“He’s walking around like an injured puppy. I think you misunderstood what he was saying that night.”
“How do I misunderstand him thinking I tried to trap him with a pregnancy?” I say under my breath so no one else can hear me. I don’t need that rumor getting around.
“It was a stupid thing to say. You don’t have to trap Apollo. He’s already yours.”
“You think he’ll be at the party tonight?”
“If he knows you’re going to be there, I’m sure. Did you want to go?”
I shrug. I shouldn’t want to go, but I want to see him. Even if it’s at a distance. “Heads up,” Emerson mumbles, making me tense. I know it can't be Apollo because he has practice and then a race today. It seems he’s back to his normal routine.
Amber comes to a stop at our table. Lovely.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Emerson says to her. She ignores him as she turns her attention on me.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t come to the party.” She folds her arms under her chest, pushing her boobs up. They almost fall out of the low-cut top. Too bad she’s not as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside.
I don’t understand this girl's utter dislike of me. I know it’s over Apollo, but I didn’t steal him from her. They were never a thing. I suppose she’s crazy enough to have made it up in her head.
“We’ll go wherever the hell we want,” Emerson says, giving Amber a disgusted glare.
“If you want to be pathetic, then sure, go. Everyone knows you and Apollo are over. You’d only be there to try and get him back.”
Is that what everyone thinks? That Apollo dumped me? I suppose in a way he did. He had to know the things he accused me of would end anything that we had.
“Your obsession with Apollo is what’s pathetic around here,” I say before I turn my attention away from her and reach for another fry. I’m trying to dismiss her, but she just won’t go.
Instead, she slams her hand down on the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the diner.
“What's pathetic is you thinking you fit in here,” she sneers. “You’re only a toy to him. His father would never allow Apollo to end up with someone like you. You’re classless.”
Her verbal blows land, but thankfully I can keep my expression neutral. There’s no way I’m letting her know she hit the mark. There’s a pause before she smirks and walks away.
“That’s a bunch of bullshit. Don’t listen to her nasty, jealous ass.”
“She’s right, though. Apollo’s father doesn’t like me.” I’m not sure what’s going on with him and my mom at this point. He never came and got his fancy sports car from her. It’s still sitting outside of our house.
“Then he’s a dick. It’s not up to Daddy Warbucks who Apollo dates.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Rory made sure Apollo didn’t come after me that night. He held him back.
“I am. I know you don’t see it or you’re lying to yourself, but Apollo is more than into you. I’m still saying you should let him explain things to you. Out of all the guys in Craven Cove High, he’s always been respectful.”
My phone vibrates on the table, and I grab it. When I swipe my finger across the screen, I see it’s a text from Apollo.
Apollo: You were never a toy to me. You don’t toy with things you love.
I jerk my head up and glance around the diner. Is he here?
“What?” Emerson asks, and I show him the text. “You’ve been getting all these texts and not telling me?” He tries to scroll through my phone, but I pull it back.
“Focus. How did he know what just happened?” At my question, Emerson takes a look around the diner too. Then he pauses on the table behind him.
“You little shits are reporting to Apollo?” Emerson says.
The two freshmen are quick to deny it, but their faces are turning red. Guilty.
“Freshmen.” Emerson shakes his head. “Let’s get out of here.” We both get up and leave our money on the table before heading out.
Amber is still in the parking lot. She’s leaning up against a dark blue Camaro talking to that guy Shy from last week. He must sense me staring at him because he turns his head in my direction and winks.
“They’re friends?” I ask Emerson as we walk toward his Jeep.
If he’s hanging out with Amber, then I don’t believe shit that came out of his mouth. She likely put him up to it. I grit my teeth at all these people thinking they can control if Apollo and I should be together.
“I think they’re fuck buddies,” he responds as we both get into his Jeep. “What now? We have a few hours until the party. If we’re even going.”
“We could go watch the rowing team race,” I suggest, and Emerson lifts a brow, seeing through my bullshit.
“I’m more than down for that. You want to tell me if that text is the first time Apollo has said he loves you?”
“It’s not the first time,” I mumble and look out the window.
“That’s a big part of the story to leave out, Celeste.”
“I wasn't sure it was true after everything that happened!” I find myself getting defensive.
“You must be changing your mind if you want to go to the race.”
I let out a long breath. “I miss him,” I say, and that’s the truth. I haven't been sleeping and barely eating. I pick at my food, but I don’t have much of an appetite.
“But do you love him?”
“Yes,” I admit. “It’s not something I can turn off.”
“Then let's go see your man pull off this win. He might actually do it if he sees you’re there.” Emerson smiles as he pulls out of the parking lot.
I tell myself I’m only going to watch the race and go. I’ll even hide in the back. Too bad that’s easier said than done.
Chapter Four
Apollo
She came to my race.
That’s all I can think about as I get off the boat and try to make my way through the stands. Just as we were about to begin, I looked into the crowd and there she was. She was trying to hide in the back, but there’s no place on this earth where I wouldn't find her.
“Apollo.”
I blow by my dad and head straight for the dispersing crowd. As soon as we blew past the finish line, it was all I could do not to jump in the lake and swim back to her. She must have rushed out of here as soon as it was over. With one last look, I turn around and go to my gear by the lake to grab my phone. The twins Mika and Joseph are on duty right now, so they’ll know where she is.
“Lo,” my dad says as he comes up beside me. When I don’t look up, he grabs my arm to get my attention.
Straightening, I turn to face him and see his mouth is pressed in a hard line. “What?”
“I’m sorry.” He lets out a breath and looks around like he’s trying to find the words he needs to speak.
“I need to go.”
“Just wait.”
It’s been tense between my dad and me, but I don’t want to do this right this second. He’s been tight-lipped about what the fuck was going on between him and Celeste’s mom Anna. When he held me back from going after Celeste, I could have murdered him, but one look in his eyes and I could see something there I’d never seen before. Pain.