Original Edition: 25. The Group

                                    

                                          
CHAPTER 25
                          
THE GROUP
                          
RACHEL
                          
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
                          
I go with rock and Yoshi pulls out paper.
                          
I grunt in defeat, "I'll never understand why paper beats rock, it doesn't make sense."
                          
Yoshi shrugs, "I didn't invent the game, you lost, it's your turn."
                          
I wave my arms in the air in frustration. We are in the school hall; it's already dismissal time and we are deciding who has to go back to the classroom to look for Dani who probably stayed behind using her cell phone without realizing that class has already ended.
                          
Typical of Dani.
                          
"Okay, wait for me here," I say, starting down the hall.
                          
Yoshi cheers me on from a distance. I thought things would be weird with him after the other day, but I was wrong, we have interacted as if nothing happened, as if he had not made a scene when I told him that I had lost my virginity.
                          
My virginity...
                          
Ares...
                          
His blue eyes come to mind but I push the thought away, shaking my head. It's been exactly a week since the party at his house, I can't believe it's Friday again.
                          
The week flew by and I'm not going to deny that it's been difficult, especially at night when I close my eyes and I can't help going over everything over and over again in my mind; like trying to find the moment or the reason why it all ended like this. There were even times when I took part of the blame. Was I too easy? He warned me, told me clearly what he wanted and I still gave myself to him, not just once, but twice.
                          
I'm such an idiot.
                          
But before my cycle of self-blame can begin, I pass a corner in the hall and almost crash into Apollo.
                          
"Hey!" he greets me enthusiastically as always.
                          
"Hi," I wave. Apollo is a good boy and we've hung out this past week. I think it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship, after all it's not his fault his brother is a jerk.
                          
"Did you forget something?" 
                          
"No, I'm just going to find Dani."
                          
He turns a little red, "Dani? The girl from the club?"
                          
I almost forgot that Dani seduced Apollo at the club to get him out of there when he was drunk the other night, "Do you remember her?"
                          
He nods, "She's beautiful, not easy to forget."
                          
I raise an eyebrow, "Someone sounds interested."
                          
He shakes his head, "It's just a platonic thing, you know, she's way out of my league."
                          
"Nah, anyway, do you want to go with me?"
                          
He blushes again, he's so cute, "Yeah sure."
                          
As we walk, Apollo looks curious, "So, Rachel."
                          
"Yes?"
                          
"You're okay?"
                          
I know he refers to his brother. Apollo is not stupid, he knows something is going on between Ares and me, "Yes, I'm doing great." Lies.
                          
We arrive at the door and Dani is leaving, Carlos follows behind her.
                          
Carlos' face lights up like a child in a toy store, "My love!"
                          
"Here we go," I mumble to myself.
                          
Before I can say anything, he wraps me in a tight hug and kisses my head, "Where have you been, my princess? Oh the agony!"