Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 181613 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 908(@200wpm)___ 726(@250wpm)___ 605(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181613 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 908(@200wpm)___ 726(@250wpm)___ 605(@300wpm)
“He—” His words are cut off when he lays eyes on her. Like he just froze over and turned to stone.
“Nice,” she says while reading. “Needs more violence, though.”
She chucks the notebook back into his hand, and he tucks his hair back after an obvious blush appears on his cheeks. “Thanks.”
“You’re creative,” Océane says. “Unlike the other Torres boys.”
“Not a Torres, though,” Orion muses, tucking his pen away. “Navarro. And proud of it.”
“I’m amazed you and Heath have the same mom,” Ivy jokes. “You’re nothing alike.”
“Excuse me, are you slandering our family?” Heath joins the conversation, and he throws his arm around Orion.
“No, just making observations.” Ivy winks.
“Say, why is it that only you, Apollo, and Atlas have those Greek names?” I ask Orion.
“Oh, our mom wanted to stay in the Greek theme, since she’s with Ares too,” he replies.
I glance at Heath. “But you’re … just Heath.”
Heath laughs. “You think my dad would agree to name his kids after some Greek philosopher bullshit? Not one fucking chance.”
“They’re gods. Not philosophers,” Orion says, rolling his eyes.
Heath sighs. “Whatever.”
“At least you guys have names that fit your personalities,” Sunny says, inspecting her sharp black nails.
“What do you mean?” Orion asks, tilting his head while smiling.
“Do I look like a goddamn Sunny person to you?” she barks back, throwing him such a violent look that he immediately steps back.
“Well, you are the star of the campus,” Heath says.
“That’s just my friends.” She shrugs, oblivious to how many people look up to her just for her sass. “Anyway, I’m off. Have some classes or some shit. Bye.” She winks, and her heels click clack on the pavement as she walks off, her hair swaying in the wind, but Orion is still staring.
Ivy snorts. “Apollo, Atlas, Orion … and ‘just Heath.’”
“What’s so funny about that?” He approaches her and steals her away from us. “Should I be twisting your nipples already?”
“Oh my God, Heath!” she says as he drags her away, while the rest of us laugh.
“My family are absolute animals,” Orion mumbles as he walks off. “Animals, I tell you.”
“At least they know where their names came from,” Océane mutters under her breath.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I only have my mom. She gave me my name.” She smiles. “I don’t know who my father is.”
“Oh … I’m sorry,” I reply.
“It’s okay. I mean, Mom never wanted to tell me anyway, so I figured she must’ve had her reasons.”
“Maybe she will, someday,” Ivy says.
“I don’t know. I’m too old to care now. I don’t really need a dad anymore. I mean, look at me … I’m in college, I have a great boyfriend.”
I can see the hurt in her smile, so I sit closer and pull her in for a hug.
She sighs. “It is what it is. Besides, I love my mom. She’s the best.”
“True. My mom’s always praising her ability to stay calm,” I say, chuckling.
“Wish our parents told us more about their lives before we were here,” Océane mumbles.
“I don’t think we’re supposed to know,” I say. “Just like I’m never going to tell my parents all the shit we do.”
“Tell me about it,” Ivy replies. “All of our boyfriends are just as murderous as them.”
We laugh, and for a moment, it feels like maybe my life isn’t such a horror show.
Or maybe we’re all living the same fucked-up reality without realizing it.
Apollo
I sit down beside Levi at the picnic table outside after just getting my ass handed to me by the dean. Apparently, killing someone on school grounds doesn’t go over well with the board members.
Too bad for them, I don’t really care. What are they gonna do, kick me out?
Besides, my dad already paid off anyone who tried to threaten us with legal action. My dad’s one of the toughest motherfuckers out there, and he’s on the goddamn Spine Ridge U board. Not a single inch of him is going to accept his son getting kicked out, and neither am I. Dean Rivera can suck it.
“Got suspended from class for a week,” I say, running my fingers through my hair.
The sun is shining, I look hot as hell in this black crop-top, and I don’t give two flying fucks.
“Didn’t ask, don’t care,” Levi mutters under his breath without even looking at me.
He looks gloomy as hell in this dark blue shirt and light gray sweatpants, and he’s obsessively staring at something in the distance. When I follow his gaze, a wide-ass grin spreads on my face.
Aspen Caruso sits on the edge of the fountain in a cute button-down shirt along with a short denim skirt, while chatting away with her friends, and Grey Westbrook just entered the scene.
“Oh … I see how it is,” I say.
When he kisses her on the lips, Levi grabs a cigarette from his pocket and lights it up, filling the air with smoke so he doesn’t have to see. Or maybe he’s imagining lighting the fucker on fire. Wouldn’t put it past him to try, and I’d probably grab a bucket of popcorn to watch the show.