The Victim (Book #1)

Chapter 57

After Asher punched his number in my phone, I walked downstairs, leaving him to the quiet. Without realizing where I was going, I walked into the kitchen in a daze. I couldn't believe what had just happened. How had the guy I hated for months become my friend in a matter of minutes?

I ran into somebody before I realized I was going the wrong way.

"Oh, sorry!" I said with a blank face before I recognized him. "Magnus! You came back!"

"I needed another drink." He said, flashing his small smile at me. He poured one cup and then a second, handing me a cup too.

"How did it go up there?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. He looked skeptical of something, but I didn't know what.

Ugh, stop working so hard, brain. Just relax. I took a sip of the beverage and smiled at the rush it sent through me. I threw back more eagerly and then smiled at him.

"It went amazing actually," I said. My shoulders weren't tense for once and I started wiggling to the music that was louder now, giggling the whole time.

"That good, huh?" he asked, laughing at my weirdness. I couldn't help it. None of my feelings were repressed, I was just being me. My head was feeling a little heavy, so I took some more sips of alcohol hoping to abate it.

"Maya, you've had some drinks before, right?" he asked, suddenly looking at me with worry.

"Mmmm..." I thought, tapping on my chin. "Some. Not some this good." I said with another laugh. All my smiles came immediately. I couldn't hide them if I tried. I smiled at the feeling of being so smiley.

"Maybe you should slow down then. You've already had like 5 shots mixed with sprite."

"That's okay!" I said, downing the cup he gave me in a gulp. It burned and I stuck my tongue out, but it made me feel even lighter. "It doesn't feel bad! It feels really good!"

I started dancing to myself more and then grabbed his hand to make him dance with me. He shot a glance at the stairs worriedly and stood frozen in place as I moved. I gave him a frown and stuck out my lower lip, giving him the puppy dog eyes.

"I'm no good at dancing!" he said, but he started to move a little with me, keeping a respectable distance.

"Well I am mister, so follow me!" I said as I moved in place and spun and did little moves, I knew. He laughed at the silly ones and tried not to look at my butt during the sexy ones.

"What did Asher tell you?" he asked, looking deeply curious, as we danced. He had two little creases on his forehead, one above each eyebrow. They seemed intentional, like somebody had pressed down on that spot hard enough to leave a mark. Was he always concentrating, deep in thought?

"Umm, Asher..." how to put it into words? He told me he wasn't my enemy. He looked at me for a long time. He asked me to be his friend and I said yes, even though I wasn't sure about it. What am I sure about though?

"He told me everything, I guess!" I said back as if it were a question.

"Oh good!" Mav said. "I thought he'd chicken out."

"Nope. He seems pretty brave to me." I said honestly, trying to move with the beat of the music. It only half worked.

"Still," Magnus replied with a laugh. "I thought he'd never tell you that he liked you. He was really worried after all the shit he put you through that you'd hate him forever."

I stopped dancing and cocked my head to the side, taking a step closer to hear him. The haze in my head was suddenly not peaceful, as it blocked my ability to understand. The words felt like they weren't making it through to me. Asher? Me? That was just a rumor. Wouldn't he know that if he was Asher's friend?

"He-" I was cut off by the yelling of someone with a deep voice behind me.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Damon shouted, storming over to us.

And that's when I realized I fucked up.