Phoenix's Lies

Void

River

The next week is hard. More so than normal since Phoenix is determined to figure me out even if he doesn't know it was me. Something that makes avoiding him even more imperative than before. And yet an emptiness seems to follow me when I can't see him when my avoidance has worked enough.

And it has been easier than I thought to avoid him since most of our classes are either apart or we are separated enough it doesn't matter. This means distance is easy enough to maintain until Ari throws a ball of chaos into my life in the form of a party.

Ari: Heya babes, are you coming to the party Friday night?

Frowning at her message on my phone I hid behind a stairwell to read it, part of me wanting to go and part of me afraid.

River: Depends. Who's hosting and what's it for?

Scanning the hallway I can't see anyone I recognise, my phone chiming seconds later with Ari's reply.

Ari: Not sure. And don't you mean who's going to be there, not who's hosting?

Fuck. she's seen through me all too easily and I know who I was afraid of running into. Not that I'd be able to go since unless I could find a sitter for El I'd be stuck at home. Something that has me quirking my lips up in a smile as I reply.

River: Very funny Ari, and no I didn't mean that. Can you tell me or not? Because I might not be able to go.

Glancing up from my phone I notice Ari now standing across the hall from me, just out of my clear line of sight, and smirk, shrugging as she replies to me, her expression an odd one I can't read.

Ari: What do you mean you can't come?! You promised last week?!

My smile slips. Shit. I'd forgotten about that. Although it seems like she hasn't judged by her scowl across the hallway as she finally spots me down the stairwell. Scrambling to find a reason - excuse - I sigh in relief as one comes to mind.

River: One it's probably for our team who sucks by the way and too many people are going who I want to avoid to tempt me into attending. Even to honour what I said before. And two, I have a shift that night and won't be able to get a sitter for El - especially on such short notice. Sorry babes, sitting this one out and joining the next one x

Feeling satisfied I've almost put my phone away when I look over at her and see her frown for a second, reading the message, and then her lips curl into a smile and my heart drops. What was she doing? Suddenly gripping my phone too tight I see her reply and my heart drops.

Ari: Leave it to me. You're coming x

Shooting her a panicked look over the other students' heads she smiles before disappearing. Leaving me drifting in a haze as I make it to music class. Not failing to notice my partner's empty chair as I sit down and plug in my music. Sighing I have all but two seconds of peace before he arrives. Speaking to me too.

"So are you coming to the party Friday little rebel?" Just the tone of his voice makes me feel hot and uncomfortable. The words are even more so since it gives me a reason to stay away.

I smirk and roll my eyes, shanking my head at him. "Nope got better things to do and sick of seeing your arrogant self for five days a week to even entertain giving you an evening as a joke asshole." I snap back, fixing my eyes on the front and focusing on the music I can hear in one ear. Telling myself the conversation is done. Until the silence stretches and I find myself unusually breaking it first. "Why do you care so much if I go anyway? Got something to prove?" I fix him with a fierce look, trying to ignore how his slow smile causes my clit to throb mercilessly with enough heat to have me clenching my legs together in an attempt to dissipate the ache building there.