All I've Never Wanted(75)

“You know, I don’t know why you’re so mad, Rome,” Parker commented conversationally, draping an arm over my shoulders. He really liked doing that, didn’t he?

Roman’s eyes turned to slits, and I bit my lower lip nervously. Couldn’t Parker be serious for just one second?

“If anything, you should be glad,” Parker continued. “Happy, really.”

“And why is that?”

For some reason, the gaze Roman leveled at his friend seemed to be almost a warning.

Parker smirked. “You tell me.”

Roman tensed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said stiffly, but I noticed with relief that his anger seemed to have abated a bit.

“Sure.” There was a highly amused look on Parker’s face, although personally, I don’t see what’s so funny about the situation. “You know, this means Maya doesn’t have a date to homecoming…”

I scowled. Oh yeah. “Thanks for leaving me high and dry like that,” I mumbled. Guess I was just going to have to go alone.

I sighed. A senior going to her last homecoming alone. Am I cool or what?

“I’m sure you’ll find a date soon.” Parker’s jade-green eyes twinkled mischievously. “Right, Rome?”

I darted a quick glance in his direction. Roman seemed to have perked up a bit, but when he saw us looking, he scowled again. “I don’t know, I’m not psychic,” he finally snapped, a weird expression on his face. “You know what? I don’t have time for this. I’m leaving.”

With that, he stormed out of the room.

I rubbed my temple. His mood swings were giving me a headache.

Parker chuckled. “You two are a riot.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said tiredly.

“Of course you don’t, honeybee. You’re quite dense.”

My mouth flopped open and closed like a fish’s. “I’m dense?” I sputtered. “I don’t see how—“

“Come on, walk me out.” Parker cut me off and guided me to the door by my elbow.

If anything, he was the one walking me out. When we passed by Roman’s room, I couldn’t resist peeking through the half-open door. What I saw nearly made me laugh out loud.

Roman may be rich and good-looking, but the boy danced like a spastic chicken with its head cut off.

Although I couldn’t quite figure out why he was dancing in the middle of the day anyway.

* * *

“Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la, la la la la,” Zack hummed merrily as he pushed open the door of the Scion’s private bathroom and into the hall. “’Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la!”

He really had no idea why he was singing Christmas carols in October, but he was in a good mood today, and Christmas songs were just so happy.

Now, if only he could find Maya…

Zack pursed his lips, his blond head turning from side to side as he tried to catch a glimpse of the half-Asian. Adriana had told him to invite Maya to their country cottage over the weekend—and to leave out the fact that everyone except Roman would have “sudden emergencies” that prevented them from going.

That wouldn’t be a problem, if he could only find her.

Suddenly, he caught sight of a bright flash of red hair. Zack squinted. Hey, wasn’t that Maya’s friend? What’s-her-name? He was pretty sure she was named after a city. Florence? Paris? Vienna? He racked his brain before it finally hit him.

“Venice!” he shouted, bounding down the hall towards the petite redhead.

She spun around, her jaw dropping when she saw him. “Are y-you t-talking to me?” she stuttered, pointing to herself.

Zack was confused. Was there someone else named Venice here?

He looked around. Nope. No other people were in the hall. “Yes. You are Venice, right?”

She nodded frantically, making her look like one of those bobble-head figures he used to collect when he was little.

Zack laughed. She was kind of cute. “Do you know where Maya is?”

“Erm, no.” Venice tucked a fiery strand of hair behind one ear. “I think she left, but I’m not sure. Why?”

Zack’s face fell in disappointment. “Oh, I just wanted to invite her to my family’s country house this weekend.”

“Oh.” Venice paused. “You know, I don’t think she can go this weekend. She has a date tomorrow.”

This time, his jaw dropped. “A date? With who?!”

Please say Roman, please say Roman, please say—


“James.”

Oh god that’s not Roman. Adri’s going to throw a fit.

At the thought of his sister’s wrath, Zack shuddered a bit. Sometimes he couldn’t quite believe he managed to make it out his mother’s womb unscathed. Thank god he couldn’t remember anything from when he was a fetus because sharing that tiny little space with Adriana must’ve been a nightmare.

“Are you ok? Why did you shudder when I said his name?” Venice asked, furrowing her brow.

“Oh, no reason,” he muttered, trying to think of a plan. “Where are they going?”

“I think she said something about an amusement park.”