Page 34 of Stay Toxic

Stranger: Please please please shoot me? It would be a mercy killing really.

Me: You know, you actually make me think of him. You’re both snarky asses.

Stranger: All right. I’m gonna state the obvious here, but why don’t you just ask what’s going on?

Me: Ask who? What?

Stranger: Him, her, someone. Ask if they’re dating, or fucking, or whatever. They’ll tell you if you’re encroaching on taken territory. Which, to be fair, seems unlikely. To me, it sounds like they’re just your typical fuck buddies.

Me: Yeah well, maybe I don’t want to be in the middle of fuck buddies either.

Stranger: Who said you would be? Sounds to me like you’re running away before you could find out, little coward.

I start to typeI’m not a—but I stop myself halfway through, really analyzing my behavior.

My stranger-mentor might have a point. I didn’t ask Ari about their relationship. I don’t want to find out.

Because I suspect the answer is no. And if it is, then I guess there’s no reason why he can’t flirt with me. No reason why I can’t act on my desire to find out what his lips feel like.

Ugh. I totally am a coward, aren’t I?

The question is why?

Thankfully, I’m saved from answering, because Ari comes back from the bathroom, gorgeous in her red gown.

“I can’t wear this,” I repeat, staring at my reflection in the mirror. “It’s just too…”

I can’t find my words.

I’m wearing one of Ari’s two dresses; the blue one. The other one would make me look like an actual hooker. It’s really fine on Ari, who’s tiny and dainty, with small, toned curves, but with my softer padding it would have been a different story.

This one isn’t obscene as such, but I’ve never worn anything this revealing in all my life. I turn and look over my shoulder, which is completely bare, like my entire back, down to my tailbone. The full mesh skirt reaches my mid-thighs. Most girls wouldn’t think about it twice, but I’ve never worn anything shorter than knee-length.

How sad is that?

“Too hot?” Ari finishes. “I agree. You’re so sexy it should be illegal.”

I roll my eyes. She's right, though.There's a sort of boning worked into the velvety front of the dress, managing to support my boobs by some miracle, which is great as the backless cut leaves no room for a bra. It's a little tight around the chest, compared to the kind of fit I usually wear, and there's no hiding my curves in this. Conservative as it is compared to her red little number, I've never worn anything so revealing and grown-up and sexy.

Mother wouldhatethis.

Somehow, that makes me smile.

“Love the new clothes, by the way. You should tell me where you got those jeans.” She gets started on stripping her wardrobe of my new purchases, holding up the pair of blue-gray jeans I just got this afternoon.

“Oh, that. Just some discount store in town. They were ridiculously affordable.”

I bought one pair of jeans and a few tops; nothing extravagant, but my mother wouldn’t have approved of them either, though I'm guessing the dress would be far worse for her blood pressure.

“Then you definitely have to take me there. Affordable is necessary.”

I frown, glancing back to her dress, and looking down at mine. Both look like they were found at designer stores.

As if reading my mind, Ari says, "I didn't buy those. Well, not with my own money, anyway."

"Ah. Sebastian?" I guess, trying not to grit my teeth.

I hate the idea of him taking her shopping, which is ridiculous. He's hers, not mine; of course he'd buy her pretty dresses to go to galas thrown by his mother.