Chapter 8 - For the Drama
1694 Words
Aurora D’Angelo / Isla Smith
Un-f*****g-believable! That man is infuriating!
I paced the living room, and Arline looked in my direction. “Are you trying to leave a mark on the carpet?” she said, and I rolled my eyes at her.
“He is unbelievable!” I grunted, and she looked in my direction.
“Who, babes? I mean, I need a bit more context than that…” She shrugged her shoulders casually while popping a cheddar popcorn into her mouth.
"Ashton Varnat,” I said, and she shrugged her shoulders.
“That name gives me zero information,” she said, and I huffed.
“The asshole from the bar?” I said, and her eyes looked at me with amusement.
“NO!” She straightened her back, and I slumped on a chair, bringing my knees close to my chest.
Of course, she yelled no, loud enough that Melody and Sage peeked out of their rooms. “What is going on?” Sage asked, alarmed.
“Well, apparently…” Arline paused, “Isla has a class with the guy from the bar…” Arline said, and I huffed.
“A class I am sure I could handle…” I sighed.
“Oh… Juicy… spill…” Melody bounced up and down and then sat on the ground in a criss–cross position.
“There is more?” Arline said, and I slowly nodded.
“Yeah… we have assigned seats… and just my luck…” I paused.
“Come on! You are stuck beside him the entire semester?” Sage said, and I slowly nodded.
“Girl, the guy is hot…” Melody said,
“He is an asshole,” I pointed out,
“Most of the hot ones are…” she shrugged her shoulders, stealing popcorn from Arline's bowl.
“What do you say his name was?” Melody asked, and I took a deep breath.
“Ashton Varnat,” I said, and she smiled, typed something, and then she whistled.
“Not only hot, campus royalty…” she said, and I grunted, “He is the football team's quarterback, he comes from a very wealthy family, an A-star student with prominent prospects in the NFL…” she read, and I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“I am not impressed,” I sighed.
“You should be…” Sage said,
If only they had known that I was not a shabby student myself, but the firstborn daughter of King Matei D'Angelo and Queen Iris Tyen. I am royalty myself by birthright, I am loaded as well, and I don't need to chase after an asshole who thinks the world revolves around him.
“Well, he could be special, but I am not interested…” I sighed, and she nodded.
“We got that one… last night, and by the way you are acting now, it stands today,” Arline said, and I nodded.
“He is my final project's partner…” I mumbled, and they all gasped.
“What?” they all said, in a very high-pitched squeak.
“Yeah… I am starting to believe I don't have good luck,” I said, and Melody wiggled her fingers and chuckled.
“Nope… your luck is fine…” she said, and I rolled my eyes, “You just got saddled with that hunk for an entire semester,” She smirked.
“It is not funny, you guys are my friends, and should be on my corner…” I said, and Melody nodded.
“We are babes… You just have to see the glass half full, instead of half empty…” she said, and I laughed. That f*****g philosophy… is something my mother would tell me.
“You sound like my optimistic mother,” I said, and she smiled.
“I like her already,” she smiled. If she only knew who we were talking about.
“There is one more thing…” I paused, and they all looked in my direction.
“This is better than a movie,” Arline grabbed some popcorn and tossed it into her mouth. I braced myself for what I was about to tell them.
“He invited me to dinner,” I said, and instead of the squeaking or the blunt girly reaction, I got the opposite, complete silence.
“Girl, that guy likes you,” Sage said in a serious voice.
“I don't want him to like me… I came here to study, and maybe find my mate…” I said, and they nodded.
“But he likes you…” Arline said, and I shook my head.
“He is a complication, I don't need to…” I paused when my phone vibrated on the table.
I looked at the notification and grunted. “Unbelievable!” I complained, and Melody rushed to sit on the arm of the chair I was occupying. Sage sat on the other side, while Arline… bless her heart, stayed on her seat munching on her cheddar popcorn.
Asthon:
“I'll be training until 7 pm today, but tomorrow I finish at 6… how about I pick you up at 7 tomorrow?”
I read the message out loud, and the girls laughed. “OMG! He is totally into you!” Melody said, and I looked at her with a glare that told her, “Don't f**k with me.”
She lifted her hands in mock surrender, and I sighed. “I know you are excited about this, but please have mercy on me,” I pouted, and she wrapped her arm around me.
“I am on your corner… if you want me to, I can give him the runs so he cancels the date,” she giggled, and I laughed.
“I am mean, but not that mean…” I laughed, “but I will keep it in mind,” I leaned into her, feeling a bit better.
These girls were the sisters I had no idea I needed. For the first time in my life, I have these… true friends on my corner.
“Let's see if you like this,” I smirked and typed back.
Me:
“How about we change the plan? Not dinner, but I can book a spot in the library so we can work on our project.”
“Wow, you are something, girl!” Sage said, “That man is not used to a no, and you have given him two very loud ones, in less than 24 hours… Bold… I like it,” Sage pointed out, and Arline took another fistful of popcorn. I bet this was entertaining for her.
“I just want to keep our interactions professional. I don't know why I allowed those lines to get blurred by agreeing to that dinner,” I said, and they all nodded.
“That is a good move, a safe one,” Arline said, and I was glad that she was not only here for the drama, but she was actively participating.
Ashton:
“I am under a very strained schedule, and I have a preparation game the day after tomorrow. I need food, so it must be dinner.”
“Goddess, he is relentless…” Melody said, and Sage nodded.
“He is very interested in our girl,” she pointed out, and I rolled my eyes.
“He is being difficult,” I mumbled,
“He is not letting you cancel on him… I bet he is not happy with getting a second no from you…” Arline said, and then she added. “By the way, canceling him is counterproductive; that type of man doesn't take rejection easily, and the more you try to stay away from him, the more invested he will become.” Arline finished.
She could be right, but I don't see why I should go out with a man who gets on my nerves. I don't care if it translates as a “hard to get” attitude, one that keeps him more interested than before… I can't stand him.
I typed: “I don't care,”
“Girl, that is too harsh!” Sage said, and I deleted it,
Then I typed: “Why would I have to suffer for your schedule?”
“Wow, that is not great, darling… Don't take him so seriously…” Melody said, and I smiled… I knew the perfect answer for that…
Me:
“I´ll bring a sandwich,”
“That is an excellent answer… if he gets on your nerves, be sassy… that way at least you are having fun!” Sage laughed, and I rolled my eyes.
“You guys! Thanks for nothing… I want to get out of this dinner thing, and you are just having a blast here…” I grunted, and they all laughed.
“It is not funny,” I mumbled,
“It is a little… of all the odds… this is happening,” Melody smirked, and I laughed.
She was right, I could stress about the whole thing, or have fun…
I laughed, “This is stupid!” I laughed harder, almost to the point of getting tears in my eyes, and a very sharp, deep belly-ache.
Three dots appeared, and I froze.
Ashton:
“A sandwich is not enough… Let's have a decent meal… I'll pick you up at 7 tomorrow,”
He typed, and then he went offline,
“What the f**k was that?” I mumbled, and the girls giggled.
“I guess you have a dinner date with Ashton Varnat, babes…” Melody said,
“It is not a date!” I protested,
“Keep telling yourself that,” Arline spoke out of the blue…
Goddess, I am so screwed up… He was not giving me an option, and I had no idea what to wear. Can this college experience be more f****d up? Suddenly, I missed my golden cage… where there are no annoying assholes in it, but also where there is no fun…
Goddess, I did all this to live a little… is this your way to force me to take the plunge? I hope not, because I hate it.
- Writer
