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Scarlette
The rest of the week flew by without any more incidents.
Ason and I didn’t have any more tutoring sessions until next week. It was Friday and Macy wanted me to go to another party with her. After my last experience, I wasn’t ready to show my face at any more parties. I decided to instead spend the weekend alone. My parents were gone again. My dad had a business conference in Destin, Florida, so my mom went with him.
Of course, they left me home alone with a credit card to spend on food and necessities. Part of me wished they would have taken me with them, but I knew that was just wishful thinking.
Stepping into Dodd’s Bakery, I took in the sweet scent of freshly baked muffins and cakes. While the bakery was located at the riverfront walkway, a good few miles away from my house, it was my favorite and I knew eating sweets all weekend would make me feel better.
My phone pinged in my pocket as I walked up to the counter.
Macy: Are you home?
Me: No.
Macy: Are you going to Sarah’s party with me?
I had already declined her offer, but Macy thought that she could persuade me to go anyway.
I saw the little bubbles dancing across the screen and I almost laughed while I waited in line to order. The glass case displayed rows of scrumptious of homemade cookies, muffins, and other pastries that had my mouth watering with just a glance.
Macy: Come on, Scarlette. I promise I won’t let you drink this time. Besides, what are you doing anyway?
Me: I’m out and I have plans tonight.
I tucked my phone back into my blazer pocket. I was still wearing my school uniform and hadn’t bothered to go home and change after school. I didn’t need to try and explain to Macy what my plans were. She didn’t need to know that my real plans were to lay around all weekend watching old movies on Netflix while stuffing my face with sweets. I knew how much of a loser I sounded like, but I didn’t care. The thought of running into Ason again had me wanting to hide out all weekend. And, that was exactly what I planned on doing.
Once it was my turn to order, I purchased a large box of assorted treats. Turning to leave, I walked back outside and allowed the glowing sun and slight wind from the water to greet me. Walking along the river walk was calming. There were so many fantastic restaurants, boutique shops, and bakeries that people loved to visit. Down further was the old River Front Casino where my father visited every so often when he was entertaining clients that came to town.
Since I didn’t have anywhere to be, I decided to enjoy the stroll along the sidewalk. The water splashed along the bank and the soft melody of an acoustic guitar sang in the air as a man strummed along on a bench. I was busy watching him play and not paying attention to where I was going. Suddenly, felt my body colliding with a large, strong frame.
“I’m so sorry,” I rushed out an apology, as I dared to look up.
My eyes locked with Ason’s and a gasp slipped past my lips. I had spent all week trying to avoid him and I run into him here!
“Thought you were trying to avoid me,” he stated. It sounded more like an accusation, rather than an observation.
His blue eyes were piercing through me as he ran a hand roughly through his dark hair. Like me, he still wore his school uniform, but on him, it looked amazing.
Gazing up at him, I held tightly to the pink box that held my treats—I mean, my weekend plans. Nerves consumed me and I wasn’t sure how to react to him. He wasn’t wrong; I had been avoiding him and that was exactly why I didn’t go to the party with Macy.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted out.
Chuckling, Ason looked away for a second before turning back to face me again. “I thought this was a public place,” he responded. The smirk playing on his lips did things to me that it shouldn’t.
“It is, I just assumed that you would...” my words were cut off.
“What? That I would be partying and getting drunk and high? You think that I go around wreaking havoc and killing people?” he shouted, his nostrils flaring as his words sliced through me.
White hot tears blinded me as hurt tore through me like a raging tornado. Once again, I had let Ason Antoni, a guy who I barely knew, cause me pain and embarrassment. My hands shook and I dropped the box filled with the treats I had just purchased. I hadn’t accused him of anything and it seemed like he was taking his own guilt and insecurities out on me.
“If you had let me talk and not cut me off, you would have heard me say that I just assumed that you would be out with friends—and not alone. But since you love to torture me, I see that is what you are really doing here,” I cried, shoving past him as I began to race down the sidewalk.
My SUV was parked a few blocks away and I ran as fast as I could, praying I could get there before I lost all sanity. I hated Ason Antoni with all of my being. He was cocky, arrogant, and cruel. I was nothing more to him than a peasant that he could ridicule and hurt just because he could. People shouted for me to slow down as I sprinted forward. I didn’t bother to listen to anyone. I had to get to my car and the hell away from this place. What had become a great start to my weekend, had just turned into hell.
Finding my SUV, I sed through downtown Savannah and back to my secluded subdivision. Passing through the gates that separated my neighborhood from the rest of Savannah, I drove to my house. Passing by perfectly manicured lawns and houses that resembled castles, I sped like I was in the Indy 500. Once I was safely back in my house, I wiped the tears away and fell onto the large, white sofa in our family room.
Family room, that was hilarious. This room was cold and stuffy and never housed a real family. I felt resentment bubbling up inside of me as I thought about how lonely I was. My parents, who I knew deep down loved me, also neglected me. They bought me presents as a way to show love, but what I really wanted was their time and affection. Though, I would never say that to them aloud.
