The Class Reject: A Martyr in Maelstrom (Book III)

32 | sometime before highschool

"You made the wrong decision," he said, brushing a hand through her braids. She knew it was Parker, but in the haze of whatever dream (Or nightmare. This was probably a nightmare) this was, she couldn't make him out. He was literally a shadow of doubt. "I thought you were above Penelope's persuasion tactics."

Miren pouted, turning toward a priceless picture in the hallway that looked like it was finger-painted by a three-year-old. It had been Penelope's 14th Birthday Bash. She was supposed to be having fun. What, with some Taylor Swift-type singer giving a private performance in the beachfront backyard of Van Helsing's Hampton estate, the world-class confections (Have you ever had liquid nitrogen churned ice-cream? She hadn't either), and literally a million of Pen's closest friends, Miren had had no idea why Penelope whined constantly that her parents hated her. Miren scoffed.

If this was hatred, Penelope's parents would go bankrupt if they loved her.

"But I did," Miren  finally said after a while, shaking her head. "Penelope told me to be bold." The male next to her chuckled. It was an attractive look, but it was also an annoying one.

"And what did I tell you about listening to Penelope?"

Miren sighed, offering her gaze this time to the window, where she could see Penelope dancing with Artemis in the backyard. The birthday girl looked a bit flustered, like a bashful boy finally getting to dance with the girl he had a crush on. Miren closed her eyes, feeling a ping of jealousy. She could be having fun too. Instead, she was doing something reckless and stupid. And although reckless and stupid things tended to be fun, this certainly wasn't.

However, when Miren noticed Penelope look around the outdoor space (presumably for her) whatever feelings of envy evaporated, and guilt sat like a rock in the bottom of her stomach. After all, she had roped Penelope along, hadn't she? Merely humored their friendship when Penelope considered her as a sister. 

She bit her lip. You weren't supposed to just tolerate your best friend. Then again, it was a bigger conflict of interest to tell the daughter of the rich family that took you off the streets like Annie, that you didn't like her like that. Not when you liked someone else. 

At least, she thought she did. 

Damn it! She couldn't explain her feelings—or Penelope's, but she knew that they were both painfully misdirected. Her mind scrambled even further when his hands rubbed her shoulders from behind; his lips so close to her ear that she could feel his breath. It tickled.

"It's not too late," he told her, brushing her hair from her neck. His hands made her skin hot, but she didn't reject the gesture. "But it will be. The party's almost over." Something told her he wasn't talking about the backyard birthday bash.

"I know."

"Alright." He kissed her neck, hesitating for a moment as he fought the urge to meet her lips. But it would have been wrong. They couldn't be together. Not now. But they could be—in the future. His eyes hardened as he withdrew from her. "Don't make the wrong decision. Again."

When she watched him literally fade from sight, she saw another face down the corner. Miren blinked at her with shocked eyes. 

The Chaos Queen had only grinned.