by Ana Huang
He sighed. “Obviously, the only reason you yelled at me at the party and withstood all the students’ abuse was to stand out and get my attention!”
Her jaw dropped, and she slowly shook her head, a disbelieving look on her face. “I always knew you were an arrogant blockhead, but I never knew you were delusional too! Listen to me, and listen to me good, Roman Fiori. I don’t want to be your girlfriend, and I never will, especially when one of your lackies chloroformed me! I yelled at you because you are a heartless egomaniac who needs someone to put him in his place, and I managed to withstand everything you put me through because I’ll be damned before I let someone like you walk all over me!”
Roman was stunned. “Why are you being so difficult?” he demanded angrily. “Any girl would kill to be my girlfriend! Besides, you’re a scholarship kid! You should be begging to be with me! I can give you all the financial support--”
“Are you listening to yourself? Do you know what an ass you sound like? I don’t need your financial support. Just because I go Valesca on a scholarship doesn’t mean I want to be your slave!”
His narrowed his eyes. “Is it because you’re already dating someone?” For some reason, the thought made him even angrier.
Maya threw up her hands. “Have you not been listening to a word I said? I don’t—“
“Actually, Rome, she does.” Parker strode calmly into the room, draping an arm around Maya’s shoulders. “She’s my girlfriend now.”
CHAPTER 8
Sometimes, I wonder if I was a murderer in my past life or something. Obviously, I had to have racked up some pretty bad karma because my present-day life sucks.
I unconsciously moved closer to Parker as I stared at Roman with wide eyes, my previous anger replaced by fear at the look on his face. I was surprised I didn’t see steam pouring out of his ears.
Unfortunately, the small movement on my part only seemed to make him angrier.
“Excuse me?” he ground out, his voice low and dangerous.
“She’s my girlfriend,” Parker repeated, not seeming to share any of my personal terror at all. He kept his arms around my shoulders. “Sorry, Rome, guess I beat you to the punch this time.”
I blanched. “Are you crazy?” I hissed so that only Parker could hear me. “Now is not the time to bait him.”
“Calm down, sweetheart, it’ll be fine. Unless you would rather be his girlfriend instead…”
I just glared at him in response.
Parker smirked. “That’s what I thought.”
I was so caught up in silently cursing every Scion, as well as the stupid person who’d invented the word Scion, that I didn’t notice Roman approaching until he forcefully yanked Parker’s arm away from me.
“You didn’t beat to me to anything,” Roman snarled, his violet eyes a near-black. “You two aren’t really dating.”
I shot Parker a panicked look. Was Roman psychic?
“Of course we are.” Parker did a very good job of looking surprised. “What makes you think we aren’t?”
Roman’s eyes narrowed. “You guys don’t even know each other!”
“Au contraire, I just had dinner at her house yesterday,” Parker replied calmly. “I also met her family. They’re quite lovely, I must say. Now, since you are one of my best friends, I would appreciate it if you gave us your blessing and support—“
"Bullshit! You guys have never even talked before!"
"Not that you know of," Parker corrected calmly. "Your game's slipping a bit, Rome."
"Parker, you're my friend, but you need to shut the hell up!"
Parker stepped forward and placed his hands on Roman's chest to push him back from me. "Listen, Rome, I know you're mad, but--"
And that was when Roman hauled back his fist and punched Parker in the jaw.
"What are you doing?" I screamed, running over to Parker's side. "Oh my god, Parker, are you okay?"
He winced, rubbing his jaw. "Yeah, I'll be fine."
I turned to Roman, my own hands balling up into fists. "What is wrong with you? You can't go around punching people like that! And you wonder why I'm with Parker and not you? He's a great boyfriend--"
“Oh, now I get it.” Roman glared at me. “Guess you already found someone to give you the jewels and clothes, huh? You work fast, I’ll give you that.”
I’ve never been so insulted in my entire life. “Excuse me, but I’m dating Parker because he’s a genuinely good person,” I declared, straightening up and staring Roman straight in the face. “Which is more than I can say for someone else in this room.”
“Genuinely good person?” Roman snorted. “You’re talking about the biggest player in town! He’s been with every girl in Valesca!”
“Thanks.” Parker sounded touched. He didn't seem to be all that upset that one of his best friends had just punched him in the face.
Roman and I both ignored him.
“Although, now that I think about it, that probably means you’ve been with him too.” His lips twisted. “It makes so much sense now.”
I couldn’t help but gasp. Was he accusing me of being a slut?
“Shut up!” I shouted, nearly blind with rage as all my previous anger came flooding back. “God, you’re such a dick!” I threw the necklace I’d taken off as hard as I could at his chest and impulsively stomped on his foot—in my three-inch heels.
To my immense pleasure, Roman let out a yelp of pain.
