Mates Next Door

Astra-y

~ASTRA~

Ryder's eyes on me as I took the last steps towards him made me feel so self conscious.

What exactly was he staring at?

The slight stretch marks that marked my cleavage? The more than moderate patch of skin showing? Or was it my makeup?

What? What?

"You don't expect me to tell you thank you for coming to my rescue, do you?" I asked as soon as I got to him.

He said nothing at first, as he was still taking his time to access me. "You would have been thrown out of the club for nuisance if you had insisted further. I heard you speaking to them so you should thank me for my super hearing. By the way, you look damn good."

Chuckling, I c****d my head to the side. "So that means you saw me, right?"

"I literally said I heard your voice."

I took a step closer to him, wondering if it was the alcohol making me really bold. "I am not stupid, Ryder. Our kind can tune out voices and hyper focus on one. So that means you saw me when you walked into the club."

He rolled his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. "What are you doing here by the way?"

"Clubbing, like everyone else." I replied rather too sweetly.

"I know that. I also know you're here with Flynn. But why are you up here?"

After he said that, something in me shifted.

"Uhm, is this place designated for special people?" I asked, masking the slight embarrassment I was starting to feel.

Ryder shrugged. "Apparently. Flynn not coming up here with you say a lot."

My fists clenched as a wave of something strange flooded throughout my body. It was that feeling of never fitting in and now, I felt so uncomfortable in my own body and in this dress.

I would have turned and walked away if I didn't see Valerie making her way towards us.

"And what about her too?" I asked, referring to my best friend.

"She's my girlfriend so she automatically has access to this place." Ryder shrugged and slid his arm around her waist before pulling her to his side.

"What are you doing here, Astra?" Valerie asked, giving me a funny look. "And damn, you look so good tonight. I've never seen you look this good before."

My eyes burned with tears at her statement. "I can't believe this is really coming from you, Valerie."

She looked confused for a moment then she burst into laughter. "What do you even mean?"

I glanced at Ryder. "Since you both started dating, it's like you've lost every common sense you have left. I don't even recognise you anymore." Valerie's eyes narrowed in annoyance but I didn't care. "You speak rudely to your old friends because you now hang with the cool crowd. Your standards are way higher now you're with him. Talk about being a clone of every guy you ever date and being left in threadbare situations once they're done with you. And of course, it'll be us, your good friends that would have to pick you back up."

"How dare you?!" Valerie snapped, her eyes wide in anger. "You sound like an insecure b***h, good lord!"

Ryder stood back and watched with one arm folded over the other and a smile on his face. Of course, he was enjoying watching his girlfriend be a b***h to me but I wasn't surprised.

"No," I shook my head. "I care about you and I am the only one who's going to tell you the harsh truth you don't want to hear. So hate me if you want. But when you come crying to me, just remember I told you so."

I caught sight of Flynn. He was looking at me now, and honestly, I wasn't interested in talking to him again.

It was a mistake to come here in the first place or even associate with any of these people.

I glanced at Valerie who was now walking away with Ryder, a tight knot in my chest. I felt pity for her. Literal pity. She was walking into a disaster and she had no idea.

Gulping the rest of my cocktail and relishing in the burning sensation it left as it trailed down my throat, I took the steps down, past the bouncers before heading out of the club, the glass still in my hand.

Everywhere was too noisy for anyone to even notice what had gone wrong and I was grateful for that.

I could cover my face in shame and walk home. Monday was going to come and I would have to face my issues. But for now, all I wanted to do was go home and hide under my sheets.

Just as I got to the parking lot, I remembered I hadn't spoken to my mother in a while. Guilt nagged at the side of my chest as I thought of how she was probably grieving while I remained there, fighting emotional battles and feelings I shouldn't even have tried to understand.

My eyes brimmed with tears at the thought of my father and how I was never going to see his face and intense grief descended on me.

"I need to be strong for my mother." I muttered under my breath and slid my phone out.

She picked at the first ring.

"Hey, baby," Her voice came, tired and coarse. My eyes burned with more unshed tears.

"Hey, mum," I leaned against a metal pole. "I'm sorry I haven't called all week. I've been dealing with a lot."

"I understand. I have also been dealing with a lot and the reason I haven't called is because I needed a little bit of space to just..."

"I understand," I nodded after her voice faded off. "How are things going with you? How are you coping?"

"I think of him every day and how he should have died in a better way. I'll never forgive that bastard for what he did. I might not be able to exert revenge, but I hope the moon goddess curses him and his offspring."

Ryder immediately came to mind. Yes, may the moon goddess curse every of his offspring. I didn't care at this point. Both father and son were shitty people.

"Where are you? There's music in the background."

I looked around in panic. "I-uhm... There's music playing in the background."

"Music is nice for the soul," I heard the smile in her voice. "Not for me right now. Soft melodies bring me to tears. I don't want it."

"When can I visit, mum?" I asked in genuine concern. "I need to see you. I have missed you. And I missed my father's burial."

"Next week? The Argents would have returned to their cave by then. Make sure you stay in your room at all times. I am not ready to lose anyone else. Have a goodnight, honey."

As soon as the call ended, I frowned, looking down at my hand.

How stupid could I be to have entangled myself with the likes of Ryder and Flynn? They were all connected to every wrong thing happening in my life and somehow, I was still talking with them.

I didn't want that. Not anymore. I had a little bit of respect for myself and I shouldn't have let any of these cost me my friendship with Valerie.

Making up my mind to apologise to her tomorrow, I slung my purse over my shoulder and began to make my way towards the road.

I didn't realise I didn't order an Uber until I got to the main road.

I groaned in frustration, knowing fully well that I would have to wait more than thirty minutes to get an available one.

Well, it was worth the wait so long as I went home without anyone driving me home.

"Hey, beautiful lady," someone said from behind me. I didn't turn. "You've got a banging body. Do you, by any chance want to go home with me?"

Just as I turned to give him the nastiest glare ever, Flynn grabbed him by the neck, yanked him back and crashed him into the pole meters away from us.

I watched the drunken man writhe in pain as he muttered a string of curses under his breath.

"You shouldn't be out in the dark, all alone. It's dangerous."