Anomalies ✔

Chapter Twenty

CHAPTER TWENTY: MASTER

A big desire is not enough to meet the expectations of lost dreams. 
-Dejan Stojanovic

For our first date- -fuck I can't even believe we got to this point- -Jasper waited until the week break we got for the school.

Apparently, one of our stops includes his house. I don't mind this, if it looks like a castle I'm completely down to get a tour of it and he said there's a lot to do there.

But he won't tell me what we're actually doing for our date.

Whatever it is, is about an hour and half away but so close to his house that we're staying there for the week we have off.

The only thing I'm remotely anxious about is the money.

Jasper's rich, very very rich, and though my family has enough money that it's not something I've ever had to seriously worry about, we're not rich by any means.

Hell, I got into school on scholarships. It's unbelievably expensive to send eight kids to college, where even Selene went for a bit, which is something my parents can testify to.

I made my intentions with him pretty clear before I found out he's an 'Astoria' which honestly isn't something I really care about, so I'm sure I'm anxious about someone thinking I'm a gold digger for no reason, but it's not something I want to be called.

So I find myself asking, "Are you sure I don't have to bring money, Jasper?"

"It's not that type of place, Star, and even if it was, you wouldn't need to bring money because we agreed that I'll be paying for things."

Sending Jasper a dirty look mixed with a glare, for making me a bit flustered at the nickname and for the false 'we agreed' statement.

"First off, Jitterbug, it wasn't an agreement, you just won the fucking bet." A bet I didn't expect to lose. "I still don't think this is fair."

The bet was that if I could guess within 100,000 dollars of what's in Jasper's private bank account then we'd share payments of any dates in the future but apparently, I was laughably off. The giant is oddly smug about this whole thing like he knew I would lose before we even played.

It's ridiculous how many places know the Astoria name around here.

"It doesn't have to be fair, you just have to accept it." The musician says, eyes focused on the road enough that I know he doesn't catch the angry way I'm smiling at him.

Angry because this isn't fair and smiling because he's him and then angry again but I can't fucking stop smiling around him.

I just huff at him.

He's the only guy that could do that -steal my heart and change my life all while frustrating me.

Jasper's the guy that anyone would feel lucky to have- -that anyone could have because he gives pieces of himself away all the time without even realizing it- -and the fucker doesn't even know it.

How unfair is that?

"Come on, Castor." Jasper laughs my name out, making my face feel a bit too hot.

Why, why, why does he have to say my name?

Like that nonetheless.

"Don't be grumpy." But grumpiness suits me. "You're always really nice to me and I'm really awkward about a lot of things, not including how oblivious I am. Not that I know what I'm oblivious about, b-because you always refuse to tell me, but I know I'm missing something. It's only fair that I get to do something for you too."