Chapter 21

UNTIL I MET YOU 

~GRAY~

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Parties are never lively , reasons I wanted Ariel to come. Just her form gives me joy. I always admire the way she pouts and her shy smile turns me on. She's unbelievably beautiful and too perfect. I wanted to follow her to the restroom to make sure she's okay but she assured me she would be fine.

I couldn't take my eyes off her on that killer dress of hers. The eyes of this horny men around won't stop looking at her as she walk to the restroom. Who wouldn't look at her ? She's something words can't describe.

"Did she know ?" Trent snap me out of my thoughts.

"She doesn't. And I don't want her to." I grab the glass of champagne and take a quick gulp.

"Where did you find her ? She doesn't fit in your circle. Sorry I don't mean it that way." I nod lightly and empty the glass.

"It's fine. Nice party though." My eyes scan the floor and it's filled with fake assholes.

I watch people chatter and dance. My eyes drop on a familiar dickwad with his stupid and annoying squad. He is escorted by his two personal guards. Fuckin Russian.

"Gray Carter." He says my name with sarcasm. I fuckin hate him. For a lot of personal reasons.

" I'm glad you're still breathing." He taunts me.

"Vladimir , not here." Trent intrude.

The other men on the table watch carefully while my guards stand on guard watching. I drop the glass and stand up face to face with this douchebag.

"Why are you stalking me dick ?" I ask him and he smirks. I wish I could shoot his ugly smirk off his stupid face. That will cause a tantrum.

"Why would I stuck you pussy ? I'm just trying to be sure you're fine." He smirks and I so hate it.

"Stay away from my path. Tell yourself to stop stalking me and we will be fine."

"Don't threaten me Carter." He whispers.

"Don't start a war you won't be able to finish. I won't hesitate.." he nods and chuckle.

"Nice date." He tilts his head to the side and i follow his eyes to see Ariel watching me intensely.

"Stay away from her." I tell him and walk back to Ariel.

"You're okay ?" I ask. She looks tense or maybe scared.

"Yeah. Are you okay ?" She ask stealing glances from behind me.

" As long as you're okay , I'm okay." I kiss her temple and hold her wrist.

"Come with me.." we walk to the back of the hotel and it's totally quiet just as I expected. All you could hear is the faint music from the party inside.

"You look beautiful.." i tell her and squeeze her hand gently.

"Thanks.." She reply looking everywhere but me.

"Ariel..." She look up and blush. Why's she always nervous ?

I hold her waist and pull her to myself. I love her hair and it's scent. I bury my face in her neck and wrap both hands around her waist. She squirm absently and flatten her hands on my chest.

I pull back to look at her face and tuck back her loose blonde hair behind her ear. How could she look perfect in everything ? I touch our foreheads together with my hand still around her tiny waist. Now I feel selfish for trying to keep her for myself.

"What am I to you Gray ?" She asks and open her eyes to lock with mine.

"A lot." I smile and pull her to me to feel her lips. I kiss her lips as she return the kiss looping her hands around my neck. It took almost everything in me to not have her in bed.

I caress her killer hips as she moan into my mouth. She nip perfectly on my bottom lip as i part my lips more for her to take in. She stops at once and lean her forehead against mine.

"Can you drive me home ?"

"You're tired ?" She nod and smile.

I hold her wrist and twist the diamond bracelet on her wrist.

"You should keep this. I bought it specifically for you." She smile and quietly giggle.

"Thanks Gray." She kiss my cheek and hug me.

... ~ARIEL~

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Sitting opposite Brandon and Piper right at SANDS & WINCHES has turn into our daily activities after class. Piper scroll non-stop on her iPad while I finished up my school work. This is my first semester and i really need good results.

Brandon walk back to our booth with milkshake in his hand , slurping noisily on it and singing .

"Brandy , please stop singing." Piper groans still glue to her iPad.

"Why ?" He asks clearly intimidated.

" I just can't say you sing aweful but you sound like nails on a fuckin chalk board." She grit her teeth and I couldn't help but snort out a laugh. Seriously , nails on a chalkboard ?

"That's insulting.." Brandon glares playfully and continues slurping noisely on his milkshake.

"Ariel." Piper calls my name without looking from her iPad.

"Yeah ?" I reply scribbling on my notebook.

"Do you have a twin sister ? Like a super model with blonde hair ? Partially dating Gray Carter." That seems to make me stop cause it bought my attention.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have a twinny." I say trying to play calm. Stupid jobless journalists.

"Take a look at this.." Piper says turning her iPad to face me.

I blink my eyes at the picture. It's a picture of me and Gray about entering DYNASTIES holding hands. I wasn't looking at the camera since my mind must have traveled far.

"Wow..." Brandon muse beside me.

