THIRTY-SIX
The Drunken Girl
Sweat . . .
Margaritas . . .
Laughter . . .
Music . . .
I never thought I could sweat like this, but apparently dancing in a crowd of people has that effect. Everyone is cheerful right now. I’m a little dizzy, so I decide to stop drinking. Marco appears on the dance floor and his eyes meet mine. “Why don’t you dance with me, Raquel?”
My eyes travel to Ares, who’s talking to his friends but glancing at me frequently. Ares and I are in a very fragile situation right now. Although I’m making him win my heart, I don’t want to do anything that could lead to misunderstandings or uncomfortable situations. Marco is waiting for my answer, and I wrinkle my nose.
“Thanks, but maybe another day.”
Marco says nothing, just grabs his glass and, without taking his eyes off me, takes a long drink.
Gregory appears out of nowhere and gives me five. “What are you doing for Halloween? Do you have plans?”
I can barely hear him through the loud, pounding music.
“Not really, it’s still two weeks away.”
“We think we’re going to a party in town, I imagine you’re coming.”
Ares hasn’t mentioned it.
“Maybe.”
Gregory sighs. “Do you think I should be a vampire or a sexy cop?”
I laugh. Why does he have two such opposite options?
He taps my shoulder gently. “Seriously, I need a girl’s opinion.”
“Hmmm,” I look at him and imagine him in both costumes. “I think you’d make a very sexy vampire.”
“I knew it!” He looks proud, and I just smile.
I feel someone looking at me, and I glance around. Andrea is murdering me with her eyes.
“Your girlfriend doesn’t look very happy,” I tell him, taking a sip of my margarita. Gregory gives her a quick glance.
“She’s not my girlfriend.” I don’t say anything, not wanting to seem nosy, but Gregory keeps talking. “I liked her a lot, but . . . she’s just like her friends.”
“What do you mean?”
“All the boys at this table are from wealthy families,” he says, and my eyes go over each one of them: Ares, Zahid, Oscar, Luis, Marco, and then back to Gregory. “They’re the next managers and owners of companies, corporations, businesses . . .”
Gregory points to several guys dressed in black around the bar. “See those guys? They’re bodyguards. We’re never alone, even if it looks that way.”
But what does that have to do with Andrea? Gregory seems to notice the confusion on my face.
“There are very few people who approach us without an agenda. Andrea . . .” He pauses, and there’s a slight sadness in his voice when he continues. “Let’s just say that her feelings were not genuine.”
I squeeze his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m fine, I’ll be fine. I’ll rock Halloween in my vampire costume.”
“I’m sure you will.”
A lively song plays, and Natalie and Andrea get up and begin to dance for the seated boys. Samy just checks her cell phone. Andrea moves in front of Gregory, and I look away uncomfortably. She better not even think about getting closer to Ares.
Natalie moves in front of Marco, who doesn’t bother to hide his disinterest. She moves on to Luis, who applauds her and plays along. I watch her get closer to Oscar and then Zahid. Ares is next, and I stop breathing. I can’t make a scene here if she dances for him. What should I do?
Natalie goes to move toward Ares, but he gives her such a cold stare that I feel shivers run through my body. I have forgotten how icy the Greek god can be. She ignores his stare and moves toward him, but before she can reach him, Ares gets up and says he’s going to the bathroom, leaving her standing alone.
Natalie purses her lips and returns to her seat. I grab my phone and type a text to Ares.
Me: Good move. I am proud of my friend. :)
His response comes quickly.
Ares <3: You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?
Me: Nope, not a bit.
Ares <3: You will fall, “friend.”
Me: Nah and I am your friend, the quotation marks are not needed.
Ares <3: My “friend” who moans in my ear and asks for more when I fuck her hard.
A shiver runs through me and I feel the heat invade my face.
Me: Very inappropriate, my friend.
Ares <3: Inappropriate are the things I want to do to you; you have no idea.
Phew, it’s hot in here all of a sudden. Like the coward I am, I don’t answer him, afraid of what he might say to me.
Time is flying by and it’s time to go. I can’t believe it’s three in the morning. In the parking lot, everyone starts to say good-bye. The cold weather isn’t sitting well with Samy; Marco is holding her and helps her into the car.
We all get in, and Ares starts the engine. I’m grateful for the heat. Marco blows on Samy’s face. “Hey, Samantha.”
“I think I’m drunk,” Samy says and bursts out laughing. I feel sorry for her.
Ares looks at her in the rearview mirror. “Do you think so?”
Marco sighs, holding her in the back seat. “We can’t take her home like this, her mother would kill her.”
“I know.” Ares starts driving. “She’d better stay at my place.”
I turn my head so quickly toward him that my neck hurts, and I give him an incredulous look. Marco rubs the back of his neck.
“Yes, I’ll stay at your house too to help carry her.”
Calm down, Raquel, they’re friends.
Marco will stay, too, it’s normal; they’re friends staying at their friend’s house. But jealousy is eating me up inside. When we get to my house, I hesitate, but I don’t want to make a scene, especially in front of Marco. Controlling myself, I fake a smile.
“Have a good night.” I open the car door, but Ares takes my hand and brings it to his lips.
“Trust me, Witch.”
