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Chapter twelve
AVA
“How’syourfirstweek been?” Foster asks as we eat dinner.
“Great, thanks.”
“Have you got any plans for the evening?”
“Actually, I’m going to meet up with Cole from one of my classes. We’ve been studying together.” We’d been chatting this morning in class and agreed to do something later, although I’m not sure what yet. I’m just glad I’m not going to be sitting in my room all night. Stone comes in at that moment but doesn’t say anything as he takes his seat. How does he seem to take up so much space? He’s no bigger than Foster. They’re quite similar in build, but Stone seems to fill every inch of the room. I’m still mentally slapping myself for commenting on his eyes earlier. Not only did I seem like the biggest stalker—knowing the different shades of his eyes, come on—but he shot me right down, too. Idiot.
“Cole?” Foster brings me back to the conversation, and I murmur in agreement. “Wow, you sure can pick friends,” he adds. Stone scoffs, even though Foster’s tone is friendly, and I’m confused and annoyed at his response.
“I guess. We’re going out later.”
“Cole doesn’t go to parties,” Stone says, not that I specifically mentioned a party.
“Of course he does. You could all go as a group,” Foster suggests, and Stone’s frown deepens.
“I don’t think so,” Stone adds.
“That’s fine, we’ll meet you there.” I didn’t even know about a party two minutes ago, let alone want to go, and I haven’t checked with Cole, but the fact that Stone doesn’t want me there makes me want to go. It clearly satisfies Foster and keeps the illusion that his son is being anywhere close to pleasant, so I smile and head back upstairs. Stone catches up with me at the top.
“Don’t you dare,” he warns in a low voice, leaning into me. His closeness is affecting me more than I care to admit, so I take a deep breath, smile sweetly at him, and head into my room when confusion sweeps his face.
It takes exactly an hour to convince Cole to go to the party with me. Thankfully, he knows where it is, because I did not, and I can’t exactly ask Stone. He picks me up in a car that evening with a driver, fancy as shit for a Friday night, and he looks great. The all-black outfit of jeans, T-shirt, and jacket makes him look older and more sophisticated than the school uniform does. He’s definitely attractive, although not my type, and I wonder why he’s so solo at school.
Getting ready, I settle on a jade green satin minidress with a high neck and long bell sleeves. The body is ruched, and my skin pops against the deep colour. Strappy black heels elongate my legs and complete the ensemble. My hair is in a sleek ponytail with my bangs free around my face and a winged liner. I feel great, and I wish I was going somewhere more fun than an Oakview party just to prove a point. Maybe Cole will know somewhere we can go afterwards.
“How do you know about this party, then?” I ask him on the way over. “I’ve never seen you talk to anyone other than me.” He looks at me suspiciously out of the corner of his eye.
“Do you not know who I am?” My brow creases involuntarily. “Wow,” he continues. “That sounded awful, but there’s no real other way to ask. My surname is Wittenburg.” My mouth drops open. Of course I know who the Wittenburgs are: they’re one of the oldest, richest families in the whole area only rivalled by my father, and Foster in recent years.
“Wow. And I thought you were just a loner.” I chuckle in disbelief.
“Oh, I am, but out of choice. There’s not one genuine person in that whole school that I’d want to hang out with. Until you,” he confirms with a smile, and I tentatively smile back. Shit. Does he think this is more than a friendly party? I really like Cole, and I don’t want things to be awkward.
“Okay, so the wannabe loner and the hated new girl stroll into the party together. Not exactly anonymous like I wanted, but fuck them. They did this. They’re luring out my inner rich bitch, and they’re going to regret it.”
“Can’t wait.” Cole chuckles. He knows a little of how it was at Highland and my wish for a fresh start here, but look how well that’s going.
“You don’t mind getting involved for me?” I feel guilty about convincing him to come now that I know who he is and that he was actively staying out of the petty drama.
“No. Winding up the Elite sounds like fun to me.” He grins.
“The Elite?”
“The students that basically rule Oakview. There’s five of them, and I’m sure you can guess the five.” I can.
“I would’ve thought a Wittenburg would be up there with them?”
“It’s not exactly my thing. Although, it was getting pretty boring being the mysterious, quiet one,” he teases. Friendly teasing or flirty teasing? I need to set some boundaries.
“As a thank you,” I offer, “I’ll be your wingwoman. What’s your type?”
“Blond with a beard,” he says instantly. He looks at me warily, waiting for an answer.
“Done. I’ll keep my eye out.” I smile, relieved there’s no weird vibes between us. After all, I’m definitely not his type.
