Between Love and Hate

You Two

*Kane's POV*

When Lucas walks out of earshot, I look back towards Violet and ask, "Are you trying to kill me with that shirt?

"Maybe," she replies with a smirk.

"So devious," I reply and fight back a smile. Before she can reply, Lucas walks back in with my drink and says, "You know, you are allowed to sit on the furniture."

I roll my eyes but take a seat on the armchair closest to where Violet is sitting on the couch. I can't help myself. Just then, we hear another knock on the door and Lucas says, "That's going to get annoying. I should put a sign out or something," before getting up and walking to the door.

He comes back to the living room with Mark in tow and Violet smiles and stands up to hug him.

"Hi! It's so nice to see you again!" She says and I bite back the flare of jealousy. My logical brain reminds me he's gay and I calm myself down.

"It's nice to see you too! Are we going to get some more dancing in tonight?" He asks her.

"Maybe, after I've had a few more drinks," she tells him and then returns to her spot on the couch.

We drink and chat, well mostly Mark and Lucas chat, until people start filtering in. By the time 10pm rolls around, the house is pretty packed. Violet mostly sticks close to me and I don't miss her eye roll when the girl from last time whose name I can't remember for the life of me comes over and places a hand on my chest.

"Kane, I'm so glad you're here!" She says. I remove her hand and reply, "The feeling is not mutual." She looks a bit hurt but hides it well. I'm sure this girl doesn't even know what her real personality is because she's been faking everything for so long.

She keeps the smile plastered on her face and she looks over at Violet and says, "Hi Violet. It's so nice to see you again."

I look to find Violet's face in a smile that's almost as fake as the other girl's and I hold back a chuckle. To anyone else, it looks like she's being polite, but I can tell she's mocking her. "Hi Cara. So nice to see you too."

I see her shift, looking a little uncomfortable and then says, "Okay, well I'm going to get a drink. Save me a dance later 'kay," she says and then bounces away before I can tell her it's not going to happen.

"I don't like her," Violet tells me.

"Are you jealous darling?" I say quiet enough that only she hears.

She shoots me an indignant look and says, "No, of course not."

"Mhm, okay."

She looks down to her cup and says, "Looks like I need a refill." She starts to head towards the kitchen and I follow her. We both fill up our cups and she suggests we take a shot, so we do and just as we're setting the cups down, I hear a gasp and Lucas says, "You did shots without me on my birthday! How dare you!"

Violet giggles and the sound makes my heart warm. "Sorry! I didn't know the rule. I will be sure to find you every time from now on. We'll start right now," she says and pours liquor into 4 cups and hands them out. We all knock back the shots and then Mark says, "You know who would make a really hot couple?"

"Who?" Violet asks and then takes a sip out of her drink.

"You two," Mark says pointing to us. As he says this Violet chokes on her drink and almost spits it back in her cup but she puts her hand over her mouth just in time. I struggle to keep my face neutral. What the fuck am I supposed to say here? I shoot Violet a panicked look and her eyes dart quickly to mine before she looks back at Mark and says, "No, that would be weird," she lies (not very well, I might add).

"Why? You're not actually related. I don't even think that would make it onto the Manhattan scale for fucked up relationships."

"But still. We don't see each other...like...that," Violet says, wincing a little and avoiding eye contact with him. She's such a bad liar. She did so well yesterday though. Maybe it's the alcohol.

"Fine, but when you finally realize it and inevitably get together, I'm taking the credit. Now let's go dance!" He says and then grabs Violet's hand and starts dragging her away. She looks back at me with a confused expression and I'm sure mine matches because what the fuck was that?

I compose myself before walking in the direction they led Violet and find her in the middle of the makeshift dance floor that used to be the living room and she's sandwiched in between Mark and Lucas. I decide to go outside for a smoke.

I head into the backyard and find more people out here playing various games. I lean up against the house and light up my cigarette. It's way harder than I thought it would be to be here with Violet but not really be with her. Although it is definitely preferable to still being in Cambridge and worrying about her the whole time.

Once I finish my cigarette, I head back in time to see the creep from last time we were here, Mitch I believe, making his way towards Violet and I see red. He reaches her before I can do anything and I watch as he leans in to talk to her and she replies something before he places a hand on her shoulder. She leans away from it and Mark puts a hand on his chest and glares at him before saying something and then Mitch walks away.

I watch his trajectory through the crowd and walk in his direction. I move directly in his walk path and I look at him with rage coursing through my veins.

"Stay the fuck away from her. I swear if you touch her, I will kill you."

I see the fear flash in his eyes and he replies, "Okay, okay, calm down, I'll stay away."

I narrow my eyes at him and then head back to the kitchen to get another drink. Spineless prick.