Page 108 of Through My Window
“I’m sorry, Witch. It was quite a week.” His smile fades. “Quite a complicated one.”
His playful countenance disappears and is replaced by a sadness that he seems to be struggling to hide. I want to ask him what happened, but I have a feeling he won’t tell me.
“It’s okay, you don’t owe me any explanations. We’re just friends after all.”
Watching his face, I regret the words the moment they come out of my mouth. He looks hurt and that was not my intent, I just wanted to make a joke to ease the tension. Ares licks his lips, as if trying to overlook what I just said.
“Actually, I came looking for you. I want to go out with you today.”
“I already have plans. I’m sorry.”
“With them?” Ares glances behind me.
“Yeah, we’re going to celebrate passing an exam.”
Ares raises an eyebrow. “And you don’t usually pass?”
Not with such a high score as today.
“Hey, it’s not that, it’s just. . . . It’s Friday. You know, we make up any reason to celebrate.”
“Can’t you make up an excuse and come with me?”
“No, you should have asked me in advance.”
“Raquel!” Carlos shouts my name. Ares looks him over, from head to toe.
“Who’s he?”
“A friend. Really, I have to go.” Clinging to my self-control, I give him one last smile and walk away.
I’m about to catch up with my friends when Ares joins me. I give him a strange look. “What are you doing?”
“I’m coming with you,” he informs me as if it were a fact. “I’m your ‘friend,’” again he makes those quotation marks with his fingers, “so I may as well be part of a friends’ celebration.”
I narrow my eyes and open my mouth to protest, but Ares steps forward to greet Dani. He introduces himself to Carlos, giving him a firm handshake. Dani gives me a what-the-hell look, and I answer her with a confused shrug.
“Where are we going?” Ares asks, smiling, his charisma on full display. Dani smiles back.
“We thought about going to the café on Main Street.”
“You celebrate with coffee?” he asks, giving us a confused look.
Dani arches an eyebrow. “Yes. Any problem with that?”
He raises his hands. “No, none, but I have alcohol at my house.”
Ha! Trying to take me to your territory, Greek God? Nice try.
“Really?” Carlos asks, his face lighting up.
Ares nods, finding an ally. “Yes, and very good quality.”
Carlos looks at us. “Shall we go?”
Dani and I exchange glances, but she saves the day.
“No, thank you. We prefer coffee.”
