Playing Dangerous

XIV

Tate's POV...

"Can you believe it?!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "You know what that bitch deserves?" Silas presses his lips tight to contain smile. "Exorcism!" He's leaning against the tree as he listens. "It's just unbelievable! Fucking insane!" I scream again. "I hate her!"

"Let's calm down for a minute, shall we? First of all, please come down from that tree, love." He slowly walks toward the tree I'm sitting on. "You've been screaming and swearing last thirty minutes. Put out your fire and breathe."

"I'm breathing!" I return aggressively. "You don't understand Silas, I needed to go to that university! I needed to apply! Now I can't, why? Because of that cunt! I just... I had to be one! And all of the school heads are assholes!"

"Yes, they are. But for the love of god, come down." I shake my head. "How long are you planning to stay up there?" I shrug and he starts laughing as if he wasn't chuckling earlier. "Oh my god, you're mad! So you're going to sit there?"

"Exactly!" I am confident.

"Okay now seriously, come down."

"No,"

"What do you mean no?" He crosses his arms. "It might get dark and I must remind you we're in a middle of forest." Yeah, that's right as well. "Come on, love."

"Fine," I crawl down slowly as I end up in his arms. Silas catches me by waist to assist me. "Let go of me." I remove his hands.

"Well, to be completely honest some of their reasons are valid though," he murmurs, flicking his eyebrows. "You're too tough—"

Without letting him finish I gather and whirl ball of snow at him. "Prick!"

"But you're right about this," I calm down a bit. "You're correct. It's unfair."

"Yes, it's unfair!" I breathe in. "And what does this girl understand in law anyway? Isn't she into art and literature and shit? Last time I remember she even was nominated as a future bestseller's author. That was a plot twist I didn't see coming."

"Her mother is a lawyer. Seems like she has a good plan for her daughter's future." He shrugs, brushing last flick of snow from his coat.

"Goddamn it! Goddamn it all! I had to be one." I sink to my knees, my fingers playing with soft snow. "Now it's all ruined. All of my dreams are ruined!" I might cry right now.

"Why are you so desperate? Why don't you accept a free year or a gap one?" He knows very well why, but he's just sly enough to make me say it.

"Because." I answer briefly. "Why did she inform Mrs. Atlas so late? When I was already trying? When everything was working out for me? Couldn't she apply for another university? Couldn't she say earlier? Couldn't she... fuck, I'm due tomorrow. Every other university has ended their application process. They just sacrificed me for Aria Reed's sake." Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. "What problem does this girl have with me anyway? As if she's doing everything on purpose to drive me mad."

"Someone here forgets she's trying to steal somebody's boyfriend." Silas shrugs again, sliding hands in pockets and checking his boots.

I make another ball and throw at his head. He throws one back. And obviously I do too until his patience runs out and I have to run for my life. "Don't!" Laugh escapes my lips as I jump like a rabbit in a knee-high snow.