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❝When five students with secrets of their own are chosen for a secret society, they have to move past their d...
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4TH NOVEMBER. OCEANVILLE CITY: ROSE-ST.CLAIRE VILLA
"AND YOU TWO can use this room," Aphrodite flourished at the guest room and turned to look between West and Lex. Their eyes travelled from the bed to the balcony in unison. Both of their luggage was already brought over by the large number of servants that the Rose-St.Clairs have. "You can rest, for now. I'll be in my bedroom and if you need anything, you can press the bell icon near the nightstand."
She didn't wait for their response and was already on her way to her bedroom. Lex's eyes were on her retreating figure before he felt West's gaze on him. A perplexed look masked his face and Lex lifted his chin, asking what he was thinking about.
"You like her, huh?" West questioned.
Lex's eyes hallowed. "She's fun to be with. It's not like you hate her." He pried his eyes away from his best friend and made his way to the bathroom to freshen up. West followed him and leaned on the door frame, his eyes not leaving Lex.
"You know what I mean. You haven't liked anyone for months. Don't screw this up, okay?" Lex sighed in response. He pinched his eyebrows and turned to West.
"Why do you care about her?" Lex folded his arms over his chest.
West shook his head. "I don't." He was lying. "I just know that if you hurt her, she has a lot of people who can hurt you back, including Karan. Haven't you noticed? He likes her. I mean, as a friend. He is not the kinda guy who'd let his friends get hurt."
Lex still didn't know the point of this conversation. "West," he said flatly. "I'm not trying to hit on her, okay? For all I know, she doesn't even like being touched by me." He tried to hide the slight crack in his voice. Her words still stung his heart like a fresh wound. He didn't know why he cared about it so much.
"What do you mean?"
"When we were searching for that soap that night, I sort of covered her mouth with my hands because she was being loud," Lex said, his eyes leaving West and finding its way to his reflection on the wide mirror. "She didn't like that and told me to stay away."
West remained silent before bustling into small chuckles. Lex placed his gaze back onto his best friend. "You..." West's laughter filled in the air. "You're being so naïve, Lex." He jabbed Lex's chest. "You're so stupid. She fucking likes you, man. Or else she wouldn't have hugged you a week after telling you that."
Lex didn't utter a word. Really?
The thought of Aphrodite liking him back made him smile. West's lips parted when he saw Lex smile genuinely and was about to comment on the same when Lex quickly composed himself and said, "Anyway, we should freshen up. Aphy said to be there in an hour, I think."
West nodded and let Lex freshen up. But all Lex could think of was her.
•••
The guests were in large numbers and they didn't stop arriving. Aphrodite's family members, cousins, school friends to their parents and her dad's business partners--everyone was invited. Lex wasn't surprised, of course. His birthday parties were celebrated alike. That's exactly where he had first met Aphrodite--at his birthday party, two years ago.
He was with his previous girlfriend at that time but he couldn't help but be charmed by Aphrodite's beauty. She was wearing a long blue dress with silver studs at that time. But from the look on her face, it was clear that she was forced to visit the party. She didn't even care to wish him. Not that they were friends but still.
Today, however, she cared. At least, he hoped she did.
He was wearing a black tuxedo--similar to West and Karan's. The three of them and Yumi were talking about the allure of Rose-St.Clair villa while Lex's eyes were roaming here and there, waiting for the birthday girl to make an appearance.
"Do you know anything either, Lex?" Karan questioned, snapping him back to reality. Lex looked between the three of them and sipped the glass of champagne that he had in his hand.
"I wasn't paying attention. What were you--" Lex stopped half-way when his eyes fell on the girl he was dying to meet his eyes with. Aphrodite stood at the edge of the grand staircase wearing a white ball gown with diamond beads cluttering around her breasts and decreasing its way down. She tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear and Lex swallowed at the sight of her bare cleavage and neck.
She walked down like a queen.
His breath caught in his throat.
She is royalty. And he would be damned if he didn't make her his queen. Despite the large chandelier shining above them, the only source of light that he needed was her. Lex didn't realize didn't know how much he wanted her until she locked eyes with him. Her lips curled upwards as she stepped down the final step. But their eye-contact was broken when her mother stepped forward and said something to her. She nodded and made her way to the other side of the hall.
Lex blew a breath out, patiently waiting for Aphrodite to approach him and their friends.
Much to his disdain, she didn't make an appearance at all. She rushed from one family to another, saying 'thank yous' and 'glad you could make it' to everyone. Frequently, her eyes locked with Lex's but she kept looking away.
An hour passed by and Aphrodite had disappeared all together. Even her mom caught Lex and began to walk towards him but she didn't. "Lex, honey." Sienna pressed her lips. "Have you seen Aphy? It's time to cut the cake and I can't find her." Sienna glanced at West, Karan and Yumi. "Do you mind finding her? I have some guests to attend to."
"Um, sure, ma'am," Yumi said and parted her way to search for her roommate, as did the others. Lex travelled his eyes across the giant hall until it hindered on the first floor. He saw a quick glance of her entering a room upstairs. Swiftly, he slipped from the crowd and followed her.
He peeped from the door that was slightly ajar to see her sitting between a pile of books. She frantically scanned the pages, her fingers tracing every word.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
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header image by Amy-Leigh Barnard
sorry for the cliffhanger haha but there's a double update today so yay!
