Loves Me Not

*REVISED* Chapter Five

"I'm not going." I cross my arms over my chest as I sit on my bed.

"Oh, don't be a party pooper. You know you love me for setting this up for you." Ellie barely pays me any attention as she rifles through my closet, trying to find something for me to wear. "Plus I heard some of the St. Bart's alumni that go to the nearby colleges might be there."

"Alumni like your brother?" I ask hopefully, praying that I might get to see Jeremiah for the first time in months.

"No, alumni like your brother!" Ellie wiggles her eyebrows teasingly as she turns back to the closet to survey her choices. I scoff as my hope depletes, my willingness to go to the party even less now than before.

"You might as well stop looking," I lean back against my pillows, hatred clearly dripping from my voice. "I'm telling you right now. I am not going."

Ellie finally stops and turns to look at me. Her eyes roam over my body, trying to determine how serious I am through my body language. After a moment she smiles and refocuses on my wardrobe. "Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

She lets out a giggle, like I just told a joke. "Yeah sweetie, you are."

"Make me," I sass back.

Ellie slowly turns to face me, a skimpy gold and black dress in her hands and a Cheshire grin on her face. "I was hoping you'd say that."

●●●

"I hate you," I growl at Ellie as she drags me out of the taxi.

I am constantly pulling down the hem of my dress while trying to walk as quickly down the freezing street in these towering heels as I can. My braids tickle the exposed flesh of my back as they swing, each of the dozens of jet-black singles decorating my head giving my walk a little extra shimmy. We were dropped off down the street from Prince's townhouse so we only have to walk a block in these monstrosities.

"Trust me. When you're happily married to Charlie and living next door to me in a beautiful mansion in the suburbs outside of Albany, you'll be thanking me."

I nearly trip in my heels from surprise and am grateful she is there to hold me up. She interlocks her arm through mine and we plow down the street together.

"You don't think you're getting a little bit ahead of yourself? Like 20 years ahead?" I ask skeptically.

"Not at all. Charlie is totally husband material. Plus, I see chemistry between you two," she says smugly, certain that she is right. "Just watch. I give it until graduation before you are head over heels in love with this kid."

I crinkle my eyebrows, confused as to how she would know that Charlie is husband material, but decide to address the main part of her statement instead. "6 months? You've got to be kidding me! Bet!" I grin at her, extending my hand to make it official.

"Bet," Ellie replies cockily, although she makes no move to grab my hand. She eyes my extended hand suspiciously, her glossy lips pursing as she starts to negotiate. "But first, what do I win if I'm right? You'll get eternal love, I want something equally as sweet."

"Eternal love is fucking overrated, not to mention a social construct. But if you win..." I think about something that she truly wants. I burst out laughing when I realize what I can put on the line. "Ha! If you win I'll help you find 'eternal love'. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that you're the girl who gets a New Year's kiss from Archer this year."

This time Ellie is the one to almost trip, even though we aren't even moving. I struggle to catch her, widening my stance as I just barely stop her from tumbling to the ground. She quickly straightens up and grabs me by the shoulders, forcing me to look her in the eyes.