Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
I’m not doing a great job at pushing Ares away.
He’s still making it his mission in life to follow me around everywhere, even though I’m not talking to him.
Earlier this week, he didn’t hesitate to take a computer to Aurora when she asked me to help her.
He did, however, make a point to tell me how much he didn’t like Aurora’s boyfriend and how he thought she could do better.
A strange jealousy hit me at his comment, and all week I’ve been wondering if Ares has a thing for Aurora.
I mean, it would be hard not to be attracted to her.
She’s beautiful. And I don’t have a claim on Ares.
I don’t even like him. Not really. I need him because he has a way of calming the noise in my head.
That’s not attraction. I also don’t want to need him, or use him, which is why I’m sitting here trying to figure out a way to really push him away.
“There’s a party tonight,” Constance says from beside me. We’re walking through the crowded halls, one of the rare moments Ares isn’t right beside me. I actually don’t know where he disappeared to and I’m doing my best to not think about him.
Clearly that isn’t working.
“You’re going?” I ask Constance.
“Uh-huh, and so are you,” she says.
“Ah, I’m grounded.” I’m not really sure if that’s technically true, but it seems like a good excuse not to go to a party.
“Please. I need a wing-woman, and you are the perfect one,” Constance pleads.
“What makes me the perfect wing-woman?” I’m curious as to what she will say.
“You’re hot. Any chick who is into chicks is going to be looking at you. And if you’re next to me, well, then they’re also looking at me.” She shrugs as if her logic makes total sense.
“You think I’m hot?” I raise my brows at her.
“You know you are. You have poor little Ares running around trying to mark his territory on you. Something every girl, other than me, has been trying to do since I can remember.”
“He is not,” I deny.
“He is,” Constance argues.
“What you talking about?” Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
“The party tonight. Zara is coming,” Constance says.
“No, she’s not.” Ares shakes his head.
“Excuse me?” I glare at him.
“That party isn’t a place for you, Zara,” he tells me.
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.
“Great. See you there. I gotta run. I told my dad I wasn’t going to be out long.” Another lie. I’m really on a roll lately. I smile and wave a hand as I’m walking out of the room.
“How are you getting out tonight, exactly?” Aurora asks me, stopping my hasty escape.
“My parents are going to some gala hosted by Vin and Cammi De Bellis. Actually, I’m surprised Ares isn’t being forced to attend.” Is he even going to be there? Now I’m not so sure.
“Who are Vin and Cammi De Bellis?” the Irish kid asks.
“Ares’s parents. His mother does a lot of charity work around the city. Particularly aimed at kids,” I explain. “She’s actually a really nice lady. How she birthed a demon like Ares I have no idea—never mind. I do. It’s his father’s genes. His father is scary as hell.”
“Don’t listen to her. Vin is not scary,” Aurora chimes in.
“Sure he’s not. Anyway, see you tonight.” Ares’s father and uncles are all scary, except for Uncle Marcel. I’d trust him with my life.
“Okay, thanks!” Aurora yells after me.
Now I need to find a date, and I think I know someone who will be more than willing to come to a party with me. I shoot him a text when I get in the car.
Me:
Want to come out tonight? Party.
George:
Where have you been, Zara? And yes. Where and when?
I smile. George has always had a crush on me.
He’s the brother of one of my acquaintances from my old school.
I don’t particularly like him, but I know he’ll come out and stick to me like glue if he thinks he has the slightest chance of getting laid.
I send him a message with the address and tell him I’ll meet him there.