the things we do in the dark (+18)

2

Jonah does not like his older brother. Iverem can tell because his fists are clenched, and he's barely breathing. She can tell because a guy like Augustine is impossible to like.

Augustine has the same thick eyebrows and green eyes as Jonah — the same refined look. However, Augustine's mother's Mexican heritage has given his skin a beige complexion, like golden oak and citrine. His countenance is also annoyingly arrogant. 

Augustine's plush pink lips form a frown when he emerges from his thoughts. He scans the crowd, and his gaze lands on Iverem. She's surprised him somehow, but the expression quickly eclipses to a scowl.

"You been well?" Jonah asks.

"We've been good. We're trying again," Devon answers, "for a baby."

Augustine continues to hold Iverem's stare. This isn't the first time they've met, but it seems to be the first time he actually sees her. He reminds Iverem of her youth church leader Michael. Like him, Augustine has a calm composure, charming and elegantly beautiful. Yet Iverem feels like she's the only one who sees that anger and sadness simmering beneath his carefully crafted persona.

Ugh, why is he still looking at me? she thinks. Iverem tries her best to avoid the likes of men who remind her of that man. His cold gaze brings back memories she's worked hard to forget.

Silence befalls the group and lingers for entirely too long. "Getting up to anything this week?" Devon says, trying to ease the tension.

"We're going to catch the slopes tomorrow," Jonah's mother says. "You guys should come with us."

God, we're already making plans with them, Iverem sighs.

Devon's face lights up like a star. "That sounds quite nice, thank you."

"The mountains have this beautiful glow right at sunrise –"

"You have a stain on your shirt," Augustine says.

Iverