Chapter 5

Ava

I stare at the ceiling of my bedroom, the blank whiteness staring back, reflecting on how I am feeling.

It’s been an hour since Hunter left, but it feels like a century, and I’ve only been able to think about his last words. ~“No one says ‘no’ to me and gets away with it!”~

I know I’m dead, beyond dead. I should just run away and change my name to John and start a new life in Mexico.

No one has ever said “no” to Hunter, and I shudder at the thought of what could happen to me and to my mother. He could ruin my life at school and everything after if he wanted to. He has so much money and influence, and I still said “no.”

~What an idiot.~

I groan, roll onto my stomach, and grab my phone, which has been charging on my bedside table since Hunter came over. When I unlock it, I see that I never closed Facebook, and looking at the app brings tears to my eyes. I stare at the image of myself, my face red and blotchy and looking in a right state.

I shut down the app and go to my contacts, ringing the only person who could help me right now: Lily.

She picks up after a few rings. “Hello, bitch.” I smile and shake my head.

“Hello, flower.” Yeah, I’m not the best when it comes to nicknames, but it’s better than what she calls me.

“So, what’s up?”

I sigh as I begin to tell Lily everything. “Hunter came over to my house and asked if I wanted to be his girlfriend.” I leave out the part that it would be a fake relationship because that feels silly and personal, and I don’t want to upset her. “Obviously, I said ‘no,’ so he got mad and said, ‘No one says no to me and gets away with it!’” I relate this part in a deep voice, trying to sound like Hunter, but I know I sound stupid.

I take a deep breath after rushing through all that. On the other end of the line, Lily is silent. Then she screams—not a scream of terror but a fangirl scream. You know, the high-pitched one, usually accompanied by jumping and waving arms. I’m sure that’s what Lily’s doing right now.

“Oh my gosh, you have to say ‘yes!’ Think how good this will be when you can rub it in everyone’s face, especially Jessica’s, and if you do it, it means that I might have a shot with Declan. Oh, please, Ava, do this for me. Please, please, please.” I stare at the wall as Lily’s pleading goes on and on.

“Don’t you think it’s rather odd that Hunter, the bad boy, is asking me out?” I practically shout through the phone at her.

Lily’s silent on the end of the phone, obviously thinking before she responds. “Maybe it is weird, but aren’t you tired of hiding in the shadows and people pushing you around and using you? Don’t you want a chance to be different, to be liked and for people to stop abusing you?”

I think about everything that I could have if I started fake dating Hunter. A few months could really make a difference to my life; I could wipe that smirk off Jessica’s face, maybe gain some more friends, and maybe, for just once in my life, get out of my comfort zone and be happy.

“Fine!” I snap. ~I’ll do this for Lily, as well as for myself.~

“Yay! I’ve got to go. I’ll see you at school on Monday, bitch.”

I chuckle to myself. That girl is a weird one, but I love her and don’t want to ever lose her, especially over a boy.

“Bye, flower,” I whisper, but it’s lost in the wind as I throw my phone toward my pillow. I then fall onto my back and stare again at my walls, letting them absorb me.

Hunter

I sit there, completely shocked for a moment, on Ava’s bed. She looks so cute in those fluffy PJs, all warm and cozy; it would be so easy to tease her for it, but she just said ‘no’ to me. To me, Hunter Black!

“No one says ‘no’ to me, princess. You are no exception. No one says ‘no’ to me and gets away with it!”

Anger surges through my body as I stand up and storm out of her house.

In my car, I try to let off some steam. ~Hunter, what are you even thinking? And why did you call her princess? No need to start getting attached, you only met her for five damn minutes.~

My anger grows again, and I know just the perfect thing to cure it: texting a random girl on my phone. I don’t save their names. She’s just a girl; once the sex is over, they get deleted—out of sight, out of mind.

Hunter

Hey, you want to fuck?

Okay, yes, I’m blunt about it. That’s all I do. I hump them and dump them. It’s not my fault that they catch feelings and get hurt.

They know me, they know what I do, they know how I operate; I can’t help it if they decide they love me or whatever bullshit they say. I mean, it’s just sex—how can you love someone from fucking them once?

Girls are so stupid sometimes.

~Ava isn’t; she knew to stay away from me.~ I shake my head at this. ~Stupid thoughts.~

I get a text from the girl, whoever she was.

Girl

Sure, babe come right over I’ll send you the address. Xx

I smile down at my phone. Tonight’s going to be good. Slamming my car door, I drive to her address, a wolfish grin on my face.

***

I leave the girl’s house. She was terrible—too much talking and not enough action. Always trying to get me to tell her she’d been a naughty girl.

~I’ll tell you what I want to, bitch.~

I’m glad I’ll never sleep with her again; she was either a virgin or just bad, and I didn’t stick around to find out which. Using some methods of my own, I managed to finish and get out the door before she could ask me to stay the night.

I’ve slept with nearly every girl in my school, and now Drew has challenged me to sleep with Ava in the next two months. If I can’t, then he gets to claim the title of Ultimate Player.

Growling at the thought of that sick, twisted fuck being my leader, I focus on my target and my freedom.

I know getting Ava to sleep with me won’t be as easy as just asking her. She’s different, so it’s going to take time, which is why I’m asking her to be my fake girlfriend.

I also need help with school. If I don’t get my grades up without bribing the teachers, then I can’t play football this season, so getting Ava to go out with me is a win-win. Finally, she’s my best chance at getting equal with Jessica and Drew; I want to kill them for what they did, and I want freedom from them.

I grab my phone and find Ava’s number. She’s the only girl whose name is saved in my phone, besides my mum and a few family members.

Hunter

Hey, you changed your mind yet princess? X

As I wait for a reply, I get into my car. It’s nothing too flashy today; I didn’t want people to know I was at Ava’s if she said ‘no,’ which she did. There would be a lot of explaining to do; plus, keeping a low profile when I’m around Ava is a good idea until she becomes more comfortable with me.

I get a text from Ava just as I’m about to set off back home.

Ava

Okay fine, you win. I’ll be your fake girlfriend. X

I smirk at my phone, gripping it tight as I start the car. I am already halfway there.