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Chapter 7

I loathed him. That was what I was thinking as I sat at the back of his classroom, glaring daggers into the back of his head as he wrote on the board.

“Chloe?!”

I snapped my head to the side. Dan was looking at me like I was a complete weirdo or something. “What?” I shot back at him.

“You’re glaring pretty hard there.” He smirked slightly before he placed a piece of paper on my desk. Glancing down at it, I saw it was an invitation.

I frowned while reading the details. It was an invitation to his father’s birthday. “Is there a reason why your dad wants me to come?” I glanced at him, and he broke out in laughter, causing Xavier to spin around from the board.

“Chloe, Daniel. If I have to separate you two, I will.”

I rolled my eyes. I am sure he would love to do that. Xavier shot me an annoyed look before turning his attention back to the board. Glancing sideways at Dan, I saw he was holding in silent laughter.

I mouthed “what?” to him, not getting what was so hilarious.

“Look at the top of it,” he mouthed under his breath to me, trying to stay off Xavier’s raider. Glancing back at the invitation, I felt like hitting my forehead when I read my parents names at the top.

“Oh, I get it,” I whispered under my breath to him. “I’ll pass it on.”

Dan just nodded his head. “Got any plans for that night?” he said under his breath. I frowned, glancing at the date on the invitation. It was for this weekend.

“No,” I hissed back, leaning across my desk to his. “Why?”

“You should come anyway. Keep me entertained.”

I smiled and nodded my head. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Ok, Chloe. Collect your stuff and come up to the front, please,” Xavier ordered in a stern voice. I think he may have been listening in on our conversation. Scooping up my stuff, I moved to the seat up front where I used to sit. Dan shot me apologetic smile as I brushed pass him.

I huffed to myself as I slumped in the seat. I knew why he wanted me close. He wanted to play with my emotions, and it inflamed my anger to know it.

I flipped my textbook open. If I focused on the assignment, I could pretend to ignore the feelings for him that were coursing through my veins.

***

“Chloe, your parents are coming around tonight for dinner. You, of course, are invited.”

I clenched the books tighter to my chest, as the class moved past me, while Xavier spoke.

“I have homework.”

“Don’t lie to me. Lie to your parents, if you want to get out of it.” Xavier crossed his arms. “Though the boys would be disappointed. I told them you were coming.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” My nails dug into the hard cover of my textbook.

Xavier shrugged his shoulders innocently. “I just told them the truth. If you cancel, you cancel.”

I ground my teeth. I took a few steps before freezing in the doorway. Slowly I turned my head to look over my shoulder. Xavier had a smug look on his face.

“Xavier, I would love to come and have dinner with your family. In fact, I have this perfect dress that would be great for the occasion.”

Xavier’s smug look disappeared slowly as he narrowed his eyes. “Don’t play with fire, Chloe. You will get burnt.”

Shooting him a sly smile, I turned my back on him and walked away. Two can blackmail and two can twist each other’s emotions.

I just hoped I was doing the right thing.