The party is so busy that we manage to pretty much sneak in. We grab beers from the fridge before finding a space to dance, and I actually enjoy myself. I feel a lot more comfortable now that I know Cole isn’t more into me than I am him, and we end up dancing together for ages, getting through a few drinks and dirty dancing to the songs that are getting racier and racier as the night gets later. I almost manage to get through the night and forget about the wankers around us, but no such luck. A hand grabs my shoulder and pulls me away from Cole.
“Eurgh, get your slimy hands off him,” Winnie screeches as if I’m attacking him. As if. Cole steps up to say something, but I put a hand on his arm. I can fight my own battles.
“Are they slimy?” I ask, imitating her fake voice. “Maybe it was the cum from my locker?”
“You’re disgusting,” she sneers.
“Seems like Cole likes disgusting.” I smirk as I step to the side, and he bands an arm around my waist. God, he’s a good friend. He doesn’t miss a beat.
“Dirty little slut,” she hisses before turning and stomping off. I feel like it should get a trademark after it at this point—no one seems to insult me without saying all three words. We carry on dancing, and with a challenging smug look from Cole as if to say let’s really give them something to talk about, we get closer. I really like him. He’s a guy after my own heart. Clearly his sexuality isn’t a known fact, or else Winnie wouldn’t be acting so jealous.
Cole’s eyes narrow suspiciously when he looks behind me, but I try and ignore it until I feel way too much breeze on my ass. I clasp my hand to my front just as my dress falls, only just keeping it to my chest, and my mouth pops open at the same time Cole’s does. She cut my fucking dress off me. What does that prove? She thinks I’ll run out of here like a coward? Fuck that. My eyes turn murderous before I stuff that feeling back down and eliminate all emotion from my face, dropping the dress and strutting over to the bar. Thank fuck I wore a bodysuit under this. It may be push-up and a thong, but I’m thankful for any coverage, however minimal, right now.
I grab a beer, trying to keep my hands from shaking. I’m so angry, but I don’t want it to look like fear when I can feel everyone’s eyes on me.
Cole follows me over and leans down to whisper, “Do you want to go?”
I laugh like he’s hilarious, and with a hand on my chest, I lock eyes with Winnie and Caitlin as I lean up to whisper in his ear.
“No, I’m fine.”
He stands upright again and shrugs his jacket off, which I accept before leisurely sipping on the beer again.
“Are you sure? Fuck them, we can leave,” Cole offers once I’m slightly more covered up. Well, my ass is, at least.
The room goes even quieter than it already was, and I turn from Cole to see Stone in the doorway. He looks around until his gaze lands on me, seeing that I’ve completely ignored his wishes. He storms over with murder in his eyes, and strangely, I have to try really hard not to rub my thighs together. He grabs my arm, and I feel the heat from his touch even through the jacket.
“I’ll be back, I guess,” I say to Cole with a smile so he knows I’m fine and doesn’t try to start a fight with Stone.
Stone leads me to a bathroom down the hall and slams the door shut behind us, pushing me against it with his hand wrapped around my throat in barely restrained fury. I don’t think he’s ever touched me this much, and the aggression is getting me insanely hot. He smells amazing.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he growls in my face.
“I was having a good time.”
“Why are you dressed like a slut?”
“Oh, but I am a dirty little slut, didn’t you hear?” He watches my lips as I speak, and when I bite my bottom one slightly, his eyes darken.
“Go home, Ava,” he says, deadly quiet, his mouth inches from mine.
“Get fucked, Stone.” His eyes flick up to mine, looking like molten silver.
“Is that an offer?” Before I can do anything ridiculous like kiss him, someone starts hammering on the door behind us. I nearly jump out of my skin, but Stone doesn’t react at all, his eyes still on mine.
“Fuck off,” he shouts.
“We need you,” comes the reply, but his eyes don’t leave mine. “Stone, seriously.”
He drops the hand from my throat and takes a huge step back from me, blinking as if he’s just woken from a trance. He opens the door when I step to the side, revealing Mason.
“What?”
“They’re here.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Stone runs a hand through his hair and looks down at me before gripping my arm and passing me over like I’m a fucking bag. “Get her home.”
“No way,” I sputter when I realise what’s happening. I’m not being escorted home when he decides, like some child. He glares down at me but I glare right back, wrenching my arm from Mason’s grip. “I can handle myself,” I say, before turning on my heels and walking back along the hallway to return to the main room.
“Ava,” Stone calls, but I don’t stop, finding Cole talking to Reid by the makeshift bar. Everyone else has gone to the pool area for something, but he’s still here.
“Hey, are you okay?” Cole asks when he spots me.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Ready to get out of here?”
“Yep.” He puts his beer down and slings an arm over my shoulders in a comforting gesture, which I appreciate. As Stone and Mason appear from the hallway, Stone’s gaze lands on where Cole’s arm is around me.
“Ava,” he growls.
“I’m going, fucking hell.”
