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"Why do I always find you sitting outside alone?"
I turn my head, watching Ciro coming closer with two cups in his hand. I pick up some pieces of glass from the ground and throw it, letting it hit the metal in the center of the circle. "Why are you the one always finding me?"
He takes a seat and hands me a cup with something in it. "Don't worry. It's safe. You must be thirsty or hungry."
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pack of peanuts. I take them because I'm starving, and I don't think he would drug or hurt me.
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
He leans back on the seat next to me. "Do you question all your friends when they’re trying to hang out with you?"
"Who said we were friends? I thought Cross would have told you to stay away from me or whatever," I tease, popping a peanut in my mouth and squinting my eyes when I taste the saltiness." Too salty?”
He laughs, and then he turns serious. "Wait. Why are you calling him Cross?"
I swallow the salted peanut without chewing. "These are not allowed on the island. Way too salty. To answer your other question. He warned me not to take another man's jacket, and I'm not allowed to call him Kill. So I went with Cross."
I tilt the cup and take a sip. The fire spilling into my mouth causes me to spray it like a hose when I sputter. "What the hell is that?"
"Alcohol."
"Yuck! How do guys drink that stuff?"
He bellows in laughter. "You'll have to get used to it."Uh, no thanks."There are different kinds. I'm sure you would like the sweeter stuff." I raise my hand, spitting on the ground. "No thanks."
I've never had alcohol or anything that is deemed bad for you by the judges on the island.
"I'm sorry. I thought you could handle it." He takes a sip of his own cup, but his brown eyes are on mine. His blond hair sticks out in a big, hot mess.
Ciro's nose is small but slightly crooked, like it was broken at one point. He has a scar on the left side of his lip. It looks like Ciro has gotten into a lot of fights.
"You keep looking at me like that, princess, and I swear I'll take my chances with my best friend and let him kill me."
I shake my head and look away, embarrassed. "Why would he do that? He's kind of busy at the moment."
He slides a couple of peanuts in his mouth, and I hear him crunch them with his teeth as he studies me. "Busy how?"
I grab the cup and take a sip, holding my breath as I swallow the concoction. My eyes water as I feel the burning liquid slide down my throat. I swear I can feel it causing a fire in my stomach. When I finish chugging whatever the hell he gave me, I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.
I take a deep breath and glance at Ciro's playful smirk. "What?"
"Nice try. How is he busy, Lillith?"
He’s not going to drop it. I was hoping me chugging the alcohol would change the subject.
"I left him with Blair. She seems to know what he needs. She said I should go hang out with the other girls at the big party you guys have going on. She and Cross would catch up with me later."
He gets up from the chair. "What did he say?"
"Nothing. It's not like I can tell if he’s happy or sad since I can't see his face."
He sticks his hand out. "Come on." I look at his hand like it's a bomb about to detonate. A wave of dizziness hits me, and I think it's the alcohol. I must have drunk it too fast. I tilt my head, looking at his playful expression.
"Come with me. Let's go have fun."
"What do you really want, Blair?"
She tries to walk around me, but I block her path. She places her hands on my chest. Before, I would have welcomed her touch, but now, I feel confused.
