26. Kennedy
Kennedy
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Past
"I don't want to be with this guy. Why are you forcing the situation?" I ask Pam.
"Why not? Ryan is handsome."
"Looks aren't enough. It took me two minutes with him to see he's not someone we should hang out with, Pam. It was obvious to me he used drugs today."
"Wow, I didn't realize you were so judgmental, Juliet!"
"You know that's not true," I reply, although I'm sure it won't make any difference. Pam only hears and understands what she wants. After a few weeks in New York, I realized that, contrary to what my heart desired, our friendship wouldn’t be a "forever" thing, as she promised when she suggested I move in with them. Pam is a tyrant. She's not as bad as Aunt Riny, but I'm not sure if over time she won't become just like her.
I leave the house every day to draw, and I've even managed to sell some of my work. I'm trying to save money to leave their house, so I dodge every time Mrs. Vina tries to talk about the future.
I've endured enough growing up. I lived in a hell of Aunt Riny's making, and I won't repeat the process just to have a roof over my head. No amount of money or comfort in the world is worth my peace of mind.
"I thought you'd be more fun when I invited you to live with us."
I don't know if she does it on purpose, but it's not the first time Pam has implied that inviting me to live in her house was a mistake and has made it clear she regrets it. Every time I hear that, though, I feel a crack in my heart. Rejection has accompanied me my whole life, and until now, I told myself it was okay, that I couldn't force people to like me.
However, based on the almost instant friendship between us, I believed I had finally found my place and would have a new family. Worse than growing up with nobody loving us is living the illusion of love, having hope, only to be disappointed again.
"I'm not fun because I don't want to be with a billionaire drug addict? If Ryan is so great, why don't you date him yourself?"
"Who says I haven't tried already?" She smiles mischievously. "I'm not waiting for . . .”
"For whom?"
"Nobody. What I'm trying to say is I'm not a nun. Ryan is very hot, and I'm sure you could have fun together."
"I'm not looking for fun," I say, annoyed. We've only been at the party for half an hour, and I already want to leave.
I know Hades is here, although I can't see him at the moment. When I arrived with Pam, he was the first person I saw, but she made a not-so-subtle move to keep me from greeting him, pushing Ryan onto me.
The jerk grabbed me by the waist and led me away to the dance floor. He didn't give me a choice but to follow him or make a scene, and since I didn't want to ruin Pam's birthday night, I told myself that dancing one song with the man wouldn't kill me.
Well, now I'm not so sure. Being near him has almost killed me with anger. Besides the fact that he thought he could touch me without permission—he tried to grab my butt during the dance—he invited me to use cocaine in the bathroom and make our night "happier."
"Yeah, I noticed," she replies. "Actually, I don't even know why you came."
That's the last straw.
"You know, I was just thinking the same thing."
I see the surprise on her face at my reaction. So far, I've endured her tantrums in silence, but birthday or not, I won't allow her to treat me like a servant, always ready to smile and fulfill her wishes just because I have the "privilege" of living in the house the Kostanidis family supports.
"Where are you going?"
"I need some alone time, Pam. If you want fun so badly, find it on your own."
Hades
Past
"At least try to disguise your fixation on the girl, Hades."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You do know. I'm referring to your ward’s fake 'cousin.' You've been eyeing Juliet since she entered the club."
A month and a half.
It’s quite a record, considering I've been obsessed with seeing Kennedy again and haven't allowed myself to go there.
Today, however, there was nothing I could do to avoid seeing her again. It's Pam's eighteenth birthday, and even though I won't stay long, I had to at least drop by with Ares.
It takes me about ten minutes to realize it was a mistake because the moment I saw Kennedy entering, I couldn't take my eyes off her.
I had to use all my self-control when some jerk took her to the dance floor.
I've never felt jealous of a woman, but I have the urge to rip the bastard's head off, and if I didn't, it's because they didn't last more than a song. Soon after, Kennedy left, leaving him alone.
I see Pam approaching us, and unable to hide my irritation, I say, "Why isn't Kennedy with you?" I notice the surprise not only on Pam's face but also on Ares'.
"What does it matter where she is? Juliet told me they met in New Orleans, but they've only seen each other once," my ward says. "What's up with you today?"
"Why didn't you bring her over here, Pam? Juliet—or Kennedy, as Hades calls her—is now under our protection too," Ares says, and I know by his tone he's being sardonic.
I think we're both thinking the same thing: Pam likes to be the center of attention, and next to Kennedy, she simply fades away.
The outfit the woman who has been driving me crazy chose for herself is modest enough—considering the party is at a nightclub and she had unlimited credit to choose whatever she wanted—a short, strapless white dress.
And yet, dressed much more simply than Pam and the other guests, Kennedy makes every male head at the party turn to look at her.
"Why do you call her Kennedy? I think she prefers Juliet," she says, and I know she's lying because I remember perfectly the conversation between the two of them in the car, in New Orleans, when Kennedy told Pam she didn't usually respond when someone called her "Juliet."
"It's her name."
It takes me very little time to realize Pam is jealous. Has she noticed, like my brother did, that I look at her "cousin" like a predator?
"Regarding your question, Juliet is having fun with her boyfriend," Pam says, and I feel my blood boiling.
"Boyfriend?"
"Yes. Ryan Corey III. She dressed up for him today. Spent the whole day talking about how excited she was about Ryan's interest in her. I think . . .”
"What?"
"Juliet is dazzled because he's rich, and I'm afraid she'll get hurt. Ryan doesn't usually take girls seriously, especially someone like her, poor and with no life goals."
I try to hold myself back from leaving her alone so I can go after the woman I want, the one who has prevented me from desiring any other since the moment I saw her for the first time.
I force myself to focus on practical matters. "No life goals? What the hell are you talking about? Your grandmother told me Kennedy wants to go back to school."
"I doubt it. She disappears every afternoon, and I think she's at Ryan's place . . . um . . . doing things that a girl does with her boyfriend."
"Don't you have a party to enjoy instead of gossiping about your friend, Pam?" Ares asks.
"Why don't you like me?" Pam sounds hurt, but my brother doesn't even blink.
He ignores her and takes a sip of his whiskey.
"Ares is right, Pam. Go have fun. We're leaving now."
I can see she wants to protest, but she doesn't, and looking as sulky as when she was a child and something was denied her, she walks away from us.
I'm getting ready to leave before I mess things up when I catch a glimpse of Kennedy passing by.
"Wait here. I'll be right back," I tell my brother.
"Where are you going?"
"To clarify a matter."
"Hades, don't go down this path," Ares says as he follows the direction of my gaze, but by now, there's nothing that can stop me.