I dare you.

Chapter 6

I walk into the sorority house, sorrounded by girls walking around in their undies and beer cans all over the floor. I start to think twice about putting anymore money in than I already have, I rarely stay here overnight anyway. I look around for Ari and Lex, hoping to see a more familiar face. 

"What was all that about!?" the same brunette from outside screams. 

"You can't go around making comments about someones family like that."

"What's it to you? You're never here anyway, you can't kick me out." she crosses her arms and looks at her friend for validation.

"Yeah, you're right. I am never here. Because I'm too busy cleaning up my mums mess. Now get out."

Her mouth just about drops. I can tell that she wants to fight it, but she doesn't. She nods and goes upstairs, going to collect her things. I look around at the kitchen and find a bunch of boys sitting on the counter hitting on the girls. I focus my attention on Lady, whose too busy cleaning up the mess to notice that I'm here for the first time in 5 months. Right in this moment, I realise what needs to happen. I walk to the kitchen and drop my keys on the counter, causing a few of the girls to jump. 

"Ma! What are you doing here!?" Lady squeals. 

"I'm staying where I've been summoned, and I've got $500 to waste."

"So YOU are taking my room? You've got to be kidding me." the brunette butts in, holding her bags in her hands. I can't help but feel guilty... I also don't want Ace thinking that I took his side. If I've learnt anything from my mother, it's to never let your guard down and to only be nice when someone is nice to me. Ace, is NOT nice to me. 

"No, keep it. I'll share a room with Lady." I say, feeling less guilty once seeing her face brighten up.

"I'd hug you, but I know better." the brunette whispers, skipping back up to her room to put her things back. 

"Er... Mari, I only have a double bed..."

"No issues Lady, not like you bring any boys back here anyway!" I exclaim. She frowns at me but it quickly turns into a smile. 

"Do you need a ride back to your parents house?" Ari yells as she walks down the stairs, her voice echoing through the house. 

"Why are you offering? Is there a catch?" I question.

"Never!" she scoffs. I can't be bothered to question her motives, so I wait for her to get to the bottom of stairs before I follow her out of the sorority house. As we walk down the stairs, I notice a black car parked in the car park, parked across 3 car parks so no other cars can use them. I can't see who would be stupid enough to do this because the windows are tinted. Ari nudges me before she opens the passenger door, I clench my jaw as soon as I see Aces face in the drivers seat. He does the same. 

"No Ari." Ace barks, catching Ari by surprise.

"Why not! Haven't you guys been introduced yet? This is one of my best friends Amari! But we call her Mari, or Ma! Maybe not Ma though, touchy subject." she whispers, clearly oblivious that I've already met this idiot. 

"Actually Ari, I've unfortunately-" Ace begins, however, I decide to cut him off. 

"Never met me before, hey! I'm Mari." I babble as I reach out my hand to shake his. I watch his facial expression turn from normal to a smirk. For someone I've only met a handful of times, I feel like I've known him for ages. Not in a good way. 

"Get in the car girls." Ace demands. 

Ari throws her hands in the air as if she's seen a snake and scoots into the car, I decide to do the same. It's clean, almost like it's brand new. I look around the car until I reach the mirror above the stereo to find Ace staring at me. I lift my hand from my lap and flip him off, he chuckles to himself but then suddenly his facial expression changes within a few seconds back to emotionless. I really do dislike the kid, but he's really attractive. Too attractive. My radar goes off whenever he's near me, which isn't a good sign. 

"So... what's with the weird tension between you too?" Ari questions, causing nerves to rise in my stomach over whatever nasty comment Ace is about to make. 

"None. You coming to the party Friday?" Ace says as he puts his hand on Aris thigh. She watches me in the side mirror, smirking at me. Is this some joke?

A small jab of jealousy hits me and I don't understand why. I push it to the back of my mind, I think I'm just taken aback that it's not me getting attention from a boy when it usually is. Probably cause I'm tired too, really tired. Why did she look at me like that? Obviously she doesn't realise that I don't want him at all. 

"I am. Mari, are you?" she questions. 

"Yeah, Ma. Don't worry, there will be plenty of boys there. I heard that's what you like to do." Ace chuckles, Ari joins in. I can tell that they're ganging up on me. 

"You're right, It's something I'm really good at too." I tease, he raises his eyebrows at me in the mirror. 

"Where the fuck am I going?" Ace scolds. I find myself wondering why he's annoyed. 

"Maris house, it's just up here when you take the first left." 

"Willow Creek," Ace continues. "An area for the poofters." 

He pulls up at the front of my house shortly after. They're both staring at the house, it is quite big for 3 people. I hop out of the car and walk around to Aces window, I tap on it and he winds it down. 

"Good thing I'm moving out then right?" I smirk as I walk up to my house, retrieving the key from under the mat. As I'm unlocking the door, I hear footsteps coming from behind me. I turn around to see Ace reaching for the door handle, Ari following closely behind him. 

"Last time I came here we were 6 Ma!" Ari exclaims, running into the open door. I watch Ace as he walks into my house, reaching his arm out to touch the chandelier. 

"I remember you asking me not to talk to you," I walk up past Ace, turning my head to the side to see him. "Now you're inside my house. Checkmate!" 

"Don't flatter yourself Cherry. I just had to see for myself." He says as he walks around, touching all my parents things. 

"See what? Quit touching my parents crap." I walk into the kitchen and grab a few of my clothes that I had folded onto the counter. I hated having to run up the stairs every time I wanted something, so I just brought it all downstairs. 

"Why you act like an entitled bitch." Ace chuckles, waiting for Ari to laugh as well. I watch her closely, she frowns at him. 

"You know nothing about me! And you never will. So just quit it!" I yell, speed walking over to him so that I can punch his stupid face. Ari runs in-between us before I land a punch. I hear him scoff to himself as I walk off to go upstairs, grabbing my laptop and a few more belongings. I make my way back downstairs and storm out the front door, the others following. 

"Mari, I'm gonna get one of my boys to pick me up from here if that's okay?" she quietly asks. I give her a small nod and begin to walk up the street with my belongings. I'm halfway up the street before I hear a car pulling up to the curb.