CHAPTER 25

THE GROUP

RACHEL

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

I go with rock and Yoshi pulls out paper.

I grunt in defeat, "I'll never understand why paper beats rock, it doesn't make sense."

Yoshi shrugs, "I didn't invent the game, you lost, it's your turn."

I wave my arms in the air in frustration. We are in the school hall; it's already dismissal time and we are deciding who has to go back to the classroom to look for Dani who probably stayed behind using her cell phone without realizing that class has already ended.

Typical of Dani.

"Okay, wait for me here," I say, starting down the hall.

Yoshi cheers me on from a distance. I thought things would be weird with him after the other day, but I was wrong, we have interacted as if nothing happened, as if he had not made a scene when I told him that I had lost my virginity.

My virginity...

Ares...

His blue eyes come to mind but I push the thought away, shaking my head. It's been exactly a week since the party at his house, I can't believe it's Friday again.

The week flew by and I'm not going to deny that it's been difficult, especially at night when I close my eyes and I can't help going over everything over and over again in my mind; like trying to find the moment or the reason why it all ended like this. There were even times when I took part of the blame. Was I too easy? He warned me, told me clearly what he wanted and I still gave myself to him, not just once, but twice.

I'm such an idiot.

But before my cycle of self-blame can begin, I pass a corner in the hall and almost crash into Apollo.

"Hey!" he greets me enthusiastically as always.

"Hi," I wave. Apollo is a good boy and we've hung out this past week. I think it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship, after all it's not his fault his brother is a jerk.

"Did you forget something?"

"No, I'm just going to find Dani."

He turns a little red, "Dani? The girl from the club?"

I almost forgot that Dani seduced Apollo at the club to get him out of there when he was drunk the other night, "Do you remember her?"

He nods, "She's beautiful, not easy to forget."

I raise an eyebrow, "Someone sounds interested."

He shakes his head, "It's just a platonic thing, you know, she's way out of my league."

"Nah, anyway, do you want to go with me?"

He blushes again, he's so cute, "Yeah sure."

As we walk, Apollo looks curious, "So, Rachel."

"Yes?"

"You're okay?"

I know he refers to his brother. Apollo is not stupid, he knows something is going on between Ares and me, "Yes, I'm doing great." Lies.

We arrive at the door and Dani is leaving, Carlos follows behind her.

Carlos' face lights up like a child in a toy store, "My love!"

"Here we go," I mumble to myself.

Before I can say anything, he wraps me in a tight hug and kisses my head, "Where have you been, my princess? Oh the agony!"

I squirm in his arms, "I can't breathe."

Dani rolls her eyes and pulls Carlos by the ear, getting him off me, "You're like a leech."

Carlos moans, freeing himself, "Ow! Ow! My ear!"

Apollo shakes her hand nervously, "Hi-hi, Dani."

She just gives him a quick look, "Oh, the drunkie."

Apollo turns red again, "Yeah, sorry, I-"

Dani takes his shoulder and squeezes it briefly, "Easy, no worries, it happens to all of us."

Apollo swallows and I smile, enjoying the situation.

Dani's eyes fall on me, "Good news, we have plans for today."

"Plans?"

Carlos makes eyes at me, "Yes, and I'm going, too."

Dani grabs his ear again, "Only if you behave, if I see you acting like a leech again..."

Carlos lets out a yelp, "Woah! Ow! I'll beahave." Dani lets go and shakes her hands, "Why always my little ear?" Carlos mumbles but no one answers.

"Can someone tell me what those famous plans are," I ask them.

Dani gives me a tired look like it's the most obvious thing in the world, "The game, duh."

"Game?"

Carlos takes my hand but lets it go when Dani gives him a withering look, "Today is the inauguration of the soccer championship, there are notices on all the school bulletin boards."

Oh, the championship, the games.

Our school doesn't have a soccer team, but we will always support the teams of other schools, as Dani's brother is in the private school, we always support that team. But Daniel is not the only one on that team, there is also my executioner or as Dani calls him to avoid saying his name: Voldemort.

Apollo can't help the joy that reflects on his face, "Are you going too? Good, I don't want to go alone."

"I thought we weren't going," I say quickly, Dani grabs my arm, and we all start walking to the exit.

"How could we not? It's the only fun thing to do on Fridays. This place doesn't have many options."

Carlos intervenes, "I want to see those arrogant jerks lose."

"Hey!" Dani protests.

Carlos bows his head, "Sorry, I mean the other players, your brother is super cool."

Yoshi is waiting for us at the exit, "Wow, you went for one and came back with three."

I shrug my shoulders, Carlos speaks, "Give love and you will multiply. It's in the bible, I think."

We all give a 'what the hell?' look to Carlos.

"Ignore him." Dani runs past Yoshi, bumping into him, "Hi, nerd."

Yoshi smiles, "Hello, Medusa."

I giggle, these two are so crazy. Apollo gives me a confused look and I just tell him not to pay attention to them.

Outside of school, we are in a circle deciding what time we will meet at the stadium entrance and if we will wear a shirt of the same color to make it cool.

