by Casey Crisp
“You can’t rush perfection.” Aria disrupted my observations while handing me a copy of her vocabulary notes.
“You seem to know that more than anyone, Aria,” V remarked. “After all, you’ve been learning piano for how long? Since I first met you?”
Aria glared at him. “This is a different kind of perfection.”
“Where will you need to go after this?”
“I think the dollar store will have most of what we need,” Aria told him, glancing over our list of supplies.
Alex frowned. “Is this a cheap project?”
“Is there anything that you don’t complain about?” Aria returned with a frown.
“A model habitat,” Chrystian said, and I protested after taking my papers back from him, “out of plastic bottles.”
Alex snickered. “So it is cheap.”
“It doesn’t have to be extravagant.” Aria sighed. “We can’t really do much else until we get the supplies. I guess we can find another day to finish everything.”
V started immediately for the stairs, stuffing his phone into his pocket. “Come on, we should get going.”
I stood next to Aria, tossing my bag over my shoulder. “Do you need a ride home, Miss Starr?” Alex asked while rising to his feet.
“She’s coming with us,” Aria insisted.
“I can take her home,” Chrystian inserted. “I don’t mind.”
Aria rolled her eyes. “Honestly, you both are too much. I already said-”
“Alex can take her home,” V ordered definitively. “We’re going back to my place after buying your stuff.”
“I don’t know...”
Honestly, I was hoping that Aria would change her boyfriend’s mind. The thought of going anywhere with Alex had my stomach twisting uncomfortably. “It's fine,” Alex said, brushing off her concerns. “It won’t be any trouble.”
I nodded my consent, aware that I would make things more inconvenient if I chose to prolong the inevitable. I also didn’t want V to worry about driving me home after he ventured all the way downtown for our supplies. “See?” V sighed while reaching for Aria’s hand. “Let’s go pick up your things. Alex can take Brynn home.”
I watched Aria until she disappeared at the top of the staircase, feeling myself grow smaller and smaller with every step that she took, before I was left alone with the other boys. Chrystian seemed unusually irritated, and his calm demeanour had been replaced by something unpleasant. “Are you ready to go, Miss Starr?” Alex asked, flashing me his arrogant smile. I nodded and followed him up the staircase, looking back at Chrystian who had wandered aimlessly over to the bar.
Alex and I walked out of the front entrance before speeding along the sidewalk that led to the school’s nearby parking reservations. Unabashedly, I allowed my eyes to trail over his backside, inwardly praising the advent of dress pants. Meanwhile, Alex studied me from over his shoulder. “You can stop staring at me, Miss Starr. I thought that you were better than those other girls.” I glared at him as he laughed at my expense, stopping next to a black Mustang GT.
“This is yours?” I questioned, unable to disguise my admiration as my eyes trailed across the glossy black paint of the car. It looked practically brand new, sleek and shiny, with nothing but raw power under the hood.
“You like it?” Alex asked.
I crossed my arms over my chest, forcing myself to retain an indifferent expression. “It’s okay.”
“Come on, Miss. Starr, I can recognize a car lover when I see one,” Alex said, patting the top of his mirror. “It has 475 hp. Want to try it out?”
I looked up at him in surprise. “What?”
He held up his key, allowing it to pendulum back and forth enticingly. “I’m offering you the chance to drive my very expensive sports car. You should be jumping at the opportunity.”
“I’m not jumping,” I said, snatching the key from him, “and I won’t be held responsible for any accidents.”
Alex opened the passenger door, and I circled around to the driver’s side while trying to suppress my excitement. Once situated comfortably against the leather seat, I allowed my hands to run over the steering wheel, shivering because of the smooth interior. I turned on the ignition before toeing the gas pedal, and I listened to the engine respond with a resounding growl. “Go ahead and put it in drive,” Alex said, perfectly poised from next to me. “Oh, and please don’t be afraid to go fast. I know that you can’t resist the temptation.”
I ignored him, pressing down on the brake pedal as I threw the Mustang into drive. Despite his permission, I still cautiously toed the gas, screeching unattractively when the car lurched forward responsively with an impressive amount of power. “That’s amazing!” I exclaimed, switching on the left turn signal before easing out into traffic.
“Is that all you got?” Alex teased, and I bristled at the challenge in those infuriating brown eyes.
I applied more pressure to the gas pedal, and with a long stretch of road in front of us, I didn’t hesitate to take advantage. I teased 65 miles per hour before letting off some steam when I took a curve. “This car handles so well,” I remarked, forgetting for a moment that Alex would only eat up my words despite his already inflated ego.
“I knew that you would appreciate the opportunity, Miss Starr. You must not get enough danger in your life.”
“Don’t ruin this,” I instructed him sternly before refocusing on my driving.
My father had been the one who nurtured my fascination with sports cars, often taking me and my sisters to different shows on the weekends. I picked up on his interest while learning about the models he tinkered with at the local mechanic shop. In fact, my father sometimes liked to keep himself busy under the hood while I sat on a stool closeby, listening to him talk about the engines with a studiousness that I’d like to possess for some of my academics.
