Chapter 132
Alyx
Alyx could feel their eyes on him for the rest of the day. People he didn’t even see in the cafeteria were watching him, expressions on their faces ranging from disapproval to fear. It grated on his skin. All he wanted to do was talk to Celeste. Since when was that a crime?
He strode through the hall, keeping his head high. If they wanted to hate him, then fine. It didn’t matter. He was here for a reason, and he still had a job to do. Failing wasn’t a possibility for him. Getting her to choose him clearly wasn’t working, so he just needed to find another way.
“That was quite the fight,” a voice said, stopping him in his tracks.
“I doubt it was that impressive.”
Alyx had to hold himself back during the fight. If people weren’t watching, he may have unleashed himself on Jack. After all, he knew what family Jack really came from. But he couldn’t afford to lose his cool in front of the others.
“Well, consider me impressed anyway.”
Sabrina was leaning against the wall, her little clique of mean girls nowhere in sight. Alyx gave her a lazy once over. She had on a short tennis skirt, white sneakers, and a tight white tank top. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, and she had a gray hoodie draped across her shoulders.
“Better hurry along,” Alyx said, too annoyed to play nice. Nice was one of his least favorite roles to play. “Don’t want to be late for the country club.”
Sabrina glanced down at her outfit. “Like it?”
Alyx eyed her bare, muscular legs. “I don’t mind it.”
She smiled knowingly and fell into step beside him. “Here, I’ll walk you out. Maybe you can give me a ride home.”
“I don’t have time.”
“I can make it worth your while.” She winked at him, and he found himself walking with her. She was certainly intriguing. He’d give her that. He needed to take his mind off the fight, and the needling looks of his classmates. A bit of entertainment might go a long way.
She led the way outside, holding the door for him. He gave her a look and waited for her to go first. A small giggle left her lips as she sauntered through the doorway, her skirt swishing against her legs. He followed her all the way to his car. He didn’t realize she’d been paying any attention to him, but clearly, she had.
He pulled out his car keys and unlocked the doors. Sabrina sank into the passenger seat without waiting for an invitation.
Alyx let out a deep breath before he got into the car with her. She waited patiently for him to turn the car on, her fingers drumming against her knees. Her red nails were filed into points, and a charm bracelet dangled from her left arm.
Everything about her screamed wealth, though he knew she worked down at the boutique in town just to make ends meet. Sabrina was all about crafting an appearance–money, popularity, status. None of that juvenile shit really mattered to Alyx. He had bigger things to worry about. But it did give a bit of insight into her character, and what she might want. He liked to know what he could hold over people.
“So, I heard you talking to Celeste.”
He turned the car on, and the engine came to life with a soft purr. The radio came on, but he turned it off. “Is that so?”
He could feel her eyes on him, but he didn’t look at her. Instead, he put the car in gear and maneuvered out of the parking lot. He already knew which dorm she lived in. He’d been to a few parties there this year.
“Sure, if it’s any consolation, I’ve always thought she was a no-nothing bitch.”
Alyx smirked. How wrong she was.
“Look, I’ll get straight to the point. If you think I invited you here because we’re going to hook up, then I’m sorry to say you’re wrong. No offense, but you’re not my type.”
“You invited me to my own car?”
She just waved him off. “I know you hate Celeste. I hate her, too. She took something of mine, and I want it back.”
Alyx laughed. “Matt, you mean?”
He glanced at her, catching the tail end of her frown. “He was supposed to be mine, and she just swooped in,” she said bitterly. “I don’t get what he sees in her.”
“She’s hot,” Alyx said with a shrug. It wasn’t really that hard to understand.
“No, she’s fat and ugly.”
“I can see why you’d want to believe that.”
She fell silent, turning to look outside. Students milled about on the sidewalks, heading home after a long day of classes. “It doesn’t matter why. What matters is that she took something, and I want it back.”
“So you said.”
“And you’re going to help me get it back.”
Alyx turned into the parking lot outside her dorm and parked in the closest spot he could find. He turned the car off and looked sideways at her. She was sitting with her backpack on her lap, her eyes locked on the looming building ahead of them. The handle of her bag was gripped so tightly in her hands, her thin knuckles were white from the effort.
“And how exactly am I supposed to help you?”
“There’s a party this weekend after the game. Over at Seth’s place.” Seth was the richest kid on the hockey team, and their parties were often held at his mansion. The great thing about Seth’s place was that it backed onto miles of forest.
“I see,” Alyx muttered, an idea taking shape. “We can meet before the party. Set something up.”
Sabrina gave him a coy smile. “I knew we’d see eye to eye about this.”
“You want to make her pay?”
She nodded.
Alyx grinned. “I want to make her pay, too.”
Sabrina held out her hand, and after some hesitation, he handed his phone over to her. She typed her contact into his list before handing it back to him. “I’ll text you. I already have a few ideas, but the main point is to humiliate her. I want to make sure Matt never sees her the same way.”
“I’m sure that’ll help you win him over.”
She ignored him. “Bye, weirdo.”
He watched her as she climbed out of his car, then crossed the parking lot with a slight jaunt to her step. Damn, she really was a bitch. He already knew that, but this just confirmed it. Alyx kind of hated her, but it didn’t matter. He didn’t need to like her for his plan to work. The most important thing was that he got her alone before the party.
He also had to make sure Matt and Celeste showed up. How, he didn’t know, but he’d think of something. Hell, maybe he’d get lucky, and they’d decide to go all on their own.
“Payback’s a double-edged sword,” he muttered, eyeing the front door as it swung shut.
Sabrina was going to pay the price just as much as the rest of them. For him, that was just the cherry on top. And as long as everything went according to plan, he’d accomplish what he needed to. He’d drive Celeste into Matt’s arms right where he needed her.
