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“There’s a cocktail party tonight hosted by the sorority houses. You need to be ready by seven. Wear the simple black number with those crossed-laced heels I like.”
Frustrated, I glared at Abel. “What in the hell, Abel? You couldn’t have told me this before?”
Abel lifted his head from his phone and appeared confused. The boy had no idea why I was upset this time. It was getting to be a pattern.
“You didn’t think I might have plans.”
“Why would you have plans? Your plans are with me.”
Fuming, I stomped out of the room and into the kitchenette, grabbed a water bottle, and sat on one of the bar stools.
“What did I do?” Abel charged after me, annoyance in his tone.
Taking off the top of the bottle, I took a long drink then shook my head. “You’re being an inconsiderate as—like usual.”
Abel’s tongue rolled around in his mouth as he glared before he propped his hands on his waist. “What? Your plans always revolve around mine. What makes this time so different?”
It took me some time to calm down, then I stood and faced Abel. “What’s different? I’m your girlfriend, Abel, and not some pledge. I get you have goals, and I don’t mind being a part of making them happen. I want to help you achieve them, but I want a little more consideration on your part.”
“Consideration?”
“Yeah, like tonight, for example. Let me know what’s happening and not a few hours before an event like this. I could’ve planned my day better. I have to study and have homework, and now when will I have the time to do it?”
Abel scowled, but I didn’t try to appease him. I told myself things would be different, and this was me making things different.
“Fine. I will make sure for my assistant to get with your assistant and guarantee you’re free from now on.”
“Damnit, Abel.” I fisted my hands and gripped them tight at the side of my body. “You’re just being an ass. All I’m asking for is a little heads-up so I can plan accordingly. I need to work hard in school. Lately, I’ve been slipping. It’s not your fault. It’s mine, but my education is important to me. I need to succeed at it.”
The tension in the room slowly started disintegrating as Abel eased some and ran his hand through his hair. I stayed firm, shaking inside because I wasn’t known for standing my ground. Confrontation was brutal for me. My mom made it so, but I had to set boundaries with Abel and his need for control. This was a significant boundary I had to enforce before it became too far out of control, and there wasn’t any going back.
“You’re right,” Abel said with gritted teeth.
A large dose of air got sucked into my lungs, and I took a double take. Those two words I’d never expected to come out of his mouth. Without thinking, I sputtered, “What?”
“Don’t mess with me, Chantilla. I won’t repeat it, but your education is important. It works better for my plans if you have a college degree. I’ll make sure to inform you of important engagements beforehand from now on.”
Annoyed but knowing I got further than I had hoped in a short amount of time, I ignored how my education played into his plans. The fact that he conceded to be more considerate of my time made me happy. I didn’t mind holding back the following argument because I won this round and accepted it happily.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Abel kissed my forehead and ran his hand along my arm, tangling his fingers with mine. “I have some things to take care of at the frat house, and then I need to get ready. It’s an elegant dress code so please wear the dress I asked you to, and I’ll pick you up here in three hours.”
A petty side of me wanted to remind him he didn’t ask me to wear a particular dress, he told me, but I flew high on my initial win. I wouldn’t push it. Plus, I would’ve picked the black cocktail dress anyway. “I’ll be ready.”
Abel smiled and kissed me on the lips. “See you soon, baby.”
As he left my dorm, I grabbed my phone, set an alarm for an hour, and grabbed one of my textbooks. I’d get some reading in before I got ready. Two hours had to be enough time to dress for a cocktail party. Right?
* * *
Abel escorted me around the catered cocktail party, and I was a little surprised by how elaborate the set-up was for a sorority party, but these were upper echelon-rich kids.
The campus ballroom, used for every major networking event this school provided, was decorated elegantly. Men wore five-piece suits and all the women were dressed to the nines in cocktail dresses and dripping with jewels.
The waitstaff was plenty, and champagne and sparkling ciders were never too far from reach as a string quartet played softly in the background.
As Abel guided me around the room on his arm, he placed the whisper of a kiss on my neck and murmured in my ear. “You look ravishing.” My belly clenched as I remembered his slow, appreciated gaze as he eyed me when he walked into my dorm and I came out of the bedroom. His pupils dilated and I loved how he had no qualms showing and telling me how attracted he was to me. Something I never had before, but because of him, I quickly became accustomed to it.
