The Badboy's Neighbor.

4. "Sorry."

POV Cleopatra.

It's been a week since Ares told me not to lie to him. Bailey hasn't spoken to me and Kitty since. Kiki was devastated when I told her what happened during math. She was disappointed in Bailey and surprised that Ares actually listened to me.

"Here." Ares brought me a cup of tea. "Achilles told me that you like tea, so I thought maybe it could relax you a bit and put your nerves at ease." He said before taking a seat on the oppsite side of the table. "There wasn't any normal tea so I got you Apple and Cinnamon."

"Thanks." I wrapped my left hand around the cup. We were sitting in the library and I had his jacket pulled around me. I did my homework and he just sat there, listening to the music that came through his earbuds. I took a sip and a delicious flavor entered my mouth, instantly becoming my new favorite over Earl Grey.

My phone went off and I raised my eyebrow. The only people that texted me were Achilles and Kiki. Achilles was right here, next to Ares and opposite of Adonis, who was next to me while Kiki was sick so she went home. School ended already but I had to do some research in the library and the guys insisted on staying with me. "Who is it?" Ares asked as I unlocked my phone.

'Dear Cleo, I'm missing you and I really don't want to lose you. It feels like I can't do it any other way than this way. I'm sorry that I haven't been a good friend and please tell me what I've done wrong. But I just wanted to apologize and let you know that I miss you. I really hope you can forgive me for whatever it is that I've done.' The text from Bailey said.

"You're not replying to that." Ares' voice said infront of me as he leaned over the table to read it.

"Why not?" I asked. "She is apologizing." I looked up at him.

"Did you not read that text?!" He threw his hands in the air. I flinched and he quickly put them down. "She apologized but she also said that she doesn't know what she did wrong. What are words if you really don't mean them when you say them?"

"But still, she said sorry." I mumbled, feeling guilty. He had a point, there is no point of saying something if you don't mean it.

"You didn't do anything wrong!" Achilles shook his head. "She brought this on herself." He took my phone and tossed it on the table. "Now, tell us what happened in freshman year." He demanded.

"Well in the first week, it was all kind of scary you know. Meeting new people and all. Bailey, Kitty and I were all of us were in the same class." I started. "Kiki and I promised to stay together but Bailey had other plans. She made these new friends and I tried telling her that they were bad news but she didn't listen."

"Bad news as in rebels or bad news like fights?" Achilles asked.

"Bad news like spray painting the school and slashing people's tires. Anyway, one of the girls in her group started dating on of my guy friends, Conner." I sighed. "I texted Bailey to ask why she stopped speaking to us because she seemed mad. In her reply she texted that she was mad that I was a jealous bîtch. She said that I wanted to keep Conner for myself."

"But what happened? Weren't you friends again?" He asked.

"Yeah, after a month or so she came back to us. She didn't even apologize, she just started hanging around us again. We just kind accepted it because the people she was with got kicked out of school." I answered. "She wasn't even aware that the things she did had crushed me. I didn't want to go to school, I didn't want to eat, I didn't want to do anything."

"You can't give her power to do that to you again." Ares stated. "It's not gonna happen. I'm letting you become like that again. You're gonna keep doing everything like nothing happened. You don't need her, you just gotta keep your head up." He said determined.

"But what about tomorrow, Kiki is sick." I groaned, leaning back in the chair as I pulled the hood up from Ares' jacket. The familiar cologne surrounded me again. Without them noticing, I secretly breathed in the scent.

"You don't need Kitty to be strong." Adonis shook his head. I've noticed that Adonis is a man of a few words. He speaks when people ask him something or to comment something smart or wise. It bothers me because when it's just me and him, I babble on and on because he doesn't stop me. Then I'd question if he is even listening to me and he would nod while quoting my last words.

"You don't understand! I'm soft hearted, I feel guilty already!" I sat up. "I will cave if she stands before me and apologizes. Kitty won't be there to back me up."

"No you won't, you just gotta remember how she made you feel in freshman year." Ares shrugged.

"Pretty shîtty." I mumbled but he ignored me and continued.

"You don't need a kitten. You're a lion!"

~~~~~

I roamed around school, a little unsure where to go. Kiki wasn't there and it was lunch break. I considered going with Achilles but I don't want to draw attention to myself.

"Cleo!" Bailey's voice ran through the hallways and I froze.

"What?" I turned to her. Ares is right, I don't need Kitty to be strong. I'm a lion, even though he is only one that calls me that. I still have to figure out why, not that I mind it.

"You didn't respond to my text yesterday." She stood infront of me. "I miss you and I'm sorry. I don't like it when we aren't talking and I don't know what I did wrong."

"You don't even know why you're apologizing so it's just an empty apology." I shook my head. "The same thing happened in freshman year. You met new people who gave you attention and you decided you didn't need me anymore. I don't want to get that feeling again, it sucked."

"So this is? You're just gonna dump me for some stupid guys?! You're just jealous." She scowled and my heart broke. She thought that I stopped being her friends because of the guys. But she is the only one to blame for this.

"Please, leave." I whispered, not showing the anger inside me. She disrespected Ares and the guys while they were to ones that helped through it.

"You're just a jealous, stuck up bîtch!" She snapped, stepping closer and getting in my face.

"She said leave!" Achilles appeared on my right side.

"I don't take orders from her." Bailey scoffed, putting up a tough facade. But I knew better than that. She is terrified of these guys.

"You should leave before Ares gets here." He warned as Adonis appeared on my other side. Bailey looked at the three of us before walking off.

~~~~~

"Awe please! You have to come!" Kiki begged as she clung to my arm.

"I really don't want to." I grimaced. She was pleading me to go to a party with her. Parties weren't my thing. I preferred to stay in my room with a cup of hot chocolate and a book. "So many things could go wrong! I could get drugged and besides that, I'll probably embarrass you and myself."

"You're being paranoid, those things only happen in books." She shook her head. "Just once and never again!" She folded her hands together. "He asked me to bring you!" She was talking about her crush.

"Okay fine!" I caved. "But if I don't like it, I'm out."

"Deal!" She squealed. "We're getting ready at my house. I'll make sure you look good and won't embarrass yourself! You'll look smoking hot!"