Ignoring him, I turn to Constance. “I’m coming, and I’m bringing a date.”
“A date? Do I know him?” she asks.
“Nope, but I do—really well.” I make a point to add a suggestive tone to my words. “I have to go. Text me the details,” I say to Constance, making an escape before Ares has a chance to piss me off any more.
I wasn’t fast enough. The asshole follows me, grabs my elbow, and pulls me into an empty classroom. “What are you doing?” he growls.
“Going to class.” I smile up at him innocently.
“Why are you going to that party?”
“Why not?”
“You really want to go to a party? You’re not going with some other asshole,” he says.
“Why? Because the only asshole I’m allowed to hang out with is you?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck you, Ares. I don’t belong to you. I don’t understand why you can’t get it into your head that I don’t want anything to do with you. I want you to stay away from me.”
“Too fucking bad. You’re under my skin, P. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I almost killed you, Ares. Why would you want to be around me?” It’s not safe for him.
“You didn’t want to hurt me, P. You wanted to hurt yourself. Which is far worse. I’d rather you hate me than hate yourself.”
“I can’t do this. Just leave me alone.” I shove past him and walk out the door.
“I’m not going to do that, P,” Ares calls after me.
I don’t go to my last class. Instead, I find myself at my sister’s house with what is either going to be the best idea I have, or the worst. If there’s a chance Ares has a thing for Aurora, I need to get them in the same space so he can focus on her and not me.
“Zara, you’re allowed to see daylight already?” Aurora asks when I find her.
“Not really. I came here looking for you.” I glance around. I’m sure my dad already knows I’m here and not at school.
“Follow me.” Aurora drops the hand of the guy she’s with and takes hold of mine. “What happened?” she asks.
Peering over a shoulder, I get a good look at her Irish boyfriend, the one Ares didn’t like. “Oh, I get it now. He’s cute.” I smirk as I return my attention to Aurora.
“He is cute. Now, what’s going on, Zara?” Aurora presses.
“There’s a party, tonight. I’m going to be there. Here.” I hand her a little card Constance sent me. It has the address on it. “If you can get out, come. No one will know who you are there. Well, no one but Ares.”
“You’re going to a party with Ares?” Aurora tilts her head to the side.
“No, I’m going to a party that he will be at. I’m not going with him.” I scrunch up my nose. “I would never go to a party with him.”
“Why not?” Aurora asks.
“Because he’s… a spoiled, overindulged, rich-kid asshole. He thinks he owns the whole damn town. Newsflash! He doesn’t.”
“No, that would be you.” Aurora laughs. “He’s not that bad.”
“I agree with her observation.” Aurora’s boyfriend points at me. “And we are not going to a party, Aurora. We can’t.”
“You can stay here. I’m going,” she replies, making me chuckle. I didn’t think him telling her what she could do was going to go down well.
