“No.”
“Oh come on!”
“I said no.”
“Pretty please?”
“She said no.”
I glared at Evan. “Shut up!”
Zivah rolled her eyes. “It’s too fast.”
I scoffed. “No, it’s not. It’s been almost a year.”
“You can’t count the four months you two didn’t date.”
I threw my head back in frustration. “Zivah, I really want to live with him.” I sighed. “I love him.”
“And I love you but I am not asking you to live with me. Am I?” Evan shouted.
I frowned at him. “Why are you even here?”
“Because I was bored.”
I gritted my teeth. “I am going to tell Athena that you want to live with me.”
Evan’s jaw fell as he blinked at me. I smirked at him. Taking a deep breath he smiled at Zivah. “They love each other. What are you doing? Let them live together. Let them get married.”
Zivah gave Evan a flat look. “You are such a traitor.”
Evan shrugged a shoulder. “I am more scared of Athena than I am of you.”
Zivah gave me a disgusted look and turned to me. “Myra, living together isn’t a joke. It’s a whole new level. Are you sure you want that?”
I smiled softly. “I know you are worried that it’s moving too fast. But I know what I am doing. And with Ray out of prison, we both think I would be safer living with him. You know that I would never rush into anything I wasn’t sure of.”
“Yeah, she takes three days to decide her favorite flavor of ice cream.” Evan piped in.
“Hey! Vanilla is too plain, chocolate is too chocolaty. That is a serious decision to make.”
Evan nodded in a mocking manner. “Uh-huh sure, it is.”
I ignored him. “Ziv, I want to live with him. I have never been in a serious relationship and yes, I am scared. But I want to take this step. I trust him. He makes me happy.”
Zivah stared at me analyzing my pouting expression and blinking eyes. She sighed. “Fine you can live with him but if he hurts you, I refuse to take you back.”
I let out a breathy laugh, pulling her in for a hug. “I know you will take me back.”
Zivah pushed me away. “No, I will not. I will say I told you so.”
I smiled at her. “I love you. You are the sister I never had.”
I could feel Zivah’s fake wall crumbling down. She finally hugged me back. “I love you too. You are the pet dog I never had.”
I didn’t care to slap her back at that.
“Group hug!” Evan shouted and came running at us, hugging us and making all of us stumble and fall under his enormous weight.
“Ow!” I screamed as my feet entangled and my hip hit the floor.
“What the hell Evan.” Zivah shouted.
“Oops!” Evan muttered, trying to get up.
“You are such a fool.” I muttered as I rubbed my back, slowly getting up.
“But you love me.” Evan cheekily pointed out.
I sent him a flat smile. “No, not really.”
“Definitely not.” Zivah snapped, pressing her ankle. “Don’t you have to study or something?”
Evan shuddered. “I keep thinking Ray would come after me.”
I scowled at Evan. “Why would he come after you?”
Evan pointed at his body. “Have you seen this? I am pretty sure I am the best option to take revenge on.”
I pressed my fingers to my forehead. “I am pretty sure he doesn’t even know who you are.”
Evan snorted out a laugh. “Doesn’t know me? Everyone knows me.”
“And now you sound just like Diana.”
“Eww.” Evan shuddered.
I scorned a smile. “Exactly.”
“So do you think you’ll have sex once you two live together?”
I glowered at Evan, despite the anger I felt heat creep up my cheeks. “Shut up!” I hissed.
“I mean hasn’t it been toooo long.” Evan taunted, winking at me.
“We are waiting for the right time.”
“And when’s that? 2030?”
“I am not going to discuss my sex life with you.” I barked.
“You mean your non-existent sex life?” this time it was Zivah who spoke.
I stared in shock at the two cackling idiots. “I cannot believe you two are ganging up on me.”
They both shrugged and hi-fied each other. “We are best friends now.” Evan spoke.
“You wouldn’t even be just friends if it wasn’t for me.” I pointed out, glaring at the close proximity they were in.
They were my friends first. Stay loyal!
Zivah didn’t even retort. She just smiled at Evan, making me angrier. I glared at them. “Fine, I’ll be best friends with Athena then.”
The belly laughter I got from both of them was not appreciated. They were both clutching their stomachs as they laughed and gasped for air. As if just the thought of me and Athena being best friends was hilarious and the funniest thing ever.
I hissed out some curse words. “I’ll just call her then.”
I dialed Athena’s number ignoring their loud laughter.
