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“Aphrodite, you can still trust me. I love you. After you got so upset after we...” his voice trailed off as my father inched closer. “After I did that thing to your face at that party and you were so upset,” he tried to say as vaguely as possible. “I realized that I’d fallen for you somewhere along the way. I liked your mom, yes. But it’s past tense. I’m madly in love with you.”

“I don’t believe you! God.” I buried my fingers in my hair.

Justin shrieked from somewhere. “Not the hair!”

I ignored him. “I gave up everything for you, Adonis! My whole future!” Fuck, fuck, fuck. Oh God, what had I done?

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

I glanced at Scarlett. “I ruined everything, Scar.”

Scarlett shook her head. “We’ll figure it out, Soph,” she said calmly.

“Figure out what, Aphrodite?” Adonis asked. He reached out to cradle my face in his hands.

“Don’t touch my friend,” Scarlett said and pushed on his chest.

Adonis didn’t move an inch. “Pumpkin, were you trying to hit me?” he said with a laugh. “That was adorable.”

“Do not call me pumpkin!” she yelled.

Adonis laughed again. “I don’t understand why everyone is so upset. I liked Aphrodite’s mom several months ago. Who cares?!”

“Sophie cares, you psycho!” Scarlett yelled. “She dropped out of college for you! My best friend gave up her whole future for you, you ass face!”

Eek.

“Sophie, what is she talking about?” my mom said.

I cringed.

“Sophie Roberta Hunter!” my mom yelled. “What is Scarlett talking about?”

Tears started streaming down my cheeks. God, I was such an idiot. Scarlett had warned me about this. About how I went all in too quickly all the time. And I’d done it again and ruined everything. “Mom.” My voice cracked.

Uncle Tyler whistled as he walked into the living room with Aunt Hailey. His whistling stopped. “What the heck did we just walk into?” he asked.

“You’re actually right on time,” Axel said as he cracked his knuckles. “Turns out I didn’t miss my chance after all.” He swung at Adonis.

Adonis didn’t have a chance to react. He hadn’t expected it. And I wasn’t sure why. He fucking deserved it!

Aunt Hailey shrieked. “Axel! Don’t hit your friends!”

“Fuck,” Adonis said. “What the heck, bro? Listen to Aunt Hailey. Don’t hit your friends.”

“You piece of shit,” Jacob said. “I warned you. I warned you several fucking times.” He grabbed Adonis by the lapels of his tuxedo.

“Jacob!” Aunt Brooklyn yelled. “Let go of him!”

Jacob listened to his mom. In the most violent way possible. He let Adonis go by shoving him backward onto the coffee table.

The table smashed in half as Adonis fell to the ground.

Adonis sighed. “Well, this escalated quickly. You guys, this is funny. It...”

“You knew I was broken,” I said as tears ran down my cheeks.

“Aphrodite...”