Rheostat

33.Croissant

"Can you not tell Stephen about this?" I requested, "This can be our secret."

"Mhmm," Diego hummed, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel.

He was enjoying this, wasn't he?

"Diego?" I pushed for a response.

"If you are so scared of his reaction, why did you run from school in the first place?" He asked thoughtfully.

"I-I had reasons I can't say right now." Or ever.

Diego looked at me from the corner of his eyes, already expecting my response. "I won't tell Stephen anything."

I narrowed my eyes, it can't be that easy with Diego. I was waiting for the but in his sentence.

"But," he started. "Only if you promise to never talk to that scrawny boy again."

Ethan?

Excuse me, he's the hottest boy in our class.

I bet he would even beat you in terms of looks. But of course, I didn't say that out loud. Diego was extremely narcissistic and this was not the time to poke insults at him.

"I promise." I instantly agreed. Ethan and I weren't even friends to begin with.

"You promise what?"

"I promise I won't talk to Ethan if you don't tell Stephen anything." I complied.

"Done," He grinned. "I won't tell a word to anyone."

I sighed, relieved.

"Oh, also, Stephen already knows. He's the one who told me to pick you up from there." He added. "And as our promise entails I won't be telling him anything so you can't talk to that guy anymore."

"You tricked me!" I shouted, enraged. "The promise is invalid now!"

"That's not how it works, Lili." He shook his head.

"I decide how it works." I huffed, turning my head away from him.

He thinks he's so smart, doesn't he?

Well, I wouldn't have kept my promise in the first place anyway.

The car went silent after that. I used that time to come up with an excuse that would least implicate me.

I had already come up with a semi decent lie when Diego decided to break the comfortable silence, "Lili?"

I ignored him. One, because I was angry at him and secondly because he insisted on calling 'Lili'.

"Lili." He repeated louder than before.

I ignored him, again.

"Lili?"

Was Ethan angry at me for being manhandled by my brother?

"Lili?"

I hope not. It would be a pity if I have to apologize for something Diego did.

"Aylin."

"Yes?" I responded.

"Why are you so stubborn?" He glowered.

I wouldn't have to be if you just called me by my original name.

"Why were you calling me?"I asked,instead.

I was actually curious to know what he wanted to tell me considering how serious his face turned.

He didn't speak for a whole minute, debating with himself whether he should say it or not.