“And just so you know—“ I pulled the torture devices they called Jimmy Choos off my feet and threw them at him too. “—even if he was a homeless pauper and looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, I would still pick him over a soulless jerk like you!”
Not satisfied with just impaling his foot, I also slapped him across the face for the second time in a week before running out.
For some reason, I could feel tears prickling the backs of my eyes, blurring my vision. It shouldn’t have upset me that he thought I was promiscuous, but it did.
I didn’t like him, and I didn’t care what he thought per se, but I was so sick of people making judgments about me before they even got to know me.
Oh, I’m a scholarship kid? That must mean I’m poor and pathetic or a gold-digger.
Oh, I’m part Asian? I must be super-good at math and science. (Well, I am good at them, but I’m much better at English and the social sciences).
Oh, I happen to think Parker Remington is actually a good person? That must mean I’m a slut who’s already slept with him.
Fighting back a sob, I ran blindly down the hallway. I didn’t even know where I was going—I just knew I had to get as far away from Roman Fiori as possible.
* * *
Adriana stormed up the stairs of the Fiori mansion, the sound of her stilettos echoing like gunshots in the massive halls. She pushed open the doors to Roman’s room with unnecessary force.
He looked up from the video game he was playing with surprise.
“God, Adri, could you be any louder?” he asked, sounding annoyed. “I’m—“
Adriana stomped over to him and gave him a big, healthy whack on the head.
“Jesus! What the hell?” Roman yelled, rubbing the back of his head. “What was that for?”
“You know what it’s for,” she snapped, about to give him another well-deserved slap, although he managed to evade it just in time. “God, Rome, what the hell were you thinking? Kidnapping Maya and then bringing her here and basically implying she’s a slut? You’re a total idiot!”
Roman’s face shut down as he turned back to his video game. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t bullshit me. Parker told me what happened.”
“Oh, right, Parker,” Roman said sarcastically. “Everyone believes Parker, because he’s so perfect.”
Adriana crossed her arms over her chest. “So what are you saying? That he was lying?”
Roman didn’t respond.
“That’s what I thought. And you seriously need to
stop being jealous of Parker and get over yourself Rome, or you’re going to end up with no friends. Not to mention, you need to apologize to Maya.”
Roman snorted. “I’m not jealous of Parker,” he snapped. “Why would I be jealous of him?”
“Because Maya is dating him and not you.”
“So? It’s not like I would want to date someone like her anyway. I don’t even like her! Remember the party incident?”
Adriana rolled her eyes. Sometimes, she wondered why she even bothered. “Well, you’re the one who brought her to your house and basically asked her to be your girlfriend.”
Roman threw the joystick down. “I didn’t ask her to be my girlfriend, I was just giving her a way out,” he declared.
“Please. Just admit it. She intrigues you, and that’s the reason why you want her to be your girlfriend,” Adriana said knowingly. “And judging from the look of things, it seems like you lost the bet.”
Roman let out an annoyed sigh. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“The bet. I said I could find a girl in Valesca who doesn’t care you’re a Fiori. That girl is Maya.”
A muscle ticked in Roman’s jaw. “That’s not true.”
“And de Nile is not just a river in Egypt,” Adriana countered. “Seriously Rome, you like her, or at least, you’re starting to like her, and we both know it. If you keep on acting like such an ass, though, you’ll never have a chance with her.”
A shadow crossed Roman’s face. “She’s dating Parker, remember?”
Adriana tensed. “Well, it’s Parker,” she said nonchalantly. “You know how he is.”
“Personally, I don’t see the attraction,” Roman muttered. “He’s a huge player. I’m richer than him. I’m better-looking than him. What does he have that I don’t?” He sounded like a petulant child.
Adriana snickered. “You’re beginning to sound like a girl.” She tossed her golden hair over her shoulder. “Besides, like you said, Parker’s a player. He and Maya probably aren’t that serious, which means you still have a chance.”
Roman eyed her suspiciously. “Why do you want us to get together so badly anyway?”
She sighed. “You really are dumb sometimes. Because you are completely insufferable right now, and you need a girl in your life to make you a little less insufferable. So far, Maya’s the best, not to mention the only, candidate for the job. That is, if you can somehow clean up this horrible mess you've made.”
“Whatever.” Roman picked up the control for his video game again. “Just so you know, I’m only intrigued by her. That doesn’t mean I like her.”’
Adriana patted him on the shoulder. “Sure. Whatever makes you sleep better at night."
* * *
“Which of these adjectives best describes her?” Roman’s assistant, Richard, read aloud from the magazine in his hand. “A. Dainty and feminine—“
“Yeah, right,” Roman snorted, toweling off his hair, which was still damp from the pool. “No.”
“—B. quiet and shy. C. friendly and outgoing, or D. stubborn and willful?”
