MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

11. ARIANA: HAUNTED BY THE PAST

"You'll look better in the red one."

"No, the black one with the red heels."

I sighed and slipped the bookmark between the pages before I closed the book. I couldn't concentrate on what I was reading with my sister and her friend's loud giggles and the conversation regarding what they were going to wear.

My lovely sister had been invited to a frat party.

Hopefully, they'd leave soon and give me my peace and quiet back.

She'd introduced me to them when they arrived but I couldn't remember their names. They were just as bubbly as Eva.

"What do you think, Ari?"

I looked up at my sister and studied her attire for the evening.

"You're showing too much skin," I muttered.

Eva rolled her eyes. "Then it's perfect."

"Why do you ask for my opinion when you—"

"Here, Eva."

I pursed my lips and stretched my legs out in front of me as I leaned back against the pillows. Eva always made the wrong friends. My eyes darted over them as I silently watched.

They look beautiful but I didn't like the length of their dresses or how much skin they were showing. It attracts bad attention.

As Eva turned to sit on the edge of the bed, my eyes locked onto the healing tattoo. For a moment I wondered if Dad knew about it.

"Why aren't you dressed yet?" She looked over at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Because I'm not going."

"Yes you are." Eva got up and walked over to my bed. "Yes you are because I invited Lucas."

"And I'm supposed to care, why?"

She grabbed my arm and pulled me up. Without saying a word, she threw clothes into my arms and pushed me in the direction of our closet.

"Five minutes, Ari. If you're not dressed by then, I'm forcing you into that dress myself."

***

No matter how hard I fought or what excuses I made, Eva forced me to go with them. I tried to stall by refusing to dress but it only ended up in Eva force-dressing me. She was too strong for me to fight off.

Dressed in a tight black dress and shoes I could barely walk in, Eva dragged me behind them as they walked across campus to the frat house where the party was being held.

At least I was spared from wearing make-up but Eva had pulled my hair out of my usual braid. It fell in messy waves down my back and over my shoulders.

"Stop dragging your feet," Eva ordered over her shoulder. "Do you want to be known as the boring sister who would never do anything fun?"

"Yes," I answered without hesitation.

"Believe us, you don't want that to happen," one of my sister's friends said.

What was his name again?

All thoughts flew from my mind when the sound of faint music reached my ears. We turned the corner and the house came into view.

"Eva—" I tried one more time but she completely ignored me.

Humans. They were everywhere.

On the front lawn, holding cups or beer bottles, swaying to the beat of whatever song was playing. The stench of alcohol, sweat and something else filled my nostrils the moment we entered the house. I winced when we passed the speakers.