“Family dinner, Ares, no.”
“What about Spencer and Constance?” I try again.
“Ares? Are you okay?”
“Fine, Mum, so can I bring them?”
“No, it’s family dinner,” she repeats.
“Okay, cool. I won’t bring them. Can I bring Zara, though?”
“Zara McKinley?” Mum clarifies.
“That’s the one.” I smirk at the girl currently glaring back at me.
“Of course, she’s always welcome here,” Mum says. “I have to go. Is that all you wanted?”
“Yep, I’ll let Zara know she’s coming for dinner,” I reply, pocket my phone, and look to Zara. “Told you, family. You owe me.”
“That doesn’t prove anything. It just shows that your mum likes me more than your dipshit friends.”
“Who’s the dipshit?” The question is followed by laughter as Spencer and Constance stop next to us.
“You apparently,” I tell Spence.
“Not you.” Zara points to Constance as she shakes out from under my arm, which was still resting around her shoulders.
“Clearly. Come on, these guys are cramping my style.” Constance loops her arm through Zara’s.
“You want to keep your hands working? Then keep them to yourself!” I call out. Constance responds by giving me the middle finger.
When I turn back to Spencer, he’s glaring at me, his head tilted. “I don’t care what your last name is, or that you’re my best friend. You threaten to hurt my sister again and I will fucking kill you,” he says.
“You can try.” I laugh.
I know he would too. I’ve never had a reason to cross Spencer, but I don’t like seeing Constance’s hands on Zara. I don’t even know if Zara is into chicks. I don’t care.
This jealousy is foreign. It’s making me irrational. I have absolutely no claim on the girl. I don’t think I even want her. I want to help her not be sad, but that’s because I’m a good fucking person and seeing her sadness breaks me. I want her to be happy. I want her to enjoy everything this life has to offer her, which is a fucking lot.
Thathas nothing to do with me wanting her.
Chapter Seven
I’ve spent the morning doing my best to ignore Ares—not an easy task when he insists on sitting next to me in every class. It’s strange that we’re even in all the same classes. I wouldn’t put it past Uncle Marcel to have made that happen. I know heasked Ares to keep an eye on me. It’s the only explanation for his constant hovering.
His attention isn’t exactly making me any fast friends. Besides Constance, the other girls are openly scowling at me every chance they get. I don’t miss the way they all smile and flirt with Ares, who doesn’t really encourage their advances, but also doesn’t do anything to reject them either.
Like right now, there is a girl sitting on top of his desk, literally sitting on his desk while he leans back in the chair with his arms folded over his chest.
“Ares, please, please, please tell me you’re going to be at the party tonight. You know Jonah throws the best ones,” the girl, whose name I haven’t bothered to learn, asks in a whiny voice.
“Sorry, babe, can’t. I have a family dinner I need to be at,” he says.
The girl pouts, and I can’t help but snort, which makes her turn to me. “You got a problem?”
“I’m not the one sitting there begging for attention,” I say. “So, no, I don’t have a problem.”
“I don’t know who you think you are, but mind your business,” she snaps back at me.
