Walking out to catch the bus, I see them again. Every day and they’re starting to make me sick.
“Saskia…” my name is called loud enough that Ryken hears it, and turns to face me from his car. Livia is leaning on him as he watches me. I turn to look at Stiles, he seems nervous. His hands are sliding in and out of his pockets as he stares at me.
“Hey,” I offer in return.
“I know it’s late notice, but would you like to come to the football function with me? It’s basically a prom, but for everyone that plays and donates.”
Looking past him, Ryken has his arm around Livia’s neck. But his eyes still up here and on me. Looking away, I glance back to Stiles. “Sure. What do I wear, though?”
He instantly relaxes. “It’s floor-length gowns for the women.” He winces when he says it.
“It’s fine, I’ll have one.” I have money. The money from Ryken I haven’t used is sitting in my bank account, and now I’m going to use some of it.
“Can I pick you up tonight at six?” He pulls his cell from his pocket. Sending me a text, I feel it vibrate in my own pocket. “I just sent you the details in case you need to tell your parents.” He doesn’t know my mom is a loss, and my father is dead. I don’t correct him either. Stiles walks away, and I turn, walking back to the school until I find Robert. He’s waiting for me at the doors, leaning on one watching me.
“I feel you’re playing dangerously, Sass.”
“I need a lift into town. I want to buy a dress.”
He shakes his head, pulling his keys from his pocket. He doesn’t often drive, only when his dad is out of town is he allowed the car.
“What do you need a dress for?”
We walk outside, and they’re still in the same spot they were when I walked in. Trying to not look is hard, but I manage it. It doesn’t mean Robert does.
“He’s watching you.” Opening the car, I ignore him as I slide in. “She’ll notice soon. What are you going to say to her when she finds out you screwed her boyfriend, Sass?”
Am I a bad person?
“I don’t know.” I shake my head as he starts the car. I look into the side mirror to see them. My heart hurts when I do. “They weren’t a thing, I didn’t do it to hurt her. He was mine first.”
“He wasn’t.” Robert shakes his head at me.
“Okay, yeah, I should have told her when she asked. Maybe I could have avoided all this.”
“It will break you two apart. You should tell her now.”
I shake my head. “Nothing else will happen. So there’s no point. We’re done, Ryken and me.”
“If you keep telling yourself that you may believe it. But Ryken won’t.”
Robert doesn’t bring it up again, and he takes me to find a dress then smiles at me when he drops me off.
Tonight I have a date with Stiles.
I can be normal.
Or so I hope.
STILES WANTED MY ADDRESS, and I gave it to him. I’m standing outside, holding my dress up from the dirt as his car lights come into view and shine on me.
Will he think of me differently now he sees I’m not loaded like the others?
“Saskia…” he says my name as he gets out of the car and steps up closer to me. He’s dressed in a suit, and damn, does it look good on him. His blond hair is pushed back and styled. We look like we’re going to a ball. Hell, for all I know we probably are.
“You look great.”
My hands hold my dress up as I stand awkwardly in front of him. I’m afraid to get it dirty. It’s the most expensive item of clothing I’ve ever purchased in my life.
“No, you look exceptional. I’m honored to be by your side.” He doesn’t look behind me, he doesn’t even look at my trailer that I call a house. Stiles comes from money, I know he does by the car he’s driving. He steps forward, leans down and kisses my cheek. It’s sweet, but nothing happens.
Why doesn’t it happen with him?
My mind flicks back to being on all fours. I try to shake that memory out of my head straight away.
Ryken’s a thing of my past.
Not my future.
Stiles offers me his hand and opens the door for me. He doesn’t look to my trailer as if it’s an evil pit of hell. Even though I know it is, he just drives and makes pleasant conversation and certainly never mentions it.
Arriving, I see people from school and others I don’t recognize at all. Stiles holds my arm in his and introduces me to everyone he talks to, never once leaving me out.