One week later

I haven't told Derek about James threatening me and I've been trying to hide from Olivia, to show her I'm not talking to Derek or seeing him.

Dominic is throwing a party right now and I am not sure if I should go but I want to thank Shanice for helping me when I overdosed, I know I shouldn't drink and do drugs, and not only because Derek asked me, but for my own good.

I'm putting on a dark blue dress and I already told Derek I'm going.

I told my mom I'm going to Louis' house, just to change it up since I said Nicole the last time. I changed into the dress after she went to bed so I'm already 'late' for the party.

I know Nicole and Louis aren't going, which is better. I seriously don't want to see them.

I told Derek to park a bit further in case my mom lurks through the curtains.

I go out and I pass my neighbor's house, looking for Derek's new car.

He is waiting near it, and when he sees me, he immediately comes to me.

I give him a quick peck on the lips and we get inside the car. I'm getting used to us.

I try to brush off bad thoughts but it's hard, sometimes it's stronger than me and I end up thinking: "when is it gonna end?"

I hate myself for it.

"Whose car is this?" I ask Derek while he puts his right hand on the steering wheel, leaving the parking lot.

"You know the condition..." he warns me and I roll my eyes. Right. I ask one question, and I answer his question.

"Fine. Ask me first, though." In this case, I can refuse to answer before having him answer one.

"Why did you lie that you didn't care about me after- after I saw you with Alex in bed?" he asks and I'm caught off guard. It's been so long since then, I didn't expect this question but it's something he thinks about and I know it bothers him.

"Uhm, I was scared of my feelings for you-" I clear out my throat. "And I knew it would make it easier for you to get over me," I admit because I need to know whose car is this, and why did he change it.

"It wasn't easier, believe me," he mutters as he reaches to grab my hand and I let him, while he keeps driving and not taking his eyes off the road.

I analyze his features for a bit and he seems concerned.

"And you aren't scared now?" he questions me unsure.

He told me he won't tolerate any more of the pull and push games I did. He certainly thinks I'd do it again and I despise how right he is.

"I'm terrified- but... it's stronger than me." I swallow the knot in my throat and I look out of my window.

I feel his eyes on me and I try to ignore his gaze. I admitted something I've been holding in myself for so long and it's not even all the truth. There is so much more. Too much.

I wonder if he is going to think less of me if I tell him everything.

"I'm not leaving you," he reassures me and I nod, turning my face to him.

"I promised to be honest. It's one of Felix's cars," he says and my eyes widen, my heart skips a beat when I hear that name.

"What?!"

"That's another question," he interrupts me and I roll my eyes.

"You are horrible, Derek," I mutter and he laughs.

We get to Dominic's apartment and Derek holds my hand while we enter.

Fuck, no.

No. Olivia is here. She can't see me holding hands with him or being near him.

As we enter I quickly leave his hand and he looks a bit confused but he brushes it off, and I take a bit of distance from him.

Dominic comes to us and he pats Derek on the back, while they start talking about stuff I don't understand.

They leave me alone and I pour some orange juice in a glass. Pathetic for a party but better than nothing.

"Ronnie!" I hear Alexander's voice and before I can even put down my juice, he wraps his arms around me, hugging me way too tightly.

"You are doing well, I see," he says breaking the hug, after a long uncomfortable silence.

I notice Olivia staring at us.

The good thing is that she saw me embracing Alex so she isn't going to worry about Derek, but I bet she will be all over him...

What if Derek tells her about us?

Alexander pulls me out of my thoughts and we sit on the chair near the table.

"How was rehab?" he asks me and I roll my eyes. Why is everyone so obsessed with knowing how that 'prison' is?!

"Nevermind. You look better now, though," he says and I chuckle.

"I'm glad you came. But- did you come with Derek?" he asks and his eyebrows pull into a slight frown.

"Uhm- yes," I mutter unsure if I should tell him since he is friends with Olivia.

"Come on, Ronnie, you can do better," he says and I look at him surprised. He was always forward but wow.

I spot the dark brown curls and I instantly recognize it's Shanice. I can finally thank her.

She is looking at us and she laughs. I look back at Alex, confused.

"I'm so sorry for the drugs. I didn't think you would use them," he says in a sincere tone and I smile.

"I took them from your backpack, it's not your fault." He mutters 'right' and he touches my arm for a second.

"Are you seeing Derek?" he asks out of the blue and I get confused. Why is he asking me this so randomly?

"Kinda... I guess," I say.

"Are you two dating?" he asks and I laugh.

"I'm not sure. It's too soon to say that. We are just trying to make it work after countless fails," I admit and he smiles.

"He was so mad about the drugs."

