3

Asher

I'm kissing Ana, but something—no, someone—catches my attention. Damn, Cecilia, what is she doing here? She grabs her classmate by the arm and heads for the exit.

I get up abruptly from the couch and follow her. I finally catch up to her and grab her arm. She turns toward me, and the irritation on her face tells me she had already seen me and maybe that's why she was trying to leave. I look her up and down, and I feel a crazy urge to break something.

"What are you doing here?" I finally ask her.

"Oh, listen to this, he can talk," she shoots back.

I know I'm treating her badly by ignoring her most of the time, but it's what her brother asked me to do, and knowing myself, I shouldn't get interested in her. Otherwise, I might find her interesting, and for her well-being, that's the last thing that should happen.

"I asked you a question, Cecilia," I shout.

"And he knows my name," she laughs.

Even though it pisses me off that she's dodging my question, she's right. I've never even said hello to her. I pull her to lead her out of the room and take her to her brother. She can answer him.

"Since you're playing games, let's see if you'll answer your brother."

"Let go of me, alright? I have nothing to say to you," she yells, but I ignore her and push her into the elevators.

I drag her to her brother's room as we get out.

"Please, Asher, don't do this. I'll answer you," she says, but I keep ignoring her.

"Please, Asher."

The tone of her voice tells me she's about to cry, and honestly, I don't want her to cry because of me. I stop in front of her room, but she doesn't seem to notice.

"I'm begging you."

Since I don't react, she opens the door to her room, and I follow her inside.

"Answer me now, or I'll call Jason," I tell her, closing the door behind me.

"I just wanted to have a little fun since Jason is with that bitch," she says.

I'll never understand her relationship with her brother. They adore each other, but I think her emotional dependence on him is unhealthy. She's with him all the time.

"How many drinks have you had?" I ask, stepping closer to see if she's drunk.

I force myself to control my gaze and not look at her plunging neckline.

"I'm not drunk if that's what you're asking," she replies, and I can see my proximity is affecting her.

"Listen, Cecilia, you shouldn't be going there dressed like that, especially since your brother told you not to."

"He's not my father, I can do what I want. And what's wrong with my outfit, tell me? Am I too covered for your taste? Maybe next time I should expose myself even more," she says, hurt by my comment.

I know she has self-esteem issues, but I didn't realize it was this bad. She completely misunderstood what I meant.

"Maybe next time I should expose myself even more," she adds.

"No, don't you even dare," I shout unintentionally. "Listen, Cecilia, someone with bad intentions could have taken advantage of you, that's what I'm talking about, alright?" I explain, hoping she understands what I'm trying to say.

"You should go to bed now," I finally tell her, turning my back to leave her room.

As I open the door, she calls after me:

"What did I do to deserve your treatment, Asher?"

Her question catches me off guard; I wasn't expecting it. Nothing, I think, but I can't bring myself to tell her. Despite what Jason told me, nothing justifies the way I act like she doesn't exist, when in reality, every time she's around, I analyze everything she says and does. I snap back to my senses and leave her room, closing the door behind me.

No longer interested in this damn party, I go back to my room and lie down. The last thing I think of before falling asleep is her, her in that damn red dress.

I'm jolted out of my subconscious by cold water hitting my face. Damn, Jason is standing in front of me, anger written all over his face.

"Damn it, what's wrong with you, have you gone mad or what?" I ask him.

"What were you doing in my sister's room, you bastard?"

"Go to hell, Jason. You should be thanking me. I was taking her to her room so no one would bother her since it was late."

"I was in the cinema room, and Cecilia wasn't there. What were you two doing?"

Shit, she's in trouble.

"Nothing, why don't you ask her? Stop busting my balls," I say, getting up from the bed to lock myself in the bathroom.

I can't betray her by telling her brother everything because she'll never trust me again.