Chapter 107: Chapter Ten

Demetri

“Why's the devil talking to Alec?” Nat asked as she leaned against my shoulder. We'd both been watching the tense exchange for the past five minutes.

“Beats me.” I wrapped my arm around her and sighed. “But I've got a theory, want to hear it?”

“Always.” She grinned, a waiter passed. I grabbed a bottled water and handed her a glass of champagne, knowing it was one of her favorite things in the world. Alec was seriously spoiling the girl.

She hesitated at first then took a small sip. “So the theory?”

“Ah, yes.” I took a swig of water. “It's quite simple. She's the Anti-Christ.”

Nat sighed. “So many things make sense now. Wow, you're brilliant.”

“I know.”

Angelica leaned into Alec, he didn't move a muscle but his hand was flexed so tight around his champagne glass I was surprised it didn't explode into a million tiny pieces.

A few minutes later she was walking toward us. “May-day.” I looked to Nat for help. “Abandon ship, abandon ship.” Seriously, why weren't my feet moving? See? Just like I said. Theory proved.

Nat patted me on the back and made a bee-line for Alec. Little traitor. “You'll pay for your sins!” I yelled after her as cameras went off. Great.

Sigh.

“What brings you over to my side of the room?” I asked once Angelica regained her seat where the rest of the crew was sitting. “Bored with my brother and me so soon?

“Moving on to Jaymeson for real now? Let me see if I can grab him. Hold on…” I whistled and yelled Jaymeson's name.

Girls were draped all over him. Geez, hope the guy at least knew their names. “What? I'm busy!” He smirked as a girl kissed his neck.

I missed Alyssa.

“Looks like it's just you and me,” Angelica said in a sing-song voice that made me want to run headfirst through the large bay windows.

“So, it's weird that Nat doesn't know, right?” Angelica said after a few minutes of awkward silence where she was drinking like a fish, and I was trying to kill her with my mind.

“Know?”

“Yeah, about Alec.”

“Come again?” I tried not to sound interested, but I was a bit confused, not gonna lie.

“You know… when he left Seaside for a few days last fall.”

“Huh?”

Angelica tilted her head, and then placed her hand on mine. “You really don't know, do you? And I thought you guys were super close. I mean, think of all you've been through.

“Yeah.” I pushed her hand away from mine and poured my bottled water over it just in case I caught an STD from her, not that I should pass judgment but still. “I'm going to call your bluff.”

“Call it all you want. But you should ask him. It was right when you guys moved here. I think it was after the first two weeks of school. He went to L.A. for a movie premiere.

“Another one of Jaymeson's, I think… I mean, I would know. I was there.”

“And Alec was there,” I said, trying to make sense of everything she was saying.

“Yup… he was in really bad shape, something about being in love with a girl that chose you over him? I don't know. I'm guessing it was Nat, but whatever.

“Right.” My mind reeled and I felt like I had left my body and was now replaying everything that had happened over the past year and over the past few days. Was that why Alec was acting so weird?

Had he slept with Angelica or something? Shit. Been there, done that. I mean, that's all kinds of screwed up, but hell, Nat wouldn't flip. It wasn't as if they were dating then.

“So… just to clarify… you slept with Alec?” I whispered.

“No…” Angelica got up from her seat and leaned in to whisper. “I didn't… but you should ask him who he did spend the night with.”

Just like that she was gone. And I was left staring into space. Shit, I wanted to finish her champagne more than breathe. I quickly got up from my seat and approached Nat and Alec.

Yuck. Seriously. From here on out if Alyssa abandons me, I'm going to put her in handcuffs and throw away the key.

On second thought… handcuffs…

“Dude.” Alec waved in front of my face. “Why are you looking at the ocean like it makes you horny?”

I shook my head as I felt my face flush red with embarrassment. “Handcuffs, idea… you don't want to know.” I waved my hand flippantly into the air.

“Aw, Demetri, you know I don't pick favorites.” She winked.

“Right.” I rolled my eyes. “Oh wait… you did pick. I lost. P.S. Thanks for reminding me, especially considering I kept rehearsing my own death since you left me with Satan.”

“Angelica?” Alec guessed.

“Anti-Christ.” Nat nodded. “Demetri can explain. I'm going to step outside and get some fresh air. I don't feel very well. Alec probably passed me some of the bug he had today.”

She waved and walked through the crowds to the door.

I waited until she went outside then turned to Alec and crossed my arms. “Spill.”

“Spill what?” He reached for another glass of champagne, but I grabbed his hand midair and smacked it away.

“Stop avoiding. Just tell me. We're brothers, we can deal with it. I mean, we've dealt with some pretty serious shit. Right?”

“Damn it, Demetri.” Alec shook his head, and his eyes pooled with tears. “Not like this, man. Not even close to being like this.”

“Did you get a groupie pregnant?”

“No.”

“Start doing drugs again?”

Alec laughed. “I wish. And no.”

“Find out you're a chick?”

“No.”

“Get a sex change?”

“Seriously? No.”

I sat down and leaned against the leather seat. “So… I'm out of guesses.”

“Your guesses were sex changes and drugs. I'm surprised you didn't ask if I woke up this morning thinking I was Batman or something.”

I paused. “Are you Batman?”

Alec laughed and then rubbed his face with his hands. “Not that I know of.”

“So what is it?” I bit my lip and asked the question I didn't want to ask but couldn't avoid. “Did you cheat on Nat?”

Alec wouldn't meet my eyes. Instead, he stared hard at the table as if it would somehow sprout the answer for him.

“Alec? Did you?”

“It's complicated.” He groaned. “I can't say.”

“You can't say?” I repeated. “As in you don't remember if you did or didn't? Or like you really can't say because you'll get your ass sued?

“I'm sorry, I just don't understand how the hell you wouldn't know. You either did or you didn't.”

Alec ground his teeth together. “Like I said, it's complicated.”

“Then you're making it that way.” I fought to keep my voice even. My heart clenched in my chest. What the hell made him think he had a right to even put the girl we both loved in that position?

Nat was family. She was like my sister. Suddenly I wanted to puke.

“Well, when you decide whether or not you kept it in your pants, let me know.” I pushed away from the table causing glasses to fall on the ground. The first thing I did was walk outside to find Nat.

I had to find her. I had to see her smile and see her face. Maybe if I saw her I'd be reminded of how perfect she was for Alec and how much he loved her. Because right now, I had my doubts.

Since when did I become the mature one?