Fatal Attraction

10

ESTRELA

"You really don't have to take me home," I say as we walk to his car. It is a black Ford Mustang and is a slightly older model.

"Estrela!" Kian growls, obviously getting on his nerves that I'm turning down his offer but... damn, the kiss in the camp and then he just pretended to be my boyfriend when this annoying guy hit on me , so he'll leave me alone, this is all too... much right now. And if I get in his car now, what happens then?

"Hop in." He holds the passenger door open and waits. Seeing resistance as futile, I sink into the leather of the seat and watch him pace around his car. A smile graces his lips, as if all this amuses him. I, on the other hand, am not enjoying myself one bit. He gets behind the wheel and I really have to pull myself together not to stare at him because he looks damn hot behind the wheel. Those long fingers wrapped around the steering wheel and... dammit, I'm staring at him now! Kian immediately starts the engine and drives off as if he feared I was going to flee at any moment. The ride passes silence, which I did not expect. I thought he would question me or make some jokes. He stays silent, like me. I mean, what is there to say? We're not real friends or anything. "Would you like to come to my party next weekend?" he suddenly asks. I look at him. A party?

"At your place... at home?" I ask skeptically. He smiles.

"Yes, with me. Summer and Jason will come too. So?" I honestly don't know how to answer that. After all, I have no idea what's going on between me and Kian. So is it really that smart to go to his party? And that too at his home?

"Estrela?"

"I don't know..." I reply. Kian is stopping in front of my condominium. He turns off the engine and turns to me. His intense gaze on me makes me realize again what we did a few hours ago.

"Your dad said it would do you good to meet new people," he explains. I stare at him with my mouth open. Isn't that a bad joke? My dad talked to Kian about so something?

"I think I'm old enough to decide for myself," I hiss.

"It's alright kitty. Of course it's your choice but I'd love for you to come. People are cool and... ah, I think of one more thing. I know a good friend who works in a publishing company . I know that you are writing your own book. It will come. I know from him that he is always looking for new, especially young authors... So, what do you say?" I have to admit he's good at persuasion.

"What publisher?" I ask. The corners of his mouth lift slightly. Apparently happy that I bite.

"The Paper Vegas Publishers." Not an unknown publisher as far as I know and also quite well known.

"Okay. I'll come," I agree. Even if that means I'm going to his party, even though I've decided to stay away from Kian from now on. But anyway, it's not possible to completely stay away from him because he's my dad's student and my boss's friend. Kian looks at me quizzically for a moment before nodding in satisfaction.

"Then I'll see you at my party, cool. Can you give me your mobile number so I can send you my address?" I see his eyes twinkle as he realizes there is a way to get my number.

"Okay..." He hands me his cell phone and I put my number on it. As I hand it back to him, his fingers brush mine. I wince a little and clear my throat.

"Good night, Estrela." He winks at me and I blush slightly.

"Good night," I mumble and open the door. I force myself not to turn my head as I walk to the front door. The engine starts as I close the front door behind me and then lean against it briefly. Oh my god, what did I just get myself into?

I'll be writing my book all day Sunday. Right now I'm in a very motivated phase where I can fully immerse myself in it. After many hours of writing, many cups of coffee, and the donuts I ate, I decide to take a break and call my mom, who I haven't spoken to since moving to Nevada.

"Yes, hello?" she answers.

"Hi Mom, it's me."

"Estrela? Do you have a new number?" She asks me in surprise.

"Yes."

"You must be pretty serious about the new life," she replies, slightly cynically. I roll my eyes and look out the window.

"Mom, I told you I was serious and I'm staying here in Henderson with Dad."

"Yes yes, I know how it all works, kid. You dropped out of college, no job..."

"I have a job here!" I interrupt her quickly.

"Oh yes, and that would be?"

"In a coffee shop," I lie. Only over my dead body I will tell my mother that I work in a club. I can already imagine the number of things she'll throw at me about it.

"It's not a real job! I hope you don't intend to do this forever." I would prefer to just hang up. I hate that she's so little behind me.

