“Don’t you think that’s going to change if I choose one of you for the ball?” I asked. “How’s that going to make Riot and Luka feel if they have no date? What if they feel the same way as you, and they put all of their stake in me saying yes?”
“I—” he started to say, but I interjected.
“Someone’s going to get hurt,” I finished.
“Honestly, Aubrey,” Jaeson began, “I don’t think either of them are going to the ball as it is.”
I frowned, confused. “What do you mean? Why not?”
“Luka’s on the planning committee, so he’s almost certainly going to be working the entire time. And Riot, well,” Jaeson shrugged. “He hates those things. It’s not his scene. I think I’m the only one of the three of us who’s actually going to this event.”
“It’s on my birthday,” I blurted out. “I’m probably going to be in my hometown with my family anyway.”
“You’re going to skip the ball?” Jaeson said. “That won’t do. I can take care of the dress for you, and I’ll show you an amazing time. I promise.”
“I don’t want your charity,” I said. “I don’t want you to be reminded about my poor birth and low status.”
“That’s not fair,” Jaeson pleaded. “I apologized, I mean it.”
“I’m not going to decide anything today.” I turned on my heels and started to leave. “I’ll walk back to campus. I could use the air.”
Jaeson jolted forward and rested his hands on my shoulders. My impulse was to immediately brush them off, but they felt so warm, so comforting, especially against my tired muscles that had been tensed throughout our argument.
“Let me drive you back,” he said. “Please. I won’t bring it up again.”
I looked back at him. “You mean it?”
“For now,” he said. “I’m going to want an answer, but I’ll let you think about it for a few days.”
It wasn’t perfect, and I didn’t like being given a deadline, but I relented.
“All right,” I said. “You’ll know when I know. That’s all I can promise.”
“I’ll take it,” he said, hitting the elevator button.
I cared for Jaeson. So much it made my heart sing. The way he opened up around me, the way he touched me, his admiration of me, it all spoke directly to my heart. But knowing that he considered my background low class…
Was Jaeson even capable of relating to someone like me as an equal?
