CHAPTER THIRTY THREE - COUPLE GOALS

MONA'S POV

“I have missed you,” Aster said as he walked closer to where I stood, pulling me into his arms for a hug.

I could still feel everyone's eyes on me as I hugged him back.

I could imagine what they were all thinking right now, that I was a cold hearted bitch.

Sierra's words from earlier resounded in my brain as I hugged Aster. “You really are a bitch…”

Maybe she was right, maybe they all were, but right now it didn't matter. 

I was in too deep to give a shit.

I hugged Aster back, tightly, willing myself not to cry.

“I'm guessing you didn't have a chance to talk to him,” Aster whispered into my ear, still holding me close.

“No,” I croaked out, feeling my voice break, tears threatening to spill out.

“That's alright, you can explain things to him later, but for now you have to look happy,” he instructed as he pulled apart, holding my shoulders in his hands.

“I have missed you so much,” Aster said again, smiling at me brightly.

Whoever the stalker was, I was sure that they were watching right now.

Everyone already thought I was a bitch, so why not give them a show.

Suddenly, my hands went to the back of Aster's neck, pulling him in for a kiss.

He grunted in surprise, but almost immediately he adjusted, his hands sliding down to my waist as he kissed me back.

There were tears streaming down my face as we made out in front of everybody, but I didn't care.

To them, this was just a dramatic couple getting back together. But to me, my heart was physically breaking.

Aster's mouth assaulted mine passionately, his hands digging into my waist like he didn't want to let me go, while my hands held on to his neck, holding him close.

Suddenly, I imagined Luka watching us and I pushed Aster away, catching my breath.

He smirked and pulled me closer to him, his hand around my shoulder.

“Let's get out of here babe,” he smirked and I managed a smile back, hoping no one could see how appalled I was.

He pulled me with him until we left the cafeteria.

“That was too good Mona—” his words were cut short as I slapped him.

He stepped back, giving me a shocked look.

“What the hell was that for?” he asked me, looking around to make sure that no one saw what just happened.

“You're a real jerk Aster,” I said to him, my bottom lip quivering as I bit back the tears.

“What did I do this time?” He asked, sounding stunned.

“You are really asking me that question, after the stunt you pulled on me?” 

“If anyone should be complaining here, it's me, I didn't expect you to kiss me,” he said, having the audacity to look down at my lips.

“I told you that I didn't want to be your fake girlfriend and yet, you pulled that stunt this morning, making everyone think that we were back together.”

“Oh come on Mona, I told you already. This will just be for a week,” .” he insisted and I stepped back from him, feeling what felt like irritation building in my chest.

I had decided to do this, the second, I lied to Luka and kissed Aster in the cafeteria, the least I could do now was to follow through on my promise.

“Fine then,” I said, looking up at him. 

“This facade will last for as long as it has to, until either of us receives a note from whoever your stalker is again,” I said and he nodded at me, raising his hands in surrender.

“Fine then, for as long as it has to.” 

***

It lasted for way too long.

Even after our stunt in the cafeteria, neither of us received a note from the stalker, not even as little as a text from here. 

I sat at Aster’s table, playing the willful role of a girlfriend, laughing at his jokes, while he draped an arm around my shoulder.

Suddenly, Aster’s arm slid to my waist as he pulled me in for a kiss.

My eyes widened in shock as I wondered why he was kissing me right now all of a sudden. As soon as he pulled away, I realised why— Luka had just walked into the cafeteria and us kissing happened to be the first thing he saw.

Aster gave me a smirk as I looked from Luka’s face to his in horror. 

Was he fucking serious? 

Luka didn’t even say a word, his eyes just hardened at mine, like he hated seeing me. He made a show of trashing his lunch tray and then rushing out of the cafeteria room.

I made an effort to stand up but Aster grabbed my hand, stopping me.

“Don’t do it Mona,” he warned me, his blue eyes locked on mine, “Don’t go after him.”

“You should have thought about that when you kissed me to provoke him,” I said angrily asI yanked my arm away from him, and stepped away from his side.  

Sammy gave me an irritated look as I pushed past him, heading out of the cafeteria.

I didn’t care how I looked right now.

I didn’t care who was watching, I just cared about Luka and I couldn’t let him go around believing that I was a cold hearted bitch, while I did in fact care for him and his feelings.

Luka was at the end of the hallway when I called his name.

He paused, as if a bit stunned that I had called him at all and then he continued to stomp away.

“Luka wait?!” I begged him, starting to run to be by his side.

“Please I am begging you, let’s at least talk!!” I asked as I caught up to him.

“I don’t have anything to say to you Mona, just stay the hell away from me,” he insisted, continuing to walk fast, not even glancing at me.

“Luka wait, I have to explain everything to you first,” I said, grabbing his arm and then he turned to me, his gray eyes filled with so much intensity as he glared at me.

At least he hated me. I consoled myself. It was better than him not talking to me

“I don't care what you have to say anymore Mona, just choose him already,” he said, yanking his arm from my grip and then turning to walk away.

“Luka let me explain, you can choose to hate me after but I have to tell you the truth first,” I said and he stopped in his tracks.

“Aster and I aren't really together,” I revealed to him but his eyes didn't glint in surprise like I expected.

“Aster's stalker sent me a note a week ago, and she basically warned me to stay away from him.”

“And so you figured that the wiser thing to do was to get in a relationship with him?”

“No!! It's not a real relationship,” I said, grabbing at his arm again. “We got in a fake relationship basically to draw the stalker out,” I revealed to him, but he scoffed at me, removing my hand from his.

“That makes no sense Mona, stop talking to me like I'm an idiot. It's fine if you choose Aster but I hate that you keep stringing me along and playing with my feelings all the time,” he said to me, making my stomach sink in disappointment.

I hadn't intended to make him feel that way.

“I am sorry about what I said at the cafeteria,” I apologized to him. “I had to play along with Aster because I really thought his stalker could have been watching us.”

“Look Mona, you don't need to apologize, just do whatever you want okay, I don't care anymore,” he said, turning away and leaving me standing in the hallway.

I wished he could have understood me, but he didn't and even though it broke my heart. Perhaps this was for the best.

***

As school ended that day, Aster and I walked to my locker, with his hands intertwined with mine.

“We need to talk after school today,” I whispered to him and he gave me a look.

“Are you trying to break up with me already?”

“Yeah well, this whole thing isn't working is it?” I asked him as I popped my locker open.

“It isn't working because you aren't being convenient enough,” he fired back silently as I rolled my eyes and packed my books in my bag.

“Ever figure that maybe the whole stalker thing could have been a prank? Maybe someone is messing with you and me for some reason,” I answered nonchalantly, shrugging as I grabbed the last book.

“Why would anyone prank us like that?”

“Maybe it's because you are a jerk who messes with people's feelings and I am a bitch who no one in this school likes----”

“Wait?” Aster said, cutting me off. His eyes fell on something on the ground.

“This just dropped from one of your books,” he said, bending to pick it up.

It was another note, this time written in blood with a very clear warning on it.

Stay away from Aster, or die, it read.