MELROSE

CHAPTER 38

"I said no."

The table went completely silent. Even Sterling and Dice had stopped sucking each other's faces off. The silence stretched longer. Just when I was about to comment on how dramatic they were being, Chris found her tongue. "I'm sorry did you just say the guy you like asked you out in front of your family and friends and you said no?"

I nodded.

She exploded. "Why the hell would you do that?"

Used to her outbursts, I drawled on, unfazed. "The timing didn't feel right. I did just break up with one guy, I want to be single for a bit. Plus I felt Ethan would be mad if I didn't take time to get into another relationship."

"Aura." Finn said. "If there's anything I've learnt from observing him, he'll more likely he pissed that you said no."

I shuddered. "Oh he was."

We'd returned from Texas to discover that Ethan had accepted mum was his mother and he wanted to spend time with her, so he moved in. It broke Enoch, Helen, Sasha and Kyle but they knew it was for the best. Assuming the role of an elder brother, he'd demanded to know all that happened during our holiday and when I told him about the last part with Don, he'd yelled at me for half an hour.

My phone rang at that instant. I excused myself to go outside the cafeteria, where it was less noisy. "Sup."

Roman's voice greeted me at the other end. "You forgot a wad of cash in your room."

I laughed. "I didn't forget it, I left it there to be found. I'm surprised it took you this long. It's for you and Tyler."

"Really? Thank you!"

"Anytime couz. Later."

I felt him before I even saw him. He wore a grey hoodie and dark jeans, his cologne diffusing the air. He looked happier, livelier.

"Hi, girl that rejected me a week ago."

I rolled my eyes. "Is that seriously what you're going to be calling me?"

"Pretty much. I mean you rejected me."

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I am Donaldson Gotti Mancini, the most envied guy in Arcadia High. I got the looks, the money, girls love me, guys want to be me. I'm so talented in soccer that colleges are begging to have me. Need I go on?"

"You're so full of yourself."

He winked. "Am I now? Watch this."

He burst into the cafeteria. I didn't move, just watched from outside. No one was talking. They were all staring at him. He smirked at them before removing his hoodie, slowing running a hand through his hair, looking sexy I admit, earning giggles from his adoring worshippers. He winked at a few before strolling back outside to me.

I sounded bored. "What was that?"

"Just showing you that if you ever get tired of me, there are people who won't."

Idiot.

Nothing eventful happened the rest of the day. Suhannah and Courtney came over at two different times to ask how Texas was, Samantha came over to trash talk, a few cool sophomores came to ask me if I thought listening to Sam Smith was cool, considering I was a cool kid, just the usual.

Ivan attacked me the moment I opened the door. I lifted the retriever, sighing in content. "You hungry fella?"

He barked in response. I made my way put of the lobby, into the house, freezing at the sight before me.