"No. You know I'm writing my book, it's just a side job to make money until..."

She won't let me finish. "Come back. Finished college and get a decent job with a future where you can be sure of making good money. There's no future in writing. Be realistic, Estrela. I've put up with your behavior long enough and gone along with it. It's time to finally grow up." Angry at her words, I clench my fists. But I'm no longer the gray little mouse who always shuts up when I'm expected to do it to everyone I always put my wishes and dreams on the back burner, but that time is over now!

"I'm grown up mom! Because I finally know what I want." Another deep sigh comes from her.

"Matthew keeps asking about you." When she says his name, I immediately stiffen. My hand grips the phone so tight my knuckles turn white.

"I don't care!" I hiss. Suddenly I panic. "You didn't tell him where I was... Please, Mom, don't tell me you told him?"

It feels like forever until she answers me. "No I haven't. Although I can't understand why you left him. He's such a nice and decent man." If only my mother knew what Matt was really like, she wouldn't talk about him like that. But knowing she'd never believe me, I never told her the truth .

"Good. I don't want him to know where I am!"

"Estrela, that's childish. He loves you and misses you. Please come back."

"No!" And with that I hang up. Let me sink to the ground and bury my head in my hands. I can hardly hold back the tears.

My mom and my f*****g ex are a thing of the past. I finally want to live my own life. Not the life my mother envisions. No living by being controlled by your friend. I'm sick. That's why I don't regret the decision I left at all.

"Hey Ella." Summer greets me first as I enter the club.

"Hi." I smile at her and step behind the counter to start preparing everything with Summer.

"I heard you're coming to Kian's party." Her eyes watched me intently.

"Hm," I just answer and put the polished glasses on the shelf. "Kian said he knows a friend who works in publishing and is coming to the party. I'm writing my own book so I hope I could strike up a conversation with him." I blink over at Summer, who is facing me, hands on hips. I turn to her and see concern in her eyes.

"I've known Kian for quite a long time. He's one of my best friends and I know that you can rely on him. It's not easy for me to say that now...", she begins and now has my full attention. "Kian is a fuckboy by definition. He gets out of control easily. As soon as someone teases him, he lashes out. He doesn't care if he hurts other people's feelings. He's often very opinionated. He has a past who I don't know. I don't even know if she knows Jason. Kian tells next to nothing about herself. So just pay attention, Ela. You'd better stay away from him or he'll break your heart. .." When she finished her speech, I am deeply shocked, even if my subconscious could already imagine all this, it is much worse, hearing it from someone close to Kian. Of course I'm aware that Kian changes women like underwear. And he's a boxer, of course he prefers to act with his fists than with words. Kian is clearly not good for me. I'm pretty aware of all that and yet I can't stay away from him. Because I don't think Kian is always like that. And that there's a reason he's sometimes... moody. Nobody is just like that on a whim. He must have experienced something and I feel the need to find out. Even if my heart is at stake. I'm pretty aware of all that and yet I can't stay away from him. Because I don't think Kian is always like that. And that there's a reason he's sometimes... moody. Nobody is just like that on a whim. He must have experienced something and I feel the need to find out. Even if my heart is at stake. I'm pretty aware of all that and yet I can't stay away from him. Because I don't think Kian is always like that. And that there's a reason he's sometimes... moody. Nobody is just like that on a whim. He must have experienced something and I feel the need to find out. Even if my heart is at stake.

"I know all that," I confess sheepishly. She looks at me understandingly.

"Kian is a master at seducing people. He's damn handsome. Of course, women jump at him. And that he just loves to take advantage of." Once again I get caught up in the fact that I'm just another woman he just wants in his bed. After that he'll probably drop me like a sack of potatoes to go find the next one.

"I'll stay away from him in the future. I'm only going to his party to meet the publisher guys. That's all," I justify myself. Summer should understand that Kian is just a little crush. Well, although swarming is still putting it very mildly.

"You are a decent woman, Ela. You surely know what is best for you." Do I really know? "Okay, off the topic! Let's continue. The club will open soon." Then her beaming smile reappears.