“Well, Miss Starr,” Alex began after I pulled into the driveway, and he studied my house with blatant curiosity. “I hope that you had your fun, but don’t grow too attached.”
I rolled my eyes at him, even as my whole body still shook from adrenaline, reaching for my bag in the backseat. “I’m sure you can find your way home,” I said, deciding not to wait for his response before I was already halfway up the sidewalk.
“Miss Starr,” Alex said, and I paused to look back at him. “If you’re going to be Aria’s best friend, then we should try to get along, right?”
“Why?” I questioned him. “I’m not going to be friends with you.”
Alex shook his head. “You’re far too interesting, Miss Starr. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together.”
Rose
The weekend approached unexpectedly, which meant that it was nearly time for our first tournament of the season. We were traveling to Tennessee, and all the girls were excited to explore Nashville. Likewise, under any other circumstances, I would join in their excitement and celebrate an exciting adventure because of the opportunity to visit such a popular destination. My last tournament at our previous high school sent us all the way to the coast, and I remembered sunbathing on the beaches. However, something felt completely wrong this time, and that something had gotten under my skin since our first day at Arlington.
As such, Sydney Black at least had the decency to look ashamed when I caught her glowering in Aria’s direction. But she had been doing a lot of that lately, and I considered my teammate for a moment longer before rejoining Brynn and Aria’s conversation. My sister spoke around a muffled yawn. “Is V already gone?”
“He should be here soon with Beckett,” Aria said, finally averting her gaze back to our group.
“Good morning, girls.”
Rina Soler’s voice was an unpleasant sound as she crossed her arms in a decidedly aggressive posture. The self-proclaimed best friend of Sydney Black seemed to share the same talent of pushing one’s metaphorical buttons. I would expect nothing less from someone with such an overbearing personality. “Aria,” she huffed,
wrinkling her nose as if the thought of Aria Nicolai was physically repulsive.
“It’s nice to see you, Rina.”
Rina held out a hand like she was studying her fingernails. “Are you ready for this weekend?”
“I think everyone’s excited,” Brynn said, falling back against the wall next to me.
“We’ll be with the boys too,” Rina commented. “Isn’t that exciting? But I guess Aria spends enough time with Venir and his friends. Have you slept with all of them, yet?”
Aria shook her head, but I saw the hurt as it flashed inside her eyes. However, I knew that it wasn’t the words hurting her, but the one who was speaking them. Rina was someone Aria had tried so desperately to befriend, even after considering Venir’s warning. It was just unfortunate that Rina’s stupid and petty jealousy prevented her from separating Aria from her other relationships.
“Get lost,” Brynn snapped. “I’m sure Sydney is waiting for you.”
The warning was presented in a timely fashion because it prevented a potential conflict with Venir as he walked into the gym with Beckett at his side. If he had overheard Rina’s words, then there was no doubt in my mind that Rina would have paid for them, even if they were an indirect part of Sydney Black’s personal campaign against Aria. As it was, I knew that Aria never told her boyfriend anything, and Venir only glared at Rina’s retreating form while she located Sydney on the sideline. “Has Rina said anything to you?”
Aria shook her head, refusing to meet Venir’s gaze. “She usually ignores me.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” Beckett offered. “Sydney Black is a gossip.”
Venir turned Aria around to face him, looking down at her with concern. “Stay away from Sydney, yes?”
Aria nodded. “We don’t talk very much.”
“Stay close to Beckett this weekend. I don’t like these trips.”
“Why?” Aria asked, attempting to enliven her words. “We always have so much fun.”
Venir sighed, pulling Aria into his arms. “Your energy is infectious. Just stay out of trouble, please.”
“You act like I want trouble.” Aria frowned. “Trust me, I’ll do everything that I’m supposed to.”
“Thank you,” he said with a sincere tone before kissing her tenderly on the lips, and he paused in close proximity to look into her eyes. He must’ve been satisfied, nodding once as he released her before pausing to speak briefly with Beckett. In the meantime, our coaches finally re-emerged from the back offices.
“Let’s go, everyone!” Miranda exclaimed. “We’ve got a long drive ahead of us.”
Her announcement was the precursor to the tight swarm of basketball players who slowly congested the main entrance. Once outside, the bus was waiting next to the gymnasium, and the athletes made themselves comfortable along the adjacent rows of faded leather benches. Accordingly, I sat next to Brynn because I noticed that Beckett maintained an impenetrable shield around Aria who was pressed against the window. “They’re always so protective of her,” Brynn remarked.
I nodded vacantly, spotting Nicole as she joined Skyla near the front. I was glad that my little sister got along so well with one of the other girls, especially someone who she could trust as an ally throughout high school. I took a deep breath while I pulled out my headphones, stuffing the buds into my ears. “I’m sleeping through this nightmare.”
***
When Brynn gently woke me from my nap, I discovered that we had stopped about an hour away from the hotel for dinner. We waited until after the others had left the bus before joining them inside the restaurant. “I don’t understand why it’s fast food,” Brynn groaned as we rapidly took over the chain restaurant, much to the horror of the employees who had probably been hoping for a quiet evening.
