Page 3 of Mine to Ruin

“The harder you try to stay away, the harder it pulls you in, until it swallows you whole. But you’re not me, Ellie, you’re stronger.”

“Will you ever tell me what happened to you?”

Her eyes lose focus for a second.

“Maybe, but let me give you some advice.” My aunt’s eyes bore into mine. “Stay away from the Reyes.”

“What does my new job have to do with this?” I ask, eyebrows drawing in confusion.

She hugs me and whispers, “Temptation costs us everything in the end.”

Chapter 2

Ellia

Inside my apartment, a few remaining boxes lay scattered on the floor. The white walls are empty without the shelves full of books, pictures, and art deco pieces, foretelling our impending move. The end of this chapter of my life is evident in every step, the echoes of my movement reverberating around the empty space.

I close the door to my room and drop in my chair, the white canvas calling to me from across my bedroom. I mix colors and layer them until the canvas thickens. My hand moves sharply right, left, up, and down, and I hide human forms behind the splash of acrylics.

“You’re still painting? It’s late.” Aubrey peeks her head inside my room, and I pick up my phone to check the time.

“It’s only nine o’clock.”

I put the phone in her face, and she rolls her eyes. “You know what? Forget it. But I booked a table reservation for eleven o’clock.” She turns on her heels and her eyes gleam with mischief.

“Wait, what?”

She sighs dramatically as if I should have known about this already. “For the opening of the new club, R.”

I follow her to her room. Clothes are draped everywhere, and a pile of laundry lays discarded in the corner. The only clean space is in the other corner where her camera sits on the tripod.

“You realize we are talking about the club in the hotel where I start work soon?”

She waves me off and goes back to straightening her hair while I plop on the edge of the bed, putting my face in my hands.

“It’s not as if you’ll do something that might call attention to yourself. Let’s be serious.”

I open and then clamp my mouth shut. Aubrey has a valid argument.

“Come on, it’s our last night together.” You’d think we’re never going to see each other again. She is an expert guilt tripper.

“I hate it when you do that.”

“If I didn’t do that, we’d barely go out.” She raises her hands in exasperation and that’s when Tara appears, leaning against the doorframe.

“Aubrey, we’re going. You can stop already.”

Both Tara and I eye each other, but if it weren’t for Aubrey, I am pretty sure we would have ended up with no partying college experience at all.

“I don’t want you to miss out,” she says, dragging her teeth across her lower lip.

“I know—we know—but accept that while you try to check out every experience life throws at you, I am more cautious,” Tara adds.

Aubrey sighs. “You mean weird.”

These two couldn’t be more different than a hammer and a pillow.

“Let’s not argue tonight. We’re going out, so do your magic.”

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