Alexander"So, you signed us up for something unannounced and you're not even going to be present?" Sebastian asks, noticeably irritated, his eyes narrowing."I said there's a chance I won't be present." She shrugs nonchalantly. "I might just end up working the baked treats table. I'll decide if I want to by today after school.""Do you need help—" Nathaniel starts, but Via cuts him off sharply."Definitely not any help from you guys," she snaps, causing a small ping in my heart. "Christian, Kol, Aiden, and Ethan are going to make all the sweet treats with me.""You really don't want to be around us?" Maximilian asks her, his voice low.Via looks at Aston and shakes her head. "Honestly? No." She turns her gaze to Sebastian, then to me. "You all collectively constantly lied to me over and over again." She keeps her eyes fixed on me."Want to know something?" She asks us all. "Justin told me he loved me countless times. How many times have you told me those words?"Her words make me and
ViaI'd be surprised if she doesn't end up talking about her relationship with Lucas for a whole ass hour."Yeah, he found out that I'm technically engaged to someone and flipped out," she says, which causes me to do a double take.Oh shit, I forgot she's engaged."First of all, can you remind me how you are technically engaged to someone? And second of all, how did he find out?" I ask her as I close down my laptop.The bell is going to ring in less than five minutes, and I'm sure this conversation is going to take a while."Well, long story short, me and that guy that my dad wants me to marry are engaged since our parents really want us to get married. I really don't want to upset my dad, so I agreed. Nothing's being set into place till I say so. My dad gave me his word." She shrugs. "As for how Lucas found out, my sister told him."Yikes, so her sister is still the same bitch I met about a year ago."Oh." I give her a sympathetic smile. "At least you're single now." I shrug. "Someti
Via"You look like you want to shove one of these cupcakes into one of your eyes," I say, trying to get Aiden and Kyle to stop glaring at each other.They've been at this since this freaking holiday winter fest started. Are they ever going to get tired?Aiden looks from Stephanie's table to mine. "How were you friends with her?" he asks, completely ignoring my comment."Because we shared similar interests," I say, which causes Aiden to give me a "be for real" look. I sigh. "And because Elizabeth introduced us to each other.""Great, thanks for the honesty." He squeezes his fists at his sides. "So, I have to thank Mrs. Jessica Rabbit look-alike over there. Got it."I quickly look across the courtyard at Lily, who's currently hugging an unfamiliar guy.I then look back at Stephanie's table and see Lucas, who seems to have his undivided attention on her.Why did he look so pissed? Didn't he break up with her?Wasn't he mad at her for being in an arranged marriage and not telling him? As
ViaI roll my eyes. "Sooooo," I say, looking away from Kol and back at Aiden and Ethan.Ethan suddenly kisses Aiden's back one more time before he unwraps his hands from around Aiden and helps Kol with the tablecloths. "Well, that's actually something I've wanted to talk to you about." He lets out a nervous laugh. "Star has been asking if she can see you again, and things with my mom haven't been the best." He drifts off. "So, I was wondering if it would be cool if we asked your dad if we could crash at your dad's house for the holidays?"I nod. "I don't even know why you seemed so nervous. Like you said last time, my papa's an easy-going guy. I'm sure he'll say yes.""Really? Via, you're the best!" He pulls me into a hug. "I seriously don't know what I'd do without you or Ethan," he whispers more to himself than to me, so I pretend to ignore it."Baby, please let go of her," Ethan sighs. "I can feel her men shooting daggers at us from here," he says, causing me to roll my eyes."They
ViaAt this point, I still have zero clue what the fuck is going on, but I act fast when I see Justin, Kyle, and Lucas move to head straight for Stephanie and Elizabeth."Can you guys help out with the tables?" I say out loud as I hold up the keys Elizabeth handed me."Nah, we got it," Aiden says, which causes Lucas to quickly nod."Yeah. You see, you don't need us. They got it," Lucas says, tapping Justin and Kyle.Pretty sure that means for them to leave. Dammit, no.Even if I'm on rocky waters with Stephanie, the way they acted seemed off to me. If that wasn't a form of calling out for help, then I don't know what was.I don't know what's going on, and if they aren't comfortable telling me, then that's fine. But a girl has to have another girl's back."But there are six tables," I say quickly, motioning at them. "I need six people," I point out.In a matter of seconds, it seems as if Aiden, Kol, Ethan, Justin, Kyle, and Lucas immerse themselves in some kind of weird manly stare-dow
Alexander"Hey!" Via whines. "Those hurt and were completely unnecessary!" She huffs as she tries to shift so she can massage herself."Do that again and you'll earn two more," Sebastian states, causing her to gasp."You guys wouldn't," she says, leaving her left hand against her lower back."Try it and find out," Maximilian says, rubbing her ass a bit.In the process, her very short skirt rides up her ass, and we get a clear view of her Via-colored panties.I want to yank them off her, but I literally have to pull every muscle in my body together to resist.Maximilian looks at me, basically asking me for a "go-ahead," but I deny him and shake my head.That's not why we really tempted her into coming here.We want all of her. We want her heart, and we want to be in her mind as much as she's in ours. We want her, and we need to make things right with her. Then after all of that, then we'll move forward.Maximilian rolls his eyes at me and then squeezes Via's ass, making her yelp again.
ViaI head straight for the arts and crafts room. "So much walking," I mumble to myself as I finally reach the top of the second staircase.I rush to each of my boyfriend's classrooms but come up empty in each one.I sigh and just choose to go straight to the arts and crafts room at the end of the hall. Fortunately, when I get there, I see a bit of light coming from inside.I knock twice but get no response. "Jesus, I need my phone," I mumble to myself and instantly reach for the doorknob. "Please be unlocked. Please," I say as I twist the doorknob.As I twist the doorknob, I sigh in relief as I feel it turn all the way. "Yes!" I exclaim and enter the room.I look around the barely lit room and freeze as I see my boyfriends inside. Jesus, talk about an unexpected jump scare."I knocked on the door," I say, looking around the room."Yeah, we heard," Maximilian says as he continues to do what he was doing."You guys could've opened it," I snapped, a bit ruder than I had intended."Could
Via"You act like I wanted to be with her for Christ's sake!" Sebastian says, taking a step closer to me.We are far away from each other, and I have never been more thankful for the distance."You—" He cuts me off."You act like you knew what was running through my mind every second I was miles away from you." He pauses. "You hate me for not communicating with you that much while I was away, but you have no idea that I did it to keep myself sane." He pauses, and I feel my heartbeat quicken with every step he takes towards me. "I had to pretend you didn't exist for those few days because the more I thought about you, the more I wanted to come back home to you! But I couldn't until I dealt with my personal things first." I see his face falter. "I wanted nothing more than to rush here. I wanted nothing more than to be with you."His words make my insides stir. I now have the urge to cry, but I suck it all up."I don't hate you." My voice comes out shaky, and I have to shake my head. "Bu