"Okay, let's gather opinions. Gigi and Cher, you're going for pink, but Brooke and Faye want white. We have a tie, so expose your arguments."

We've gathered at Gigi's house before heading to Ace's party. Everyone has already chosen their dress except me; I'm torn between a pink spaghetti-strapped sequin dress with a plunging neckline and a knee-length white strapless dress with a thigh-high slit. My friends are divided while I stand between them and a huge full-length mirror, checking how the pink sequin dress fits.

"Clearly, that's the best one. Have you seen how great it makes your boobs look? It's the only valid choice, much more flattering than the white," Gigi declares vehemently.

"Sure, it gives you amazing cleavage, but the white enhances your figure more and gives a classier look than the pink," Faye argues.

"Yeah, but the white stains just from looking at it, which is pretty likely at a party, so it'll show a lot more and be harder to get out," Cher counters, making Faye and Brooke reluctantly nod their heads after a few moments.

"Then we have a winner! Now let's get our makeup done for that stupid party."

Gigi's bathroom is big enough for all of us to fit in front of the mirror. I love when we do this, all together sharing our products and giving each other tips. These little moments with my friends might seem trivial, but I value them a lot.

"Does anyone have Ace's address?" Faye asks.

"I have it in a text, but I haven't had time to check it yet. What I do know is that it's in the Upper East Side, I think near Alexa,'s house" Cher replies, glancing at me through the mirror. "Could you imagine if you were neighbors and you didn't even know it?"

A chorus of giggles follows her question, and I force myself to laugh along with them. When did I decide to give in and go to that stupid party?

"So, it turns out he's more of the unattainable single type with an apartment in the heart of Manhattan. Exactly the kind of guy I like," Gigi says, practically drooling at the thought.

"If you start dating him, I'm never speaking to you again, just so you know."

"Stop being dramatic, Alexa. You always make a big deal out of everything. Quit hating the poor guy; he hasn't done anything to harm you. Just enjoy yourself; it seems like you came into this world to be grumpy all day."

Her words cause my face to do exactly what she criticizes, and I feel my brow furrow. As soon as I realize it, I blush and look away with a huff that earns laughs from my friends. I can't help it; I'm terrible at hiding what I truly think or feel, and it's clear that the prospect of seeing one of my friends dating the jerk who lives next door makes me anxious. Just look at how interested they all are in him, as if he's some kind of superstar or something. But I'm not buying it, not for a second. I'm not letting my guard down around him.

I do one last touch-up with my lipstick before looking at my reflection one last time, glancing at my friends' reflections too. We're all ready, so we grab our bags and head out of the house with varying levels of enthusiasm. We've decided to take Cher's parents' limousine since there are five of us and we're all going to end up drunk. I can't help but think that, no matter how much I drink, to get back home, all I have to do is walk a few meters and cross one door.

As the limousine gets closer to the building where Ace and I live, I feel myself sinking deeper into my seat, wishing for a hole to open up beneath me and swallow me right there. I'm already anticipating my friends' reactions, and it's something I'd rather avoid. Soon, the driver stops right in front of my building, and I let out an inaudible sigh.

Let the Hunger Games begin.

"Isn't this your building, Lex?" Cher asks as if she hasn't been here a thousand times, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah. Are you sure you gave the right address and didn't mistakenly give her mine?"

"I gave the address I was sent in a message," she comments, still staring at me as if she wants to bore a hole through me with her gaze.

To avoid any further comments, I decide to enter the building and head for the elevator, pressing the button that will take us to the penthouse. The sooner we get this torture over with, the better.

"Don't you have anything to tell us?" Gigi asks as four pairs of eyes remain fixed on me.

"Me? Not at all."

The elevator doors open, revealing a wide landing with only two doors facing each other, which I know perfectly well.

"Well, I think you do have something to tell us, so start spilling," Cher grumbles as we stand between both doors.

"Oh, I didn't know Ace was my neighbor until now! What a coincidence, right?"

"Cut the crap; you hid this from us on purpose! You have that look on your face like you're about to get scolded."

"Fine! I found out the day of your party, so what? I don't see why I have to share absolutely everything going on in my life, especially when it's something miserable like that jerk deciding to move across from me."

"Maybe you don't like him, but we do, and you know that. It's in the unspoken code of friendship, and you know we've done things like this for you before!"

"Okay, okay! I'm really sorry, I'll punish myself for my terrible mistake, and I admit I'm the worst friend that has ever existed. Are you happy? Can we enter the demon's lair already, or are you going to keep arguing about this nonsense?"

My friends seem appeased at the prospect of finally seeing Ace Hale's much-anticipated house, so they nod and walk toward the right door. I position myself behind them, not wanting to exchange more words than necessary with the owner of the house, while Gigi presses the doorbell. As expected, the door swings open to reveal Ace Hale. He's wearing a black V-neck t-shirt that reveals part of the ink on his chest and arms, along with simple jeans of the same color. His unruly brown curls fall slightly over his forehead, which he casually brushes aside to reveal his blue eyes. A perfect smile lights up his lips when he sees us.