"Look at the headline. GRAY'S GOT A MYSTERY GIRL. She's hot and looks like you." Piper says. I scoff and shake my head

"Now I need to rehydrate. I'm having a migraine." I grin grabbing my bottle water.

"According to psychology classes from professor plankton, he said there are about three people around the world that basically shares the same resemblance with you. Never mind." Brandon shrugs.

"Hey guys..." Alexa calls out walking to our booth.

She look awesomely perfect as always with her white crop top , black short skirt and boots. Her leather jacket hang around her shoulders as she takes a sit with Piper holding a cup of ice cream that's filled to the brim.

"Hi cousin." She blow kisses at me and sits her ice cream on the table.

"Hi.." Piper and Brandon say to her with a sincere smile. I'm glad they are getting used to each other.

I reach for her cup of ice cream to ease down my anxiety.

"So what's going on ?" She ask and snap her fingers at me." We haven't talked about that Friday night at Armani's. Who's the hottie who took you home ?" Alexa asks.

"Aww. No one took me home." I lie again.

"Hmm ? She returned with a hickey." Brandon says with a cocky brow. I hate him sometime.

"Spill it Ariel."

I groan and facepalm myself. "It's not what you think. I danced with a random guy who kissed me in my drunk state and he gave me hickeys. He was obviously aggressive." I huff eating Alexa's ice cream.

They grin and smirk at the same time.

"Guys.. I'm a bad drunk. It's normal for me." I assure them in other to keep up with my lie. Don't ask me why I'm lying , I need to if I want to live a normal life.

"Woah. Is that Gray ?" Alexa asks at once snatching Piper's iPad.

"Alrighty. Mystery girlfriend ?" Alexa mutter blinking her eyes. She lightly zoom the picture and look at me above the iPad.

"Wow. Cousin has a mystery look alike." She grin awkwardly and give the iPad back to Piper.

" Just my thoughts. Just that this one looks like a model. Must be an English model. Heard he's always hanging out with with models from England." Piper says and that didn't stop Alexa from looking at me weirdly. Did she know ?

"So who's willing to attend a frat party tonight ? I'm throwing the party ?" Alexa asks out of the blue maybe to ease the tension.

" I'm in. I need to drink a lot this weekend." Piper mutter dropping her iPad.

"She got a heartbreak." Brandon chuckle.

"Shut up Brandon." Piper scoff and roll her eyes.

"Who broke your heart babe ?"

"He's lying. We were just messing around and obviously people get tired in relationships."

"Technically." Alexa mutter eating from the ice cream too.

"Sorry buddy. You're beautiful and you'll easily hook up with someone." I wink at her.

"Is that Ariel giving an advice about hooking up ?" Brandon asks and wiggle his brows. The guys giggle.

"Whatever Brandon." I murmur and chuckle.

After that party with Gray I've been avoiding him. I know I'm always a looser each time I try to avoid him. He doesn't give up and I always find myself going back to him. My life might not be perfect but trust me it's way peaceful without Gray. That terrible encounter with Reid made me run away from him.

I wasn't afraid of his threats but of course it reminded me of Freddie. Abuse. I look at my wrist and twist the diamond bracelet. It fits perfectly to my hand and it reminds me of him. How am I supposed to avoid him with his property in my hand ?

"Earth to Ariel..."

"Uh..." I blink my eyes and bite my bottom lip. They've been talking ? Thanks to Gray.

"Are you coming to frat ? Pipes told me Leslie stopped you from going to a frat party the last time and they fought. Should I beat up Leslie so you will come ?" Alexa crosses her arms and smirk.

I chuckle and shake my head sideways.

"Chill guys. I already talked to her to stop telling me what to do. I'm coming because I need to feel alive."

"Are your parents still bugging you ?" Alexa ask eating a bowl of chips. I didn't notice she ordered that.

"You know they won't stop. They are being overprotective and strict." I defend.

"But that's not being strict if they won't caution your whore sister Leslie."

"I hate her best friend Hazel. Bitch denied her mom one day at campus because her mom wasn't classy enough to fit in her fake classy life. Pfft." Brandon says.

"Hell no.." I mutter.

"Hell Yeah. Daddy and mommy kicked her out of their lives and that includes tuition fee. She's hooked with her fuck boy boyfriend. His dad's a bit loaded." Piper adds eating from Alexa's chip bowl.

"That was a stupid move. Who denies their parents because of class ?" I ask pretty surprised by Hazel's tale.

" Hazel.." Brandon and Piper replies as we laugh.

"You're coming to frat ?"

"Of course. I need to loosen up a bit. My parents are trying to make my life hard with their endless rantings." They chuckle at once.

.

