The Luna Choosing Game

“Oh, no! Piper, I'm so sorry!” she exclaimed. She placed her empty glass down on a nearby table then held her hands out to me like she intended to do something. Yet she never actually touched me or my clothes. “What can we do? That will stain right away!” She was right. Red wine stains didn’t come out at all once they were set.

I studied Bridget for a moment, trying to determine if this had truly been an accident. Everything had happened so quickly. Bridget could have lost balance. In the moment, that had been what it looked like.

Bridget was a professional actress. She could make anything look accidental.

But what would her end goal have been

for deception? To ruin my outfit? To get me out of the way? I wasn’t even talking to Nicholas, I had been talking to Julian! And Bridget hadn't really shown any possessive interest in him. At least, not on the same level of Nicholas.

If this hadn’t been an accident, that meant that Bridget had it personally out for me, and that just seemed so... I don’t know. Too much.

It had to be an accident.

Veronica stood from her spot. She had a handkerchief and tried to help me wipe at the various spots. But it didn’t matter. The stain seemed set already and trying to wipe it away only stretched the stain out, making it worse.

The outfit was basically trash now.

Unless I could get it soaking in cold water. That might be the only way to salvage it.

Veronica traded me the handkerchief for the empty bottle. “We'll keep an eye on Elva,” she said. “Go change.” That seemed like the best plan to me.

“Thank you,” I told her.

“Oh, Piper. Forgive me,” Bridget said.

I didn’t reply as I walked around her and headed toward the sliding glass door that

gestured to my

the luggage into the foyer while the room assignments are being made.

tropical theme. Photos of palm leaves and exotic birds covered most of the walls. The furniture was mostly wicker with decorative cushions. I The foyer was much smaller than the one in the palace. It

up there, just

my bag and dragged it back toward the bathroom.

liked me. Some still didn’t. I was worried a little about what the situation would be here. It was a relief to know that the staff here would not be repeating the trend I experienced there. Maybe the

joined me as

when you are ready, Miss. The sooner we get them washed,

incredibly grateful to her. So I ducked into the bathroom with my bag, changed out of my clothes, and then held them out for her after opening the door enough

and I heard her

I turned to my suitcase. I set it down on the floor, zipped

bag was covered in sticky red paint! It looked like someone had put a paint bomb in

and drips of the paint, bit every single one of my clothes seemed damaged. @ For this to have happened, someone must have put in a few different paint bombs, to create

tucked into the corner of this one. That seemed entirely untouched, except for

that didn’t help

going to do? All of my clothes were damaged. And I had already given my stained clothes

to stay

looking for me. God, 1 hoped it would be Veronica or Julian,

Unless...

to try on. It had seemed too revealing then. But. We were on a beach, right? Would it really be so bad for me to put on my swimsuit? € At least for as long as I could get Veronica’s attention. Maybe she could lend me something