Free Delia's Heart by V. C. Andrews

real party,” Sophia added.
    “I bet.”
    “You’re all invited,” she said. “Even you, Delia.”
    “We need to skip it,” Edward said. “None of us has the right inoculations.”
    “Funny, funny. C’mon,” she told her girlfriends. “Three’s company here, and we don’t want to get in the way. We’re not welcome, anyway.”
    They marched to the stairway.
    “You know about the three witches in Macbeth ?” Edward asked me.
    I nodded and smiled at his comparison.
    “Fair is always foul around here,” he told Jesse.
    “Let’s just hope we all don’t suffer Macbeth’s fate,” he replied.
    It was a legitimate worry. There wasn’t a cloud outside, but I could hear the thunder rolling in our direction.

4
Rumors
    J esse and Edward left to visit Jesse’s family. They told me what time to be ready, and I went up to shower and dress and do my hair. Now, probably filled more with curiosity than anything else, Sophia and her friends invaded my room. She saw the dress I had laid out to wear.
    “That’s fancy and expensive. My mother bought that for you at Dede’s Boutique. Isn’t that the dress you’re planning to wear to Danielle’s party?” she demanded as soon as I emerged from the shower.
    I had shown her what I would wear after she bought her new dress, and for a few minutes we had talked to each other about fashions. I had thought we might just get along and actually enjoy the party.
    “Yes, you know it is,” I replied. I could see she was just performing for her two friends.
    “Where are your two lover boys taking you?”
    Her two friends had been inspecting all of my things, poking through my clothes, even looking in my drawers. They stopped when I appeared, but neither looked sorry.
    “To dinner,” I said. “I thought you had to get ready for your party.”
    “We don’t have to doll up for our parties,” Trudy said.
    “We don’t have phonies at our parties,” Alisha added.
    Both had still not been invited to Danielle’s party.
    “You mean, neither of you are going to the party?” I asked, sitting at my vanity table.
    I would never claim not to be afraid of them. I just knew it was better never to show them my fear. They would trample me under their insults and crude remarks as quickly as a raging bull in the bull ring. Sometimes I did feel like a matador, deflecting their sharp horns and gracefully stepping out of their way.
    “You’re so funny,” Sophia said. “Don’t think my brother will always be around to protect you, Delia. And don’t think we’re going to keep all your little disgusting secrets locked up forever. Just watch your mouth.”
    I brushed my hair and didn’t look at her.
    “I asked you where they are taking you to dinner. I’d like an answer,” she demanded. When I didn’t answer quickly enough, she came at me. “Well? My mother’s going to want to know, too.”
    “They made a reservation at La Grenouille,” I said.
    “They did?” She turned to her friends. “You see what kind of money he spends on her?”
    “What does she do for it, I wonder,” Alisha said, smiling lustfully.
    “She’ll never tell,” Sophia said, and they laughed.
    I spun on them. “Get out of here with your dirty talk,” I said.
    “You’re chasing me out of a room in my house?” Sophia asked. “You, who once cleaned my toilet?”
    I rose, ignoring her, and went back into my bathroom. For a while, I just stood there behind the closed door, trying to calm my racing heart. I heard them laughing again, and then they finally left. After I caught my breath, I came out of the bathroom. For a moment, I just stood there, grateful they had left me alone.
    And then I saw my dress.
    It had been ripped apart where the zipper began at the waist. The tear was clear down to the hem. I held it in my arms like something or someone precious who had died. The rage inside washed over me. I charged out of my room and to her bedroom, but the door was locked.
    “Why did you tear my dress?