Prey

Chapter 34

Xander's POV:

My jealousy-ridden anger had simmered down during my walk back to my room.

And by simmered down, I mean it just shifted into more of the stress that'd I'd been feeling since this morning.

Which caused my mind to wander searching for a fool-proof plan that would also keep the lie that I told Layla.

Okay, current plan:

1. Find her a new pet tomorrow, while somehow getting at across that I'm not... in the right place to be getting another one to share so soon.

Eventually... but not yet.

Of course, I wouldn't mean it, but she gets upset when I tell her no, so 'later' will have to do until I figure something else out.

2. Ask her to the ball...

Ok, right, easy enough.

3. Get her to say yes.

Anything for her to say yes.

I had to be close to getting her to be mine... I had to.

All this effort for so little in return.

So much sacrifice for no result.

I had to get her to be mine... so all of this didn't happen in vain

So I didn't completely ruin how my brother saw me for nothing.

And Doe...

That hard ache in my chest returned the second her name entered my thoughts.

A reaction that's become quite common lately.

4. ...I'll figure that out later.

I paused in front of my door, just staring at it.

No... this will be fine. Yeah. Everything will be fine, everything will work out how it's supposed to.

My shoulders sagged, refusing to acknowledge my attempt at hyping myself up.

I hardly believed it either, but this was the consequences of my actions all piling up.

It was my own undoing, and I was just going to have to deal with that.

I masked my pitiful sigh while unlocking and opening the door, keeping my body turned towards it as I entered and closed it.

Only to nearly jump out of my skin the moment something was pushed towards my face the second I turned.

"Try this," Doe spoke with a stern voice and a very determined look.

"What?" I spoke through my initial surprise, eyeing what she was showing me.

A relieving sort of amusement ran through me as I did.

What looked like a milkshake of sorts being held in a glass jar being held by both of her hands.

It looked to still be mostly full with whipped cream topped with chocolate shavings still sitting on top.

As well as a chocolate drizzle all around the sides.

"Try. This." She said again, "I didn't know what I wanted for dessert, so I told them to just surprise me. There's a flavor in there that I really like but don't know what it is so I need you to figure it out for me. I got the chocolate fudge and the peanut butter, but there's something else."

I caught myself smiling as she pushed it towards me once more, catching the anticipation in her eyes as I took it from her.

Once I had it, I could tell that it had melted a bit.