Roman pursed his lips. “D. Definitely D.”
Richard marked off the answer. “This is the last question, Mr. Fiori.”
“I know, I know, just ask it already,” Roman said impatiently.
Richard cleared his throat. “What qualities do you admire most in a girl? A. Intelligence. B. Beauty, C. Compassion—“
“What kind of dumb quiz is this anyway?” Roman demanded. “Who would like a dumb, ugly, mean girl?”
“Well, you were the one who gave me this quiz,” Richard murmured.
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing,” the assistant replied innocently. He resumed reading out loud. “Like I was saying, C. Compassion or D. Talent.”
Roman tapped his fingers on the table. “Compassion,” he finally answered. “Well? What are the results?”
“I’m looking.” Richard flipped to the back of the magazine.
“Look faster!”
Richard sighed. He’d been a loyal member of the Fioris’ staff for years, and the gig paid well, but it was times like these that he wished he actually completed business school. “I found it.” He skimmed the results, his face paling.
“Well, what does it say?”
“Mr. Fiori, I don’t think these types of quizzes are necessarily accurate—“
Roman made an impatient noise. “Let me see that!” He snatched the magazine from Richard’s hands. “The girl you like is someone who is strong, determined, and not afraid to speak her mind. However, despite her toughness, she is looking for a partner who is sweet and sensitive—“
Richard grimaced. Sweet and sensitive? Roman didn’t stand a chance.
“—and is not afraid to embrace his inner child.” He threw the magazine down. “Inner child? What is this, Parenting Magazine 101? This is such bullshit!” He glared at Richard. “You need to pick better magazines, Richard!”
Richard refrained from reminding his boss that he was the one who had chosen the magazine. “Don’t be mad,” he said soothingly, flipping to the next page. “Look, they have tips in the back.”
“Tips?” Roman narrowed his eyes. “I don’t need tips!”
“Oh, okay, then I will just throw this away for you—“
“Wait!” Roman grabbed the magazine. “I’ll throw it away myself.”
Richard hid his smile. “Of course, Mr. Fiori.”
* * *
“I am so sorry, Parker.” I sighed as I opened the door to my house, flicking on the lights. “I feel like it's my fault that Roman punched you."
After I’d ran out of the parlor, I’d almost gotten lost because the Fioris’ house was so huge. Luckily, Parker had followed me and managed to save me from getting stuck in the maze of hallways.
“Oh, don’t worry about it.” Parker shrugged. “I’ve known him since kindergarten. Trust me, I’ve seen him at his worst. Besides, we used to play fight all the time.”
I grimaced. "Yeah, but this time wasn't exactly 'playing'." I eyed his bruised jaw. "I can't believe he hit you that hard. Actually, I can't believe you're not mad at him!"
"Yeah, well, if I got mad at him every time he acts like a dick, we might as well stop being friends."
I shook my head. "And you don't think you'd be better off not being friends with him?"
Parker stared at me seriously. "I'll admit, Roman may not come off as the nicest guy sometimes--"
I snorted.
He smiled slightly. "Ok, he never comes off as the nicest guy, but we've been friends our entire lives, and we've been through a lot of shit together. You may not see it, but he actually is a great friend."
"You're right, I definitely don't see it." I shook my head. “God, when did my life get so messed up? Today has to be one of the worst days ever. And that's saying a lot."
Parker smirked, playfully toying with one of the straps of my dress. “At least you got a dress out of it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, that makes everything so much better,” I said sarcastically. “I don’t want to keep anything of his. I’m giving this back to him.”
“Why? That dress is worth $2000. Just consider it partial payment for everything you’ve been through.”
“$2000?” I was stunned. “Holy hell, that’s more than some people’s monthly salaries.”
Parker made himself comfortable on the living room couch. It was pretty late, and my parents and grandmother were thankfully already asleep. “Welcome to the high life, sweetheart.”
“I don’t feel like my life is very high right now,” I muttered, wrinkling my nose at my feet. After running around barefoot, they were disgusting.
“Trust me, it’ll get better. Especially now that we’re dating.”
I rolled my eyes and cast a furtive glance around to make sure my grandmother wasn’t lurking in the shadows. “We’re not really dating,” I hissed.
Parker gave me a wounded look. “Not even after I
saved you from Rome? You hurt me, Maya, you really do.”
“I’m sure you’ll survive,” I said dryly.
“Nevertheless, Roman thinks we’re dating.” Parker laced his fingers behind his head and gave me an assessing look. “And…uh, I kinda told Zack and the rest of the guys we’re dating too.”
I groaned. “Why?”
“Well, I needed to tell them what happened,” he pointed out defensively. “Anyway, if we’re going to keep up this façade…we need to coordinate.”