“You look like hell, Starr!” One of the younger male basketball players remarked snarkily to my sister. I chuckled as I realized that her dark brown hair was indeed resembling something close to a bird’s nest. She had probably joined me in sleeping through the trip.
“Shut up, Jonathan,” Brynn shot back, and then she spoke to me. “He’s an asshole.”
“Does mine look like that?” I asked, tugging on my dirty blonde tendrils.
“It’s fine,” she snapped again.
“You’re even more unbearable than usual.”
“Well, you’re rude today,” Brynn hissed.
“I think it’s just you.”
“Where’s Aria?” Brynn asked to change the subject.
“Am I not good enough?” I snickered as we waited by the front counter.
“I like diversity in my company,” Brynn grumbled while looking longingly at the employees scrambling in the back to prepare enough food to satisfy our enormous party.
Nevertheless, the two of us eventually placed our orders and found Aria sitting alone at a table without Beckett’s oppressive company. She waved us over and we sat down with our trays. “Where’s your bodyguard?” Brynn asked with a smirk.
“I told Beckett to eat with his friends,” Aria said. “He can be really boring.”
“Why would they take us somewhere like this the night before a game?”
“It’s cheap.” Aria shrugged. “Even the basketball team has a food budget. Plus, it’s fast and easy.”
“I hate convenience sometimes,” Brynn said, leaning back in her chair.
“Be careful doing that.” I warned her, watching as the chair’s legs left the floor. “How convenient would it be if our starting point guard broke an arm at a place like this?”
Brynn kept her eyes focused on mine as she deliberately returned the chair to its original position. “Happy?”
I ignored her sarcastic comeback, returning my focus to the conversation of our impending tournament. The details of our trip had been meticulously explained during one of our practice sessions. Our team would be staying together at one of the hotels near the arena, having been organized into roommates of Miranda's choosing instead of offering us free reign. I was satisfied with Heidi Delacruz, one of our starting guards, but I felt sorry for Aria who had already been paired off unwittingly with Sydney Black. A detail that she had intentionally withheld from Venir who would’ve immediately opposed such an arrangement. However, Aria reassured us that she was fine with the situation, thinking that it gave her another opportunity to talk to Sydney without the presence of our other teammates. Aria had devised some grand theory that Sydney only acted the way that she did because she felt the need to put herself in a position of authority over everyone else. She was only rude to Aria around the others when she felt that Aria threatened some kind of self-perceived power. Honestly, I thought that Sydney Black was just a despicable person, even if she was one hell of a basketball player.
As for Heidi, she had seemed nice enough in our brief conversations. She was always either keeping to herself or sticking close to Hadley Carpathia, an exceptionally extroverted forward and a favorite of Nicole’s when she needed her fix of Arlington’s never-ending gossip pool. Regardless, as long as they didn’t associate themselves with Sydney and her friends, then I was fine with them both.
Nonetheless, after our impromptu stop for dinner, our school’s assigned tour bus managed to power through the remaining miles to Nashville. I was actually grateful because I was very close to falling asleep again and I preferred an actual bed as opposed to my sister’s shoulder. Thankfully, our coaches quickly separated the two teams upon our arrival since we would be staying in entirely different buildings. Of course, even I knew that the physical separation wasn't enough to discourage meetings.
“Stay with your roommates,” Miranda said while she distributed around room keys. We grabbed our belongings and followed our coach to the second level of the fairly modest building where our rooms were situated. “Ladies!” Miranda started, and it seemed like the beginning of another one of her infamous passive-aggressive speeches. “You’re here to have fun, but don’t stay up too late. I want you to bond with your teammates, but this is
n’t a slumber party! We have a lot of games scheduled for tomorrow.”
I, of course, heeded her warning and started getting ready for bed the minute I was in my room, settling into my comfortable night attire consisting of a pair of black mesh shorts and a tank-top. Unfortunately, when I walked out of the bathroom, I met Heidi rather abruptly from where she waited right outside the door. “I’m done,” I told her around a yawn. “You can have the bathroom.”
Heidi cleared her throat anxiously. “About that...”
I closed my eyes and resisted the urge to completely lose my temper. “What are you planning?”
“Ryder is coming over in five minutes,” she explained hastily, quickly interrupting me before I could protest. “You don’t have to leave, Rose, and I promise that he’s only going to stay for an hour.”
She waited, but I offered nothing in return, merely surprised by the random invitation. I also wasn’t in the mood to deal with Ryder Ainsworth, especially in consideration of our last confrontation. After the unexpected shooting competition, Ryder had cornered me outside the gymnasium, lingering far too close in proximity, before offering me an extension of his appreciation for our friendly game. My heart had flipped dangerously against my sternum, and I decided to subsequently avoid him as much as possible. “What are you guys doing?” I asked her carefully.
“Please?” Heidi begged instead, avoiding the question while clasping her hands together.
I bumped my shoulder against hers as I started for my temporary bed. “He better be gone after an hour.”
“Thank you, Rose!” Heidi squealed. “I’ll be as fast as I can in the bathroom, but if Ryder knocks, will you let him in?”
