Page 80 of Through My Window
Ares stops at a gas station for a few minutes, and I stay in the car, waiting. His cell phone is stuck to the side of the steering wheel with the screen exposed. The announcement of a new message catches my attention and I can see that it’s from Samy. I can’t see the content, just her name there, which flashes again with three more messages. My stomach churns slightly, but I push it away as Ares gets back into the car. He gives me a smile, and I forget about Samy for a few seconds.
“Ares . . .”
“Huh?”
“I . . . ”I like you, I want you, I always want to be with you like this. “Uh . . . nothing.”
I just stare at him like a fool as he drives the rest of the way. My obsession . . .
My beautiful Greek god.
TWENTY-NINE
The Question
- ARES -
The car ride is more uncomfortable than I expected, and it catches me off guard. I clear my throat before speaking.
“Do you want a ride home or to your friend’s house?” I ask, my hands tight on the steering wheel as I take a turn. Raquel is sitting in the passenger seat with her hands in her lap. Is she nervous?
“My friend’s.” She gives me the address, and silence falls between us. I feel the need to fill it, so I turn on the radio just as “i hate u, i love u” by gnash begins to play. The lyrics steal a smile from Raquel, and I begin to sing it with the intention of lightening the awkwardness between us.
“Wow, Ares Hidalgo sings,” she teases. “I should record you and post it; I bet it would get a lot of likes.”
I grin openly at her.
“You’d only help my popularity with girls. You want that?”
“Your popularity with girls?Puh-lease!You’re not even that hot.”
“Not even that hot? That’s not what you were saying this morning. Should I repeat the things you were asking me to do to you?”
I glance at her, and she turns red. Well, this isn’t so bad, she looks much more comfortable now.
“That’s not necessary.”
I reach out my hand and rest it on her thigh.
“That was a good way to start the day.”
“Pervert.”
I squeeze her thigh gently.
“But you like this pervert, don’t you?”
“Ugh, I can’t handle your ego,” she says. “It’s too big.”
“I think that’s what you told me this morning.”
She slaps my shoulder.
“Ah! Stop having dirty thoughts!”
I laugh, and the relief that everything is flowing more smoothly between us is cut short by my phone ringing. I see Samy’s name on the screen and press answer. My cell phone is synced to my car’s audio system so I can talk without having to take my hands off the wheel. Samy says, “Hello,” and it echoes all around us. It doesn’t bother me that Raquel is listening because I have nothing to hide.
“Hello?”
