When I open it, it’s a picture of his hand holding the silver chain my mom gave me when I was nine years old. It has a pendant with my name on it. Instinctively, my hand goes up to my neck to confirm that I don’t have it. I have never taken it off. How did I not realize that I didn’t have it? Maybe I was too busy with my postdeflowering spite.
The thought of seeing Ares fills me with both rage and excitement. That jerk has spread his instability to me. Regaining a bit of my dignity, I type a reply.
Me: You can send it to school with Apolo on Monday.
Ares: Are you afraid to see me?
Me: I don’t want to see you.
Ares: Liar.
Me: Think what you want.
Ares: Why are you angry?
Me: And you dare to ask. Just send it with Apolo and leave me alone.
Ares: I don’t understand your anger, we both know how much you liked it. I remember your moans clearly.
I blush and look away. I feel stupid because he can’t see me.
Me: Ares, I don’t want to talk to you.
Ares: You’re going to be mine again, Witch.
A sinful shiver runs through me. No, no, Raquel, don’t fall. I don’t answer him and leave him on seen. He writes again.
Ares: If you want your chain, come and get it. I’m not going to send it via anyone. I’ll wait for you here, bye.
I growl in frustration. If Mom finds out I lost that necklace, she’ll kill me. After showering and putting on a casual floral print summer dress, I go to rescue my chain. I have my strategy laid out so I won’t fall for his games. I won’t even go into his house. I’ll wait for him to bring the chain outside.
Project Chain Rescue Without Losing My Dignity Along the Way: activated.
EIGHTEEN
The Party
I can’t believe I’m back at the Hidalgos’， and it hasn’t even been a week. In my defense, if Mom finds out that I don’t have the chain, she’ll be so upset with me that she will force me to watch all the nighttime soap operas with her. Pure torture, I know.
Taking a deep breath, I ring the doorbell. The red-haired girl opens the door, looking a little agitated.
“Good afternoon,” she says, adjusting the skirt of her uniform.
“Is Ares here?”
“Yes, of course.” She steps aside and gestures for me to follow. “The party is in the back by the pool, come in.”
Party?
She guides me through the hallway until we reach the pool, which is inside the house. I can see steam rising off the blue water—it must be heated—and the pool lights make the water glow in a cool way. There are more lights and torches all around the room, giving it a tropical, beachy vibe. I guess this is what you get to enjoy when you’re rich.
As soon as I set foot in there, everyone’s eyes turn to me, and I feel superuncomfortable. I look around for Ares. He’s in the pool with a girl on his shoulders facing another couple in the same position. They’re having a water fight. I can’t help feeling jealous of the girl with Ares. She’s very pretty and has a dazzling smile. Ares turns to see what everyone is looking at, and our eyes meet. He doesn’t look surprised. He looks pleased.
He looks so good all wet. No, focus, Raquel. Ares continues his game as if nothing happened. I stand there awkwardly until Apolo walks up to greet me.
“Welcome,” he says with a smile. “These are all Ares’s classmates, but I know them too.” He takes me over to a group of three boys, and I recognize one of them as the guy I bumped into when I was spying on Ares at soccer practice.
“Raquel, this is Marco, Gregory, and Luis,” Apolo introduces them, pointing at each boy respectively.
“Ha! Pay me!” says Luis, the blond one. “I told you someone from Apolo’s new school would come.”
Gregory grunts. “Oh, I can’t believe it.” He takes a few bills out of his pocket and passes them to Luis.
Marco, the dark-haired boy from practice, says nothing, just glancing at me by way of greeting.
Apolo grimaces. “Your bets suck. I’ll be right back, Raquel, make yourself comfortable.”
Gregory points at me with his finger. “I would welcome you, but you just made me lose money.”
“Don’t be a sore loser,” Luis says to Gregory while giving me a smile. “Welcome, Raquel, have a seat.”
I can’t deny that they’re very attractive. I would never have imagined sitting with guys like them in my life. But they don’t seem to be too obnoxious so far. My eyes wander to the pool as the girl on Ares’s shoulders falls into the water, pulling Ares down with her. They emerge from the water, smiling at each other, and she gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.