“I agreed forever ago to be a part of a bachelor auction. Only high schoolers can bid, but whoever wins I have to take to prom.” His jaw ticks, and my stomach drops.
“Oh.” I try to pull away from him, but again he doesn't let me go.
“You’re going to bid on me.”
“What?” I shake my head no. “I mean, I wish I could, but I don’t have money for that.” I hate the feeling I get inside saying that out loud to him. I don’t think Apollo has ever had to give money a thought for a moment in his life.
“I’m going to cover it.”
“I can’t do that.” I keep shaking my head no.
“Celeste, you have to. For me, please.” He smiles shyly, and his eyes are pleading. “I don’t want to go to prom with anyone but you.”
“Isn’t prom forever away?” It’s only the first week of the school year.
“I’m always thinking ahead.”
I’m not sure he realizes what a luxury that is, and it’s one I don’t have. I don’t know how it’s possible with how tight he’s holding me, but with each second, distance grows between us. At least for me it does.
“You’ll bid for me?” he pushes.
I hesitate for only a moment before I nod. “Yes.” Even if I’m not sure how Apollo and I could ever work, it would kill me to see him out on a date with another girl. “What if it gets crazy? Is there a limit or something?”
“No limit. Not when it comes to us.”
He takes my face in his big hands before he leans down and kisses me. I can still taste my release on his lips, and I kind of love the idea of him going downstairs with me still on him. That’s when I stop trying to get away from him and melt into his embrace. When he kisses me, I forget everything around us.
“We've gotta get down there. You’re standing way too damn close to my bed. If we don’t go now, we won’t be leaving my bedroom for the rest of the night.”
“Let’s do this,” I agree as I bounce on my toes a little.
He takes my hand and leads me back downstairs and then outside. We make our way to the big top and the stage in the middle. I try not to fidget, with all the long looks we get from people. Apollo keeps me close to him and I know that’s why they are staring. All those stupid insecurities start to rise up inside of me. It doesn't help that I’m underdressed. I wish I could be more like my mom and not give a shit. I wonder if that’s something that comes with age.
Apollo stops at a table, getting me a paddle so I can bid. He glances around the room, and I try to follow his line of sight to see what he’s looking for.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“I’m trying to find someone I’m okay with leaving you with.” His eyebrows furrow together, and an adorably frustrated look crosses his face.
“You know I can be left alone, right?” I laugh.
“So someone can come hit on you?” He gives me a look like I’ve lost my mind or something.
“No one—”
“They will. Trust me,” he says, cutting me off. “You have no idea how beautiful you are.” That leaves me speechless.
“I’ll go stand with my mom.” I motion over to where I see her near the stage.
“That might work.”
I fight another laugh as he leads me over to her and then introduces himself properly. He hasn’t run into her again since she caught us making out. After that, he kisses me on the cheek and darts off toward the stage. Half a second later, his father is stepping to the front of the stage with a mic in his hands.
“You’re bidding?” Mom asks, seeing the paddle in my hand. I give her the abbreviated version of what went down in Apollo’s room, obviously leaving out the dirty stuff.
After I’m finished, her eyes search my face looking for something.
“His father is making him do the auction after he said he’s with you?” Her lips purse, something she does when she’s annoyed. “Did he say anything to you?” she asks.
“Not a word.”
“I see.”
Oh shit.
“It’s fine, he was in a hurry,” I rush to say, because I know my mom. If he did anything to upset me, she’d bleed him dry.
“The auction is starting, honey.” She changes the subject. Great.
We both watch as Apollo's father talks about the charity before giving a brief rundown on how the auction will work. Every few seconds his eyes find my mom, and they linger. I glance over and see she’s giggling with the man on the other side of her—something I know she’s doing on purpose.
“First up we have my son Apollo.”
All the girls start to cheer loudly as Apollo steps onto the stage. He comes to the center and slips his hands into his pockets. I wonder how that action can be so incredibly sexy. The girls all keep screaming. Yikes.
“Apollo is captain of the rowing team, has a 4.0, and has been awarded a full scholarship to State.” His father talks him up, but I can see the pride in him as he brags on his son. “Let the bidding begin. We’ll start with one thousand, so I have a bid of one thousand dollars for Apollo Crew.”
Paddles immediately fly up as the bidding begins. Start at a thousand. What in the hell have I gotten myself into?! I watch a few of the girls go back and forth, but Apollo's eyes stay on me the whole time. I’ve yet to bid because I wanted to wait it out. At least until it’s down to a few girls instead of all of them at once.
I notice one of the girls bidding is Amber, and my annoyance is back. I thought she got kicked out. Maybe she snuck back in, but this is a pretty public way to show yourself. Great. Who knows what she'll spout off if we end up going head to head, which I’m pretty sure is going to happen. I’ve seen Amber’s car and the way she dresses. She comes from money too.
As I feared, the bidding comes down to Amber and another girl. I think her name is Cara. I’ve seen her around school before, but I’m terrible with names. Cara drops her paddle, and Amber has a smug look of victory because she thinks she’s won.
I raise my paddle. “Five thousand,” I announce clearly to the quiet room, and everyone turns their attention to me.
Being the focus is my worst nightmare, but when I feel my mom’s arm brush against me it gives me courage. She’s silently telling me she’s at my side and paying attention.
If looks could kill, I’d be so dead from the glare Amber is shooting me.
“Six thousand,” she tosses back.
Oh god. This is getting out of hand. I could get my own car with this kind of money.
“Ten,” Mom whispers to me under her breath. When I peek over at her, she gives me a firm nod to do it. What the hell? I said I wish I could be a bit more like her when it comes to confidence, so this must be my chance.
I lift my paddle again and call out the bid, shocking everyone, including myself.
Chapter Ten
Apollo
“I have ten thousand from the lady in the front. Do I have another bid?” my dad asks as he looks in the crowd.
This is ridiculous. Why is he asking for another bid when clearly Celeste is the winner? I clench my fists in my pockets and try to remain cool. There’s a long pause, and I look out into the sea of people to see Amber’s sour face. How the fuck did she get back in? I know Jackson would have taken her out after I asked him to.