Playing Perfect

21. Bagarre

21. Bagarre

Fight

"You haven't been answering my texts."

Theo stepped closer and Alice felt her heart rate increase and her stomach lurch.

He wasn't dressed formally like her guests. He wore a hoodie that was tugged up over his face and a pair of baggy jeans. Alice wondered how long he'd been waiting out here for her.

Or maybe he'd had plans to sneak in and crash the party, though she was sure her parents probably invited him. After all, the invitations had been sent out weeks before even the Debutante.

At the thought of the Debutante, an image of Theo's hands around Emily's waist ripped through her mind and she resisted the urge to gag. She tore her eyes away from him, shaking her head and biting back the tears that threatened to form. She hadn't spoken to him since.

She couldn't break down. Not now. Not here. Theo settled her with a look that was somewhere between a smoulder and a pout. She sucked in a breath, straightening her back and clenching her fists so tightly that her manicured nails dug into flesh.

"I don't want to talk, Theodore," she managed, though her voice came out less certain than she'd intended.

"Oh, come on, Alice." He stepped closer and she was tempted to scream at him, to tell him to stay as far from her as possible. "Don't use that voice with me."

"That voice?" Alice spat, bewildered. She paused, trying to recollect herself. She wasn't going to let him rile her up, not on her birthday. He had no power over her, and she needed to remind him of that. She settled her face into a nonchalant expression, as if his words had no effect on her. "Theo, you kissed my best friend."

"So? We weren't dating anyway," he shot back, his eyes narrowing and his frown disappearing. His lips pressed into a thin line at the accusation.

Her eyes grew wide, and her voice became pointed, almost exasperated. "Theo, we literally started dating, like, half an hour before that!"

He shifted uncomfortably. "And?"

"And..." she grew quiet, hating the memory of that day. She had been so excited when he'd asked to be her boyfriend. It turned out to be one-sided. She frowned. "It meant a lot to me."

"So, don't ruin it for this." Theo's voice softened, and he stepped towards her, reaching his arms out as if she'd fall into his embrace and all would be forgiven. She scoffed. "Come on, Alice"

"You're the one who ruined it." Alice shook her head. She sent him a hard glare, swallowing thickly. "Don't talk to me again."

He rolled his eyes, sighing loudly, and Alice decided she'd had enough. She pushed past him, beelining for the house, but his voice echoed out behind her as she walked.

"Come on, Alice!" Theo yelled. "We were barely dating!"

She shook her head, training her eyes on the kitchen entrance, trying to ignore his voice. And that made him angry.

His voice grew louder, raspier.

"For the record," he shouted. "We did a lot more than kiss."

Alice froze, blinking as the words rang through her ears. Tears bit at her eyes and she struggled to keep them from falling. He smirked at her reaction.

Now he had her where he wanted her.

"Yeah," he continued, his arrogance clear in his voice. "You should hear her in bed, begging for me. None of that too fast shit you go on about. You know, maybe I've been messing around with the wrong girl all this time."