"Cher! Welcome! And who are these gorgeous girls?" he asks in that tone of voice I hate, but seems to melt the rest of the girls.

"I'm Gigi, nice to meet you!"

"I'm Faye!"

"And I'm Brooke, a pleasure."

My friends cross the threshold into the massive, crowded penthouse while the music vibrates all around us. I'm the last to enter and try to do so without saying a word, but unfortunately, luck isn't on my side. Ace spots me and grabs my hand, spinning me around to face him with an elegant move.

"Well, look who dropped by—my neighbor. Were you going to come in without saying hello? How rude!"

"Get lost, Hale," I grunt with a sigh, gesturing for my friends to head to the kitchen, where I hope to follow them as soon as I shake off this idiot.

"If I get lost, you won't get to enjoy another show like yesterday's for free. I'll have to start charging you because you're starting to abuse the view of my sculpted body."

His words make me immediately jerk my hand away from his grip and shoot him a death glare, praying the makeup hides my flushed cheeks.

"First of all, I wasn't enjoying anything, and second, I wasn't even looking at you yesterday. This apartment has been empty for like a million years, and I was surprised to see a light on the balcony, that's all. Why do you always have to think you're the center of the universe?"

"You were looking at me for a full five minutes until I noticed; don't try to hide it. I mean, it's understandable. A Greek god like me moves in next door, walks out onto the terrace without a shirt, and eyes are going to be drawn where they're drawn," he continues teasingly, smiling at me with that ridiculously charming way that seems to captivate everyone.

"A Greek god? Look at that, we agree on something. You're Hades, the god of the underworld, with the appearance of a horrible black goat."

My words only make him laugh as he leads me to the kitchen. I watch as he pours two glasses of rum and Coke, offering me one. I'm about to refuse it, but the truth is that I want it, and I'm not childish enough to say no just because it's him.

"So, you're into that kind of stuff, huh? I never would have taken you for a zoophiliac, but I guess everyone is full of surprises," he comments, earning himself a smack on that steel arm of his.

"For you to be a zoophiliac, you'd have to like me, and that's never happening."

"You wouldn't have said the same yesterday. You can't deny that you were enjoying the views and I'm not talking about the New York skyline."

"I wasn't looking at you!" I complain exasperatedly, downing half the glass without barely breathing. I can't be sober if I'm going to have a conversation with him.

"Okay, okay, calm down before you spill it all over me," he laughs, pulling the glass slightly away from me as if I were a child. "So you don't want me to walk out onto my balcony without a shirt again?"

His question comes with a slight movement that makes me instinctively take a step back, trapped between the kitchen island and his body, which is only a few centimeters away from mine. The proximity makes my heart inevitably race. My eyes immediately avoid his, trying to focus on anywhere else, but I can't fix them on anything that isn't an inch of his body. I go from his tattoo-covered biceps, tense as they rest on either side of me, to the curve of his neck that leads directly to his jawline, the envy of any Renaissance sculptor, and finally end up at those full lips.

God, Alexa, wake up and stop staring at his lips, or you'll be lost.

I instantly pull my eyes away, which is worse because they land directly on his, those sky-blue pools that look like they're made of liquid sapphire. They're a curse for me, a curse I couldn't escape even if I wanted to.

But I have to do it, and neither the alcohol coursing through my veins nor his proximity will weaken me.

"I don't give a single fuck about what you do. For all I care, you could throw yourself over the railing next time."

The smile still plastered on his face tells me he's perfectly aware of the effect he has on me. Besides, he doesn't hide it when his eyes wander over my body, clearly enjoying what he sees.

"You took quite a while to reach that conclusion. I think you're lying, and lying is not nice, neighbor."

"Look, Hale, if you want to sleep with me, forget it because that's never going to happen, so stop being an idiot and find another girl to try to take to bed."

Ace raises an eyebrow without stopping his smile, finally stepping away from me and leaving enough space for me to escape the makeshift prison he had created. However, just as I'm about to leave, he leans in, and I feel his breath brush against my ear.

"If I wanted to sleep with you, you'd already be in my bed."

I open my mouth, ready to respond with a cutting remark, but Ace has already grabbed his glass and left the kitchen. I let out a huff and finish my drink, pouring myself a couple of shots to try to drown out that stupid feeling he left in my body. When I place the second empty shot glass on the counter, I catch a glimpse of my friends out of the corner of my eye, their faces immediately revealing that they've witnessed the entire scene with Ace. I stumble out of the kitchen, trying to conceal that I'm fleeing from them, and cross the enormous living room teeming with people to get to the terrace. I open my bag, desperately searching for a cigarette to calm my nerves as my vision blurs from the alcohol I've consumed.

"Damn it, where the hell is my tobacco?" I curse under my breath.