She didn’t pick up the call.
I tried again.
No answer.
I frowned. “Evan, do you know where Athena is?”
Evan coughed, tired from all the laughing. “You are the best friend. Shouldn’t you know where she is?”
I fought the urge to throw something, preferably a glass filled with brick, at his huge head. “She’s not picking up the call.”
Evan instantly sobered up. “What?”
I showed him the calls I was making to Athena. “She’s not picking up.”
Evan took out his phone and dialed her number.
No answer.
“Maybe she’s working. “Zivah suggested.
“It’s her day off today.”
Zivah frowned at him. “Then why the hell are you here annoying us? Go annoy your girlfriend.”
Evan flinched. “That’s not how you talk to your best friend.”
Zivah rolled her eyes and waved him off.
“She has a point.” I noted.
Evan sighed. “She said she had to go meet a friend and that she would be super busy today. Also, we haven’t really met or talked that much in the past two weeks.”
I stared at my phone screen. “Maybe she’s with that friend now.”
“Does she even have friends?” Zivah prompted.
Both Evan and I shrugged. “Well, she could have some.” I quietly said, barely believing my own words.
Was there anything we really knew about that woman?
Evan nodded too. “Yeah I mean, everyone must have at least one friend right?” his tone was definitely not persuasive.
Zivah noticed our worried faces and nodded. “Yes of course she must have a friend. It’s impossible to live completely alone in this city.”
I nodded, swallowing hard. Trying to curb the worry.
“Maybe she’s meeting her old roommate.” Evan suggested.
“You mean the one who had robbed her and ran away? The one Athena swore would hunt down and kill?” I raised an eyebrow.
Evan sighed, remembering that horror story. “Yeah, not her. Um, maybe she’s meeting someone from her hometown.”
“That would be her useless step-father and unloving mother.”
Evan licked his lower lips, sending me an icy glare. “You are not helping.”
I raised my hands in surrender. “You are right. I am sorry. She is definitely meeting a friend.”
“Who is not Ray Parker.” Zivah piped in.
Our heads snapped to glower at her. “Why would you even say that?”
“You jinxed it.” Evan screeched pointing at a frightened Zivah.
Zivah stepped back. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
I took a deep breath. “Athena is safe. She sure is.” I said, mostly trying to calm down myself.
Evan nodded too, sitting down on the couch. “Yes, she is strong. She is probably just sleeping.”
Zivah breathed out, leaning on the chair. “Yes, she is definitely not kidnapped.”
Evan stood up in a second while I almost screamed. “What are you doing?”
“Seriously what and why!” Evan exclaimed.
Zivah backed away again, her eyes wide in shock and fright. “I don’t know, I am sorry. My mouth just won’t listen. I promise I’ll keep quiet now.”
“Please!” Evan begged.
I looked away, burying my face into my palms.
There was a chilling silence and we could almost hear each other’s thoughts for there were similar thoughts running – what if Athena was kidnapped? Or even worse – what if the friend Athena was meeting is Ray Parker?
Both of these scenarios were equally petrifying and deadly.
Just then the door opened and all three heads snapped up to stare at the person.
“Athena.” Unconsciously our mouths whispered.
“Well, the plastic surgery clearly worked.” Our shoulders slumped as Alex Bianchi came in, looking curiously at our disappointed faces.
“What’s up?” he muttered as I went towards him pulling him in for a hug.
I sniffed his familiar scent and buried my face in his warming body heat. “Nothing.” I replied not wanting to worry him with our ridiculous thoughts.
Alex rubbed my back soothingly and then pulled away.
I stared at his stoic expression.
It made me frown. “What’s up?”
Alex sighed and it was only then that I noticed the worry lines on his foreheads and the stress under his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I questioned again, now a little worried about everything.
Alex closed his eyes and breathed out. I could feel the despair coming out in huge waves out of him.
He opened his eyes, his eyes hardening a little. “I- uh -we- we have been hacked again.”
My jaw dropped and for a second so did my breathing. I moved my lips but no words came out. I continued to stare at the dismal expression on Alex’s face. After a few seconds, I finally managed to whisper. “What?”
Alex didn’t look away. He was standing stiff. He stared right into my eyes just as he spoke the words that broke my heart.
“I think we should break up.”
And just like that every ounce of happiness I had ever felt washed away, drowned in the appalling waves that Alex drenched me in.
Ray Parker had officially succeeded in messing up my life.
~~