Five Words

Chapter 5

~Cher

You're getting there.

I don't have the faintest idea whether I should be glad that I am on my way to convincing him that I just want to be his friend, or whether I should be taken back by the fact that he will be acting coldly towards me until I get to him. That is if I ever get to him, maybe he will kill me before then.

"Now will you take me dancing?" Natalie inclines herself towards Ace.

He lifts his eyes as he answers her, "I don't want to."

"Then why did you take Cher and not me?"

She likes challenges, and I know that she will not let Ace slip out of her fingertips.

"You are so fucking annoying, D'you know that?" He groaned, shooting daggers at her with his eyes.

"I want to go home, Cher," Adrian whispers in my ear.

"No, why? I am having fun, Adrian." I say, "Plus, I didn't finish my food yet."

"Cher..." He rolls his eyes, "You have been eating since you came back with him."

"So? I am hungry." I defend myself.

He wants to whine again, but Oscar beats him to speaking and I turn my full attention to him.

"We have to go. We have an important interview tomorrow."

"Non, restez pendant un certain temps plus longtemps, s'il vous plaît. Stay for a while longer, please."

"I'm sorry, Cher. But that's a very important interview, we could use it to get an internship that will increase the probability of our acceptance." Melanie explains.

"Come on, Cher. Let's go too." Adrian shoves his phone and wallet into his pockets and stands up to leave.

"I'm not leaving, Cher could stay with me."

I would kiss Natalie right now to show her how grateful I am for what she is doing.

"Who will drive me and Ace home?"

"I could drive you. I know where Cher's house is." Oscar offers, and I smile at Adrian because he has found his solution.

"I'm not going back." Ace informs Adrian without lifting his eyes from his phone.

My smile gets wider when I know that Ace isn't going back home.

"Cher, you're not staying with him alone." Adrian tugs on my arm wanting me to leave with him.

"Why not? Ace is my friend, plus Natalie is with me."

"Yeah, but once she leaves, it's you two."

"So?"

"So let's go."

"Adrian, let go of my arm." I snap at him, "There is nothing wrong with me hanging out with Ace because he is my friend and I told you that Natalie is here. I'm not a baby, Adrian. I can take care of myself."

People around us turn to look at what is going on. I'm not drunk, but I haven't drunk in ages and maybe the alcohol is making me bolder than I usually am. He can't boss me around. He can't keep throwing this rapist shit at Ace while we both are clueless about what happened between him and Sarah.

"I'm going to go." When I realize that Ace is the one who says that, I speak.

"No! Okay? I want you to stay and Adrian, if you want to stay, you are welcome. But if you want to go home and drag me with you, it won't happen. So just go home alone, with Oscar and Melanie."