Page 28 of Theirs to Ruin

“Let’s go,” he said, his voice raspy.

He straddled the bike. I swung a leg over the seat and settled behind him, wrapping my arms tightly around his middle. His warmth seeped through our clothes, grounding me, making the world feel a bit more bearable. He smelled of leather and something deliciously earthy that made my insides spark.

He pushed down the kick-start level and the machine roared to life, a beast waking from slumber, its power reverberating throughout the parking lot. I bit my lip and excitement raced through me, chasing away some of the hurt I’d been feeling at Kage’s betrayal.

"Hold on tight."

And with that, we were off. The wind whipped at my hair as we sped down the road leading away from campus. Soon, we rode through Crimsonvale, passing the brick facades of the town’s businesses, the sidewalk planters with the bright colors of autumn mums, and the few locals out shopping.

I loved it all; the feel of the bike humming between my legs, the rhythmic thud of the engine, Dante's solid presence between my thighs. I closed my eyes and pressed myself closer to him, losing myself in the moment.

We were about ten minutes out of town when Dante slowed the bike and took a sharp turn onto a steep, winding dirt track.I held on tighter as he navigated the narrow, rugged path full of craggy rocks, ruts, and snarled undergrowth.

Eventually, he pulled into a large bare spot just off the jagged side of an overlook and turned off the engine. He took off my helmet, put it in the bike locker, and grabbed a blanket.

I couldn’t help wondering how many girls he’d fucked on that thing.

Not your business, Camille.

He guided me toward the edge of the overlook. “Be careful,” he warned. “There’s no railing.”

I sucked in a breath as I looked around. A breathtaking panoramic view of Crimsonvale was laid out before us. Trees with blood-red leaves marched like a line of fire through the deep green of firs, pines, and wispy hemlock trees. The sky above us was so blue it looked like the sea.

Dante shook out a blanket, sat down, then motioned for me to join him, which I did. We didn’t speak for the longest time, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment. Finally, his gaze shifted to me and he handed me a granola bar. “It’s not much, but I keep them with me. Get something in your stomach.”

“It’s okay, Dante, I?—”

He ripped the wrapper open then held it out again, his gaze steady.

I bit my lip and took it. It looked healthy, so I expected it to taste like cardboard. Instead, it was chewy and yummy. I tasted peanut butter and chocolate. I suddenly realized how ravenous I was and finished the bar in several bites. When I was done, Dante took the wrapper from me, folded it, and put it in his jacket pocket.

“Thank you,” I said.

He nodded. “You ready to talk about what happened, Peaches?”

I sighed. "Do I have a choice?"

“You always have a choice. I’m hoping you choose to get this shit off your chest. You don’t have to carry your troubles alone, Camille.”

I knew that. I also knew bottling things up was no good for me. It made me reckless, and it clouded my judgement. I shook my head, letting some of my anger and frustration seep out.

“Ava…she said things and…” My hands clenched into tight fists. “I hate her so fucking much. Part of me wishes she was dead.”

"That’s understandable. I’ve gotten glimpses of how badly she’s treated you lately. But you need to remember that her behavior probably has nothing to do with you. People who lash out like Ava does usually have something deeper going on with them. They deflect their pain onto others because it makes them feel less alone.”

I resented him taking her side at first. I didn’t want him making lame excuses for her awful behavior. But then I remembered Dante was a school counselor. It was possible he was trying to tell me something without giving me any specifics that would violate Ava’s privacy.

"You sound like you know something and I know you can’t tell me what it is,” I muttered, picking up an amber colored leaf from the ground next to me and studying it closely. “But what? I should just get over it?”

The wind picked up, sending my hair flying in all directions—including my face. I spluttered, attempting to blow the hair away as Dante chuckled. With a soft touch that sent tingles down my arms, he reached over and smoothed my hair back, tucking it into the back of my jacket.

“I’m not telling you to get over what Ava said or even let it go. You’re entitled to feel pissed. I just thought if you understood it wasn’t personal, it might help.”

“It does help, actually.”

And it did. I’d convinced myself Ava was just a bitch and I had been a fool to think our friendship was real. But maybe it had been real and then something happened in Ava’s life that sent her spiraling. Whatever was going on, it was Ava’s problem, not mine.

Now I just needed to make myself believe that.

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