Chapter 20 CHAPTER 20
Vivienne’s POV
“Good.” She grinned and pushed the cookies toward me. “Now eat these before I do, because they’re your favorite and I know it.”
A small laugh escaped me, the first real one all day. “You’re ridiculous.”
“I prefer ‘amazing friend who knows exactly what you need.’” She popped a cookie into her mouth. “But ridiculous works too.”
I took one of the cookies, the chocolate chips still soft and melty. “Thank you, Em. For all of this. For getting me out of there. For…” My voice cracked. “For everything.”
“That’s what best friends do.” She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “You’ve been there for me a million times. It’s my turn to be there for you.”
“But this is different. This is…” I gestured vaguely. “Your brother caused this. He’s the reason everyone is talking about me.”
“I know.” She frowned. “And trust me, I am going to have words with him about that. He should have thought about how this would affect you before pulling that stunt in the cafeteria.”
“He said…” I stopped, unsure if I should continue.
“He said what?”
I looked down at my hot chocolate. “He said I’m his. That we’re meant to be together. That he can’t explain why but he just… knows.”
Emma’s eyebrows shot up. “He said that?”
“Yeah. And his eyes…” I stopped again, remembering the red, even though that made no sense. “Never mind.”
“No, what about his eyes?”
“Nothing. I just… I thought I saw something, but I was probably just freaking out.” I took another sip of hot chocolate. “The whole thing was intense and confusing, and I don’t know what to think anymore.”
Emma went quiet, her eyebrows scrunched together like she was trying to solve a complicated math problem. She stared at her cup, her fingers tapping against the table.
“What?” I asked nervously.
“I’m just…” She shook her head. “I’m trying to make sense of this. Rafael saying you’re his. The whole possessive thing. It’s not like him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, my brother has always been kind of… controlled, you know? Even with Jessica, he was never that intense. Never that…” She waved her hand. “Claiming.”
My stomach flipped. “So you think it’s weird too?”
“Weird doesn’t even cover it.” She took a sip of her drink, still thinking. “And you said his eyes did something?”
“I…” I hesitated. “I probably imagined it. I was stressed and scared and…”
“Vivi. What did you see?”
“They turned red.” The words rushed out. “Just for a second. But that’s impossible, right? I must have been seeing things.”
Emma’s expression went completely blank as she stared at me.
“See? I told you. I was imagining things.” I laughed nervously. “Eyes can’t just change color like that.”
“Right,” Emma said slowly. “Yeah. You’re probably right.”
But something in her tone made me think she did not believe that at all.
An awkward silence settled between us. I picked at my napkin, suddenly wishing I had not said anything.
Then Emma’s face lit up with a huge grin. “You know what though?”
“What?”
“Your wish finally came true.”
My face went hot immediately. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on.” She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’ve had the biggest, most obvious crush on my brother since freshman year. And now he’s kissing you in front of the entire school. That’s basically a dream come true, right?”
“Emma!” I hissed, looking around to make sure no one heard her.
“What? It’s true! You used to get all flustered every time he walked past. And that time he asked you to pass the salt at dinner? You literally dropped the entire salt shaker.”
“I did not…” I stopped. “Okay, I did. But that was one time.”
“It was adorable. You turned so red I thought you were going to pass out.” She was fully laughing now. “And now look at you. Rafael Steele’s official girlfriend.”
“I’m not his girlfriend!”
“He kissed you. In public. After breaking up with Jessica. That is pretty much the definition of claiming you as his girlfriend.”
I buried my face in my hands. “This is so embarrassing.”
“It’s not embarrassing, it’s amazing. Do you know how many girls would kill to be in your position right now?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “And that kiss, by the way. Holy shit, Vivi.”
“Stop.”
“No, seriously. That was movie-level intense. The way he grabbed your face. The way he just went for it.” She fanned herself dramatically. “I’m surprised you didn’t spontaneously combust. It looked hot as hell.”
“Emma!” My entire face felt like it was on fire.
“What? I’m just saying, if I wasn’t his sister, I would have been impressed. That was some serious passion right there. Like, I’m talking romance novel, rip-your-clothes-off kind of—”
“Oh my God, please stop talking.”
She was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. “Your face right now is priceless.”
“I hate you.”
“No you don’t.” She reached over and squeezed my hand. “But seriously, how was it? The kiss?”
“I’m not talking about this with you.”
“Come on. Give me something. Was there tongue? Did he—”
“EMMA.”
“Fine, fine.” She held up her hands, still grinning. “But for the record, you two looked good together. Like, really good. Natural.”
I wanted to deny it. Wanted to say she was wrong. But the truth was, being in Rafael’s arms had felt… right. Despite everything. Despite the fear and confusion and absolute chaos.
Those sparks. God, those sparks.
“I don’t know what to do,” I admitted quietly. “Part of me wants to run away and never see him again. And another part of me wants to…”
My phone rang.
The sudden sound made us both jump.