I take a deep breath. I want to tell him that trust is something you earn, not something you ask for, but I swallow those words and get out.
- ARES -
“Ares, she won’t get out of the car.” Marco grunts in annoyance.
I close the driver’s door and head for the back door. Samy is lying on her side on the seat, her legs dangling out of the car.
“Samy,” I call, and she looks at me. “You have to get out now.”
“No,” she murmurs. “Everything is spinning.”
“Come on, Samy,” I say and carefully slip my hands under her legs and back to carry her. Marco closes the door behind me. We enter through the back of the house. Marco opens the doors for me. Samy clutches my neck tightly, murmuring.
“My dark prince.”
Marco gives me a sad look when he hears her call me that. She’s called me that since we were kids because according to her, I’ve always been there to save her. But she’s forgotten that Marco has always been there for her too. He gives her one last look before turning the other way, heading for the kitchen.
“You got this.” He mumbles, walking away. “I’m hungry.”
I take Samy to the guest room because there’s no way I’m going upstairs with her like that. We get into the room, and she staggers but stands with my help. I manage to turn the nightstand lamp on and turn around to face her. “You shouldn’t have drunk so much.”
She caresses her face awkwardly. “I needed it.”
Her black eyes meet mine, and I know I shouldn’t ask, but she expects me to. “Why?”
She points a finger at my chest. “You know why.”
Silence falls between us, and her expression grows sadder. I glance at the bed, at the fresh sheets. She just needs to sleep it off.
“Ares . . .” she says quietly. “You’ve been looking at your girlfriend all night, having a good time, you haven’t even looked at me.”
“Samantha . . .”
“I was watching you; I’ve missed you so much.” The plea in her voice makes me feel ashamed. I care about her, maybe not in the way she expects, but she’s still very important to me. “Haven’t you missed me even a little bit?”
I consider saying yes because I don’t want to hurt her. However, I think of Raquel, her smile, the way she wrinkles her face when she doesn’t like something but doesn’t want to say it, how I feel when she touches me. It’s as if she’s touching beyond my skin, as if her hands can reach into my heart and warm it. So, I don’t respond, I don’t want to give Samy false hope when my heart belongs to Raquel.
Her black eyes fill with tears, and I run my hand through my hair.
“Don’t cry.”
“You’re an idiot. Did you know that?” The anger in her voice is sharp. “Why did you have sex with me? Why did you play with me like all the others? I thought that I was different, that you cared about me.”
“Samy, I care about you a lot.”
“Bullshit! If you cared about me, you would never have let this go any further. You knew I had feelings for you, and if you didn’t reciprocate, you shouldn’t have let it go any further.”
I approach her and try to reach for her, but she pulls away as if my touch is poisonous.
“Samantha . . .”
Tears fall freely down her cheeks. “Why, Ares? Why did you kiss me that Christmas night? Why did you start something when you knew you felt nothing?”
“Samantha—”
“Tell me the truth for the first time in your life! Why?”
“I was confused! I thought I had feelings for you, but I didn’t! I’m sorry.” The pain on her face makes my chest tighten. “I’m really sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” She lets out a tearful laugh. “It’s so easy for you to say that! You destroy everything good around you and expect to fix it with I’m sorry. That’s not how life works, Ares. You can’t go around hurting people and just expect to be forgiven.”
“I know I’m fucked up, Samantha, but I—”
“You know you’re fucked up, but you keep hurting people. You do nothing to change that.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m trying to be different.”
“For her? You want to change for Raquel, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And . . . couldn’t you try that with me? Wasn’t I enough for you?”
“It’s not about that, Samantha. I just can’t control the way I feel. I care about you a lot, but she’s . . .” I pause. “She’s . . . what she makes me feel is . . . on another level.”
Her lips tremble as she whispers: “Do you love her?”
She looks so hurt that I don’t dare answer.
“You need to rest.”
She nods and staggers to the bed, lying on her side, facing me.
“Would you mind keeping me company until I fall asleep?” I hesitate, but she looks so defeated that I can’t bear to hurt her anymore, so I lie down next to her, and our faces are a safe distance apart. She just looks at me, tears rolling down the side of her face.
I caress her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“I love you so much it hurts.” Her voice is weak.
It’s the first time she tells me she loves me, but her words don’t surprise me, maybe I already knew. She understands my silence and gives me a sad smile.
“I need to get away from you for a while. I need to get rid of these feelings. Because, as your best friend, I want to be happy for you, because you finally found someone who motivates you to change, someone who makes you happy, but these stupid feelings ruin everything.”
“Take all the time you need. I’ll be here when you get back.”
She holds my hand. “Do your best, Ares. You have a chance to be happy, don’t ruin it. It’s okay to open your heart. It doesn’t make you weak. Don’t be afraid.”
“Afraid?” I let out a sarcastic laugh. “I’m terrified.”
“I know,” she squeezes my hand. “I know it’s hard for you to trust people, but Raquel is a good girl.”
“I know that, but I can’t help feeling so fucking vulnerable,” I sigh. “She has the power to destroy me; she could do it so easily if she wanted to.”
“But she won’t.” She closes her eyes. “Good night, Ares.”
I lean over and kiss her forehead.
“Good night, Samy.”