent blinked once, his arms loosening before falling to his side. “What?”

“I said if he gets mad at you for not telling him, then let him know it’s because I forced you to keep quiet. Throw me under the bus and run me over.”

He stared at her for a long moment, the expression on his face complicated as he seemed to be working through a lot of different emotions in a short period of time.

“Why would his father be angry about this?” Theo asked as he looked between the two siblings a few times before his eyes widened. “No way. Hold up. The rumours are true? You’re the Devreaux’s sister, Vivian? But your last name…”

“I will make your life a living hell if you tell anyone,” Laurent threatened in a clipped voice as the other boy started to laugh.

“I can tell whoever I want, Laurent.”

“No,” Vivian began with a shake of her head. “I’m the one who doesn’t want people to know.” A look of surprise passed over Theo’s face as she continued to talk. “I asked them to keep it quiet for now so I can adjust. I prefer keeping a low profile and the Devreaux family name would prevent that from happening.”

“So you’re using a fake name?”

“No, St Peters is my legal last name.”

“I’m… really confused now.”

Vivian shook her head again, exasperated at how the situation was turning into a different one she didn’t want to be part of. “It’s a long story and I don’t want to talk about it. Are you both good now?” She’d noted Theo looked more relaxed now, his anger from earlier having vanished.

“I’m good,” Theo nodded, a sheepish look on his face. “I just thought… well…”

“You thought I was going to force myself on Vivian.” Laurent didn’t look away from Theo, who somehow looked even more sheepish than before.

“Not force, per se…” he trailed off with an awkward laugh.

Rolling her eyes, Vivian turned and started walking away from them.

“Vivian, we aren’t done talking,” Laurent called after her, Theo joining in without hesitation.

“Yeah, why won’t you let us help?”

“She doesn’t need your help,” her brother snapped at the other boy. Neither of them could see it, but Vivian rolled her eyes a second time. The last thing she needed was for the two of them to team up on her — she wasn’t sure how she’d handle it if that happened — but it seemed a moot point as Laurent didn’t think their shared view on her situation was any reason to be friends.

She still had to be careful. If Laurent did tell Samuel about what was going on she was certain it wouldn’t end well. Something told Vivian he’d used it as an empty threat in the hope she would cave and do what he thought was the right thing. *Jokes on him*, she thought to herself as she opened her locker only to find a sealed envelope come tumbling out onto the floor.

Picking it up, she looked at it, flipping it over to see if there was a name or note written on it but it was blank. Someone must have slipped it through the slats of her locker during lunch. With a shrug, she tossed it in her school bag to deal with later.