“Aria, it’s my birthday this Saturday. I’d really love it if you came to dinner. Will you be there?”
Xavier leaned against the doorframe, his eyes lazily tracking her every move.
I shook my head. “No time.”
It wasn’t an excuse. I had Japanese tutoring that weekend, and with the exam coming up, I was buried in studying.
Xavier stepped in my way, blocking the door. “Aria, we used to be friends. Do you really have to be this cold?”
I didn’t even look at him, my tone flat. No, I really don’t.
“If you don’t come, I’ll just assume you’re still holding onto feelings for me and that you’re jealous of Sophia,” he teased, trying to get under my skin.
I barely flinched. Reverse psychology? Not going to work.
“Think whatever you want.” I didn’t care.
Xavier’s patience wasn’t exactly infinite, though. He clenched his teeth, letting out a sharp, “Fine. Don’t regret it.”
But I wasn’t about to regret it… not until I saw something I didn’t want to see.
Sophia, standing outside, taking a long drag from a cigarette.
Honestly, I wasn’t surprised. Smokers always have that lingering smell, no matter how hard they try to hide it. I’d guessed it before, just from the faint scent that would follow her.
What shocked me, though, was the guy standing next to her, the bald guy, the same one who had been responsible for my death in my past life.
Why was she with him?
Wasn’t she supposed to be this perfect, sweet student?
Or, was she somehow involved in my death last time?
I tried to push the thought away. It’s the past. It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m leaving soon anyway. Don’t get involved.
But the unease in my stomach wouldn’t let up.
It was like deja vu. Just like last time, when a senior warned me to watch out for Sophia. Less than a week later, I was dead.
This time, I’d already distanced myself from Xavier. So, would Sophia still try to hurt me?
I wasn’t going to take that risk.
I was the last to show up at Sophia’s birthday party. As soon as I walked in, I started scanning the crowd, hoping I wouldn’t see that bald guy. No sign of him. Naturally, Sophia wouldn’t want Xavier to know about her shady connections.
The cake, though, it was as tall as I was. How in the world could a student like Sophia afford something like that?
I knew exactly how. It was Xavier’s doing. After all, I had once told him, “On my 18th birthday, you better get me a cake that’s taller than me!”
He’d laughed and said, “No way.”
“Why not?”
“Too childish. I’m not into that.”
Then he tossed me his jacket and walked off to play basketball.
At the time, I didn’t feel anything but happiness as I hugged his jacket. Now, watching Sophia’s wide-eyed expression, it all seemed so… juvenile.
“Xavier, my birthday wish is you,” she said, practically swooning.
I could practically hear the echo of my own words from last time.
Xavier pinched her cheek, his smirk teasing. “Well, then, you’ve wasted your birthday wish.”
“I’m already yours, Xavier. Isn’t that obvious?”
That was him, always needing to be in control, even when confessing.
Sophia stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the corner of his lips, but before she could pull away, Xavier caught her, pulling her in for a kiss that was anything but casual.
A deep, passionate French kiss.
The crowd went wild with hoots and cheers, and Sophia’s face was flaming. Xavier shrugged off his jacket and covered her with it, not caring to share the moment with anyone.
“Xavier, are you being stingy? Not letting us see?” someone shouted.
Xavier turned, his eyes sharp and cold. “You got a problem with that?”
He looked over at me, daring me to react.
I raised my glass and smirked. “Congrats to your girlfriend. Happy birthday.”
Without another word, I turned and walked out.
Xavier, clearly not done with the show, smashed his glass on the ground and kicked over the cake. He was having another one of his tantrums.
It was just another day in Xavier’s drama-filled world.
