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After Dan had left me in the cafeteria with a bouquet and an invitation to Capri, I had felt every possible emotion—excitement about being allowed to come along, annoyance at how clear it was that Dan didn’t want me to come, and nervousness about how I was going to tell Dad that I had to cancel our plans.
He had been annoyed at first, of course––because who wouldn’t be––but Dad is business-minded, and he’s had his eyes set on the goal of splitting Andries and Roxanne up for so long now that any extra scrap of information is invaluable to him. Therefore, he was fine with me going to Capri if it meant that I could get closer to my brother and his fiancée, still thinking that I was going to be able to break them up before the wedding. The more time that passes, though, the more unsure I am that I’ll beable to cause the break. Also, the more unsure I become that it’s actually something I want to do.
Andries and Roxanne love each other, and while, at first, I had been sure it was just a case of mistaking lust for real affection, my opinion is changing the more I see the two of them together. Each time I find myself smiling softly as I watch them happily living their lives together, the yawning pit in my stomach about how wrong it is for me to try to split them up continues to grow.
It isn’t just Andries and Roxie on my mind this last week of school, either. After inviting me to Capri, Dan seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. I’m becoming nervous that his threat of pretending that I don’t exist in Capri is actually something he plans to do, not just empty words meant to make me regret coming. I miss him…miss the easy way things used to be between us when we were just friends skating the line of flirtation. Now that we have acted on the mutual attraction burning between us, it feels like nothing will ever be the same again. I want him—want to feel his touch, and hear his voice, but at the same time I hate that he continues to just leave me hanging like this. As if I’m just any other girl he’s hooked up with, and I didn’t even get the full hook up experience!
Dan heats me up in every possible way imaginable. He makes me hot and furious with anger but also leaves my body burning for him. I’m bordering on obsession at this point, and I hate it.
My last class before break finally lets out, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I pack my things up and haul my bag over my shoulder. School hasn’t been my main focus these last few months, but as a bit of a perfectionist, I still managed to do exceedingly well in most of my classes. Tatiana is waiting for me outside, as happy and bubbly as ever. Maybe even more so, considering that it’s finally summer break.
“Hey!” she greets me, her face beaming with joy. “I know we said we were going to get a drink together, but with the party tonight, I don’t think I’ll have time to get ready if we do. Can we reschedule?”
“Sure,” I say before her words catch up with me. “Wait, what party?”
Tatiana looks like a deer in headlights. “Um. Dan’s party?”
I feel heat creeping up the back of my neck. How dare he invite innocent little Tati and not me? Oh, that man is going to drive me insane. “I had no idea Dan was having a party.”
She cringes. “Geez, Elise, I’m sorry. I just automatically figured you’d been invited since you guys are close.”
“Apparently not that close,” I seethe.
My friend pulls at the strings of her jumper, looking anywhere but at my face, clearly feeling awkward. “Maybe it was a mistake, and he just forgot to invite you?”
“No. Dan has been on a crusade to avoid me lately, and I’m sure this is just another manifestation of that.” I’m pissed, but I can see Tati is getting more uncomfortable by the minute. I sigh. “It’s fine, Tati. Just go and have fun. I don’t want to be somewhere I’m not welcome.”
She thinks it over, nibbling her bottom lip, before getting a look of bravery I don’t often see on her. “Just come with me, then. Who cares about an invite? If Dan is too much of a chicken to invite you himself, then we’ll just fix that problem for him.”
Considering her words, I shift my weight from hip to hip, thinking. On one hand, I don’t want to humiliate myself by crashing a party somewhere that I’m clearly not wanted, but on the other hand, seeing Dan’s face when I walk in with Tati will be such delicious revenge for how he’s been ignoring me lately. It isn’t the ladylike thing to do, but then again, most things I do these days are far from ladylike.
I have to quickly push the memory of the billiards room aside before I blush. “Are you sure? I don’t want him to take it out on you by not inviting you to anything after this.”
“You know Dan. He just sends out invites to every acquaintance he’s ever made. It’s all about how many bodies he can get at his parties, so I’m sure he’ll get over me bringing you. Plus,” she leans toward me, a mischievous smile on her face, “maybe you and Dan will have such a good time that he’ll end up thanking me instead.”
And there’s the blush I’ve been trying to avoid. “Oh, hush. But yes, I'd love to be your plus one.”
“Great!” She moves to flounce away, in a hurry to get ready for the party. “Wear something nice since you’re going to be my hot date tonight!”
I grin to myself, thinking of all the things I can wear to drive Dan mad. “You’ve got it!”
Before I decided to go with something slightly scandalous, I had to confirm that my brother wasn’t also coming to the party. Nothing ruins a good time like your brother getting in the middle of your secret friends-with-benefits situation.
Andries doesn’t even know Dan and I are interested in each other that way, so having to walk on eggshells all night regarding it was not something I was interested in.
Thankfully, when I messaged Andries to see what he was up to, he let me know that he and Roxanne were staying in for the evening to celebrate the end of school together. I made some small talk with him so he wouldn’t get suspicious, but on the inside, I was elated.
When I asked Tatianna what the dress code was, all she could tell me was that Dan suggested jewel tones, and while I don’t own a lot of things that bright, I did have a ruby red, low cut jumpsuit that moved with the breeze as I walked. Shimmery and silky, I think it gives just the right feeling for the evening.
Tatiana and I take an Uber together, her dressed in aubergine purple, and I try to get some information out of her about what exactly this party entails.
“I really don’t know,” she insists. “I’m pretty sure he invited me at the last minute because we ran into each other a few days back, so it’s not like I got a formal invitation or anything.”
“He’s so hard to read,” I groan in displeasure. “This could be just like any other get-together, or it could be something over the top that I’m completely unprepared for.”
“I’m sure he’d have at least told me if it was something crazy,” she tries to convince me, but her voice betrays her. She’s unsure, too. “It will be fun though, right?”
“Fun, I’m sure. It’s all the other adjectives that I’m worried about.”