"Right, he told me to stop using them and I agree. But I don't do it only because he told me," I explain because I don't like people thinking I'm doing something because I've been asked. I want it to be my decision.

"He has a lot of nerves..." he mutters and I look at him confused, unsure if I heard correctly.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just think that you can do better."

Before I can even reply to his statement, I see Derek talking to Dominic in the corner of the room. They are both looking at us and it feels like they are talking about us.

I grab my glass and I walk towards them.

"Flirting with Alex?" Dominic teases me and I laugh.

"No." I laugh while Derek is staring at me.

Fuck, I suddenly remember I shouldn't be seen talking to Derek and I turn around looking for Olivia.

She is staring at me.

While Derek is about to say something to me, I walk away.

"Veronica is acting so weird tonight." I hear Derek say that to Dominic and I don't turn towards them.

I put my juice on the table for a few seconds and I look up to check the main door opening.

I look in disbelief at the door when I see a petite girl with straight blonde hair and I walk towards her.

Irène pulls me in for an unexpected hug and I let her, after all, she was my only company in that shithole.

"How did you find me?!" I ask and she smirks.

"I still have Dominic's number, you know," she says and I smile.

"I'm glad you are," I say and we walk to the couch.

I turn around to check on Derek and they are talking to Olivia.

Irène notices my mood changing and she sighs loudly.

"Who am I murdering tonight?" she jokes. I think.

"Perhaps, I want to see your little boyfriend," she says and I laugh at the nickname she gives Derek.

"Is it the one on the left or right?" she asks pointing towards where I was looking before and Derek looks at us.

"Oh, it's him," she says, standing up and I follow after her unsure of what she is about to do.

"Not as 'small' as I thought," she points out and I frown at her remark.

She walks up to them and she greets them like she didn't just meet them. Olivia doesn't greet her back.

I stand next to Olivia and she keeps staring at me, but I don't pay much attention to her.

"I heard so much about you," Irène says to Derek and I chuckle.

"I hope it was only good stuff."

"Disgustingly, it was," she points out and I choke on my saliva. Gosh, Rèn.

"Irène, it's always a pleasure talking to you," Dominic jokes and I laugh. Of course, she called him and he told her about the party.

"I know," she says with confidence and I walk next to her, stopping her before she insults Derek any further.

We walk back to the table and I grab my juice, sipping from it.

"Rehab worked for you, at least," she says with a smirk and I roll my eyes.

"I got caught and got one more month there, without even meeting Derek," I say and she laughs, showing her teeth. She looks even more beautiful.

"I kinda see what you saw in Derek. He is cute but he is a male," she says as if it's a bad thing.

"Thank you for the anatomy lesson," I say sarcastically and she smirks.

"They are all the same," she mutters and I roll my eyes.

I continue sipping from the juice and it tastes a bit different than when I left it here, probably because I've been sipping from it for two hours already.

Irène doesn't even bother, she drinks straight up from the vodka bottle.

We go to the kitchen and Shanice walks in.

"I was looking for you," Shanice says and Irène turns to us.

Shanice looks Irène up and down and I get uncomfortable for a second, I turn to Irène and she seems... flustered?

What?

Irène never gets shy.

"By the way, thanks for saving me... that day," I say and Shanice shrugs as if it's not a big deal.

I'd be dead without her, Derek and Dominic.

"Uh- anyway." She clears out her throat. "I think you are wasting your time with Alex."

"What are you talking about?"

"He doesn't date, I can't recall one single time he had a relationship," she explains but I'm still confused and so is Irène but she doesn't take her eyes off Shanice.

"What makes you think I care about that?" I genuinely ask with no ill intention.

"Just the way you act with him and what Dominic told me..."

"What? I'll murder Dominic," I say and she laughs.

"But I'm pretty sure Alex had relationships before," I say.

"No. We've been friends for so long, he didn't. He was always a player." She chuckles and I look at her confused. He told me his ex-girlfriend died?

"He told me his ex-girlfriend d-"

"Let's go, Vero." Irène pulls my arm and I won't continue talking to Shanice, no point.

She pulls me back to the couch and I continue sipping from the glass, my throat starts burning a bit so I place the glass back on the table.

These oranges are so acidic.

"I can recognize a piece of shit when I see one," she says while looking at Alex, who is staring at us.

"Because I am one," she finishes and I chuckle.

So dramatic.

"Are you talking about Alexander? He isn't that bad," I defend him and she looks at me with her big green eyes.

"You are so stupid. He is pinning after you," she spits and I turn around, he is still looking at us.

I start feeling weird... a strange familiar euphoric feeling. My vision gets a bit blurry and I try to stand up, despite Irène asking me what's wrong.