The sound of an engine entering the school parking lot distracts us. A black truck, very nice and impeccable, enters surprising everyone, but not me. I know who owns that truck, but part of me wants to think that maybe someone else is driving it. My stupid heart betrays me by beating fast inside my chest, I can feel it in my throat.

"Ah, they came looking for me," Apollo growls, "Come on, guys, choose a time quickly."

Carlos seems perplexed, "I didn't know we had a rich dude among us."

The truck stops right next to us, the passenger side right next to Apollo. You can feel the vibration and the sound of music coming from inside, but the tinted windows don't let us see anything, I know that the driver can see us clearly.

Please, not him, not him.

The passenger window starts to drop slowly, and I don't want to look but we all have our eyes fixed on who it is. I clench my sweaty hands and stop breathing when I see him.

After spending so much time with him, you would think that I have already gotten used to how handsome he is but I'm not. How does he manage to take my breath away every time? Ares wears a white t-shirt with a black cap backwards, his black hair slipping out of the cap rebelliously. The cold air coming out of the truck smells of him and his cologne.

His eyes meet mine for a brief second, but he quickly focuses on his brother, "Are you ready?"

Apollo nods, "Guys!"

He calls for us, pulling us out of our trance. Carlos and Yoshi are dazzled by the truck, Dani and I by the driver.

Dani clears her throat, "6:30 p.m is fine. Let's meets at candy stand."

Apollo smiles, "Okay, see you then!"

He gets into the truck and Ares whispers something to him.

Go away! Seeing you is fucking torture!

Why are you so hot, why?

Apollo sticks his head out the window, "Rachel, do you want a ride with us?"

The words choke in my throat, but I manage to speak, "No, I'll walk."

"Are you sure? It is no problem for us."

I open my mouth, but Dani spoke for me, "No thanks, the four of us will walk, you know, double couple style."

"Oh okay..."

Apollo hasn't even finished sticking his head inside when Ares starts the truck like crazy, his tires screeching against the asphalt until he disappears from the parking lot.

Yoshi looks at us strangely, "Double couple style? What the hell was that?"

Carlos also looks confused, "Who is that and why did he drive off like that?"

Well, that's the boy who deflowered me.

"No one," Dani says, "Let's go."

Carlos shakes his head, "Do you want me to take you?"

Dani lets out a laugh, "We don't like motorcycles, Carlos, you know that better than anyone."

Carlos sighs, "Okay, are we leaving now, Yoshi?"

Yoshi looks at us, "Will you be okay?"

I nod, "We're fine, just go with him."

We watch them leave and as soon as they leave my sight, I pout at Dani, "Will we really walk?"

Dani ruffles my hair, "Of course not, Gabo is coming to give us a ride."

"Gabo? As in my co-worker?"

"Uhum, you don't think I'd let us walk." She gives me a high-five, "Are you okay?"

"You are the second person to ask me that today."

Dani gives me a sad smile, "It's a stupid question, right? I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I have to get used to seeing him."

Dani sighs, rubbing my back, "If I don't tell you, I'll explode."

"What?"

"Holy sh*t. He's very, very hot, Rachel, I can't blame you for falling."

I roll my eyes, "He's an idiot."

"An idiot who is very hot."

"Dani!"

She raises her hands in a sign of peace, "I'm just telling the truth; besides you haven't given me the juicy details, what kind of best friend doesn't give details of her first time? I feel betrayed."

I blush a little, "It's embarrassing."

A white car pulls into the parking lot and in the distance, I can see Gabriel's red hair, "I thought you didn't like him."

"Gabo? Of course, I like him. He's a great kisser."

"He really likes you; you know that?"

"You think I fake like him?"

"You know what I mean, Dani. He's a good guy, don't play with him."

She rolls her eyes, "Easy, mother, do you want to put a chastity belt on me?"

"As if that would work for you."

Dani gives me an honest smile, "I'm not messing with him, I promise."

Gabo parks in front of us and we walk to get in the car. Dani in the front seat and I in the back. It's nothing fancy like Ares's truck but it's comfortable, and it has AC, any air-conditioned car is a blessing.

Dani stamps her mouth against his, initiating a short but passionate kiss with tongue. When they part, Gabo is red.

I clear my throat, "Hi, Gabo."

"Hello, Rachel McNuggets."

"You still can't get over that, heh?"

Gabo laughs and looks at me in the rear-view mirror, "It's going to be a long time before I let that go." I stick my middle finger out, "How rude, Miss McNuggets."

On the way, Dani doesn't stop talking about today's soccer game and the inauguration, claiming that many people will go, and that people from other towns will also come. Gabo sounds excited because he apparently has a cousin on Dani's brother's team.

I don't participate much in the conversation because I know that Ares will be there, he is the captain of the team and one of the best players. Being in the same place as him still affects me, it's only been a week. Seeing him today made me realize that although I have taken him out of my life, he still makes me feel ten thousand things just when I see him, indeed, just thinking that I will see him later gives me goose bumps.

I smile to myself, looking down.

Stupid, Greek God.

-

Author's note: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT, THEY'VE BEEN MY FUEL TO UPDATE FREQUENTLY. I love Dani and Rachel's scenes, they are such good friends, I enjoy them so much. 

Anyway, Ares... 

See you soon in the next chapter!