***

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Main goal is to forget about Gray Carter if I want to live normal. He texted and I had to reply just to make him think I'm not avoiding him. I put on a peach strap dress with a decent V neck at the front and the back is lace to the waist. Alexa suggest the outfit and Piper also second it including Brandon. I'm still wearing the bracelet Gray gifted me and it's perfect. Without being told you'd tell it cost a thousand Grand.

Slipping on my shoes I follow Piper out of my room to meet Alexa and Brandon downstairs. Leslie's eyes burn holes through my skin as she eye my outfit. I hate to admit it but I hate her to the core. Such a snitchy hypocrite.

" Slut..." She mutter inaudibly as we walk past her.

"I'm taking permission to fuck your sister's ass. I fuckin hate her." Piper mutters.

"Ignore her if you choose to breathe quietly." I tell her as she laughs.

We walk out of the lobby as we hop inside Brandon's car. I laugh to Alexa's weird dance to the music as Brandon drive to the frat house. In less than twenty minutes , he halts the car amidst other cars and we step out.

I mutter to myself." Breathe Ariel. You can do this. You're getting drunk tonight and you're forgetting about Gray Carter." Like you can idiot.

" You're okay girlfriend ?" Piper ask once we step inside the frat house.

"Yeah." I giggle and welcome the loud music. It's so loud with sweaty bodies dancing to the loud music.

"Let's get us drinks." Brandon leads the march and we follow behind to the kitchen.

Two guys stand beside the counter pouring shots on short glasses. Piper wink at one as she collects the shots handing them to us. I breathe in and gulp it at once. My throat. It burns my throat a little as the liquid gulp down. That didn't stop us. I feel a bit tipsy and I don't even remember how many shots I've taken.

Alexa walks in as she smile at us.

She lead us out of the kitchen to the living room. I sit close to Piper on a couch as Alexa pass us red cups. I don't even know what type of liquid but I drown it. I barely could feel their taste but it was better than my first time. Getting drunk sucks .

"Hey guys.." some bunch of collegers greeted and sit around the couch. Red cups filled their hands as they giggle to the loud music.

"Ariel." A guy said from beside me. I turn to look at him and he's awkwardly familiar.

"Wait. Ryan right ?"

He smiles and nod. His blue eyes take in my figure and I bet he just drooled.

"Damn you're more pretty than i remember." He says and I chuckle.

"Thanks. You're not bad yourself." I return his nice speech and he just smirks more.

"Freshman ?"

"Yeah. And you ?"

"This is my second year."

"Woah. It's a pleasure seeing you."

"How the fuck did you know my cousin ?" Alexa asks sitting in between us.

"Woah. Easy there Alex. She's pretty and I've met her before."

"Yeah ? He's a good guy sis. Nice grades and basketball leader. I've been wanting to hook you guys up , it's nice you knew each other before. Mission successful." She giggles and gulp the vodka on her red cup.

"I'm just gonna move to the side." She mutters and stand up to sit beside me.

" Introduction please. My cousin is a freshman and she needs to know you guys." Alexa slurs. She's tipsy.

They introduce themselves including two meany girls who has been shooting daggers at me for talking to Ryan. Assholes.

" Who wants to play Dare and truth ?" Taylor asks.

Hell no. This isn't highschool.

" Truth and Dare dickwad. Not Dare and true. That's how you failed in English." Maynard teases as we laugh. Hell yeah , I'm getting drunk.

" I'll go first. Gina , dare right ?" Taylor asks a chocolate skinned girl with black hair. She winks and nods.

"I dare you to take off you shirt." Just a sec and she is already shirtless.

"Ariel , truth or dare ?" Becca the meany asshole who's been glaring at me earlier ask. She's too cocky.

"Truth."

"Who's your first sex ?" She ask with a grin. I hate her already.

Brandon and Piper turn to look at me at once including Ryan and every other person on this couch.

"We're waiting Gee. We don't have all night." Becca murmur.

" Come on Ariel , let's get you a drink." Piper hold my arm as she pull me out. Thank God. Where will I start from.

" Thanks Gee." I whisper shout because of the loud music.

"You're welcome."

"Let's dance." She pull me to the dance floor as we begin dancing to the loud music.

Holy Christ I'm a bit drunk and I need more drink. Piper gives me her red cup and I didn't hesitate to drink everything.

"I'll be back. I'll go get a drink." Piper shouted as she scurry pass the huge crowd.

That didn't stop me from dancing. I feel a guy's body behind me as he danced with me. I wanted to look at my new partner but I ignored it. It's my night and I need to loosen up. His hands grab around my waist as he pull me to feel his male property through his jeans. He kiss my neck and that seems to snap sense into my head.

I turn around and I'm face to face with my worst nightmare. His smirk is like his heart, so dark. I move back a little but his hand is faster cause he pulls me to himself.

"Hi bestie." He whispers.

" Get away from me."

"Missed me ? I said I was gonna find you... And I'm not letting you go this time sweetness...."