When I resign myself to admit that I left it at home, I remember that I live across the street and it wouldn't take much to pop over for it, so I turn to re-enter the living room, only to collide head-on with what seems like a wall of flesh. Immediately, a pair of hands finds their way to my butt, and I instinctively try to pull away.

"Lex, it's me," Travis laughs, clearly drunk judging by his dilated pupils. "Let's go to a room; don't you want to do it in this idiot's bed?"

For some reason, the image that comes to mind isn't Travis and me doing it in Ace's bed, but Ace on top of me in his own bed, leaning over me like he did in the kitchen...

"Get off me, please, I'm not in the mood today." I try to push him away with my hand, but instead of moving, he presses his body against mine harder.

"Come on, don't be difficult; you know you want it just as much as I do..."

"Travis, I told you no, get away!"

"Damn, you turn me on even more when you resist..." he growls, groping me and kissing my neck while I desperately try to pull away.

The alarms in my head go off immediately, trying to find ways to shove Travis away from me, but he's much bigger and stronger than I am. I want to escape, to get out of there immediately and flee from the guy trying to get handsy with me, but I can't see a way out, and I'm starting to panic.

"I told you to get away!" I scream desperately.

"Don't pretend, Alexa; you know that..." His babbling is abruptly interrupted when someone violently pulls him away from me, causing him to land on his butt.

"Didn't you hear her? She said to get away," Ace warns in a calm voice, placing himself between Travis and me.

"God, why the hell do you have to get involved?! Don't you know I'm fucking her?!" Travis growls, staggering to his feet due to the alcohol.

"That doesn't give you the right to treat me however you want!" I yell, instinctively grabbing Ace's arm as Travis makes a move to approach me.

"You were asking for it, and you know it!"

"I don't want to have to hit you, Huxley, but if you take another step or speak to her like that again, I'll be forced to do it," Ace warns.

A considerable crowd has gathered around us, discussing what each side should do. All I want is to get out of here, to escape the gazes of the people and rid myself of the trace of Travis's hands on my body.

"Who the hell are you to tell me anything, you son of a...?" Ace's fist connects directly with Travis's jaw in a single blow that sends him crashing to the ground, unconscious in mere seconds.

The crowd around us starts cheering, but I also hear all kinds of comments about me. I need to get out of there, but I can't move; it feels like my feet are glued to the ground.

"Please, get me out of here," I stammer, feeling my eyes well up with tears while my fingers remain clutching his arm.

Ace turns to look at me, his eyes softening a bit before scanning the area with a furrowed brow.

"Everyone, go back inside! There's nothing to see here!"

People rush inside, leaving us alone outside with Travis's unconscious body. I'm surprised by the firmness in his tone, as if he's made for everyone to obey his orders.

"Can you move, or do I need to carry you?"

"I'm trying, but I can't," I sob, unable to hold back the tears of anxiety and anger that have built up after what just happened.

Ace doesn't hesitate for a moment before picking me up like a princess, holding my bag while trying to go unnoticed. I have no idea how the hell he manages to get out of his house and unlock mine with my key while I bury my face in his chest to hide my embarrassment and the tears the situation provokes. In mere seconds, Ace gently sets me down on my bed.

"Tell me where you keep the makeup wipes, and while I get them, put on your pajamas."

I point it out with a stammer before doing what he says, letting him know with a thread of voice when I'm under the covers. He returns from my bathroom with a wipe, starting to remove my makeup with a tenderness that surprises me coming from someone like him. I let him do it, still in shock after everything that has happened in such a short time.

"Thanks for everything, Ace," I murmur when he finishes.

"No need to thank me; I did what I had to do," he replies softly, brushing the hair from my face in a gesture that feels like a caress. "Are you okay staying here alone, or do you want me to stay?"

I'm not okay, of course not, but I can't help but think it's his party, and he has every right to enjoy himself with his new college friends. I can't tell him to stay, even if I want to; I can't be that selfish.

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"Alexa, you don't need to lie to me. I don't mind missing this party; I've been to many, and I have plenty more to go to. Just give me a second, okay? I'll be right back."

He squeezes my hand lightly before leaving the room. Five minutes later, he returns and sits beside me on the bed. I guess he must have gone to ask a friend to keep an eye on his house and get Travis out.

"You can get in bed if you want," I murmur without thinking, feeling my eyes slowly closing.

Ace seems surprised by my offer, but eventually, he lies under the covers fully clothed, turning to face me.

"None of what happened is your fault. You know that, right? Travis is an asshole, and you don't deserve any of what he did to you. If he bothers you again, just tell me."

My lips curve into a pout, and before I think about what I'm doing, I wrap my arm around his body and rest my head on his chest. He hugs me back with a sigh, making me feel a hundred times safer.

"Thank you, Ace. For everything."

My eyes close, and I feel sleep starting to take over. Before I fully fall into the arms of Morpheus, I hear his soft voice against my ear.

"You're welcome, Alexa."

Hello!

But, how on earth did those two end up in bed together? Do you think Ace's reaction towards Travis was over the top or justified?

I'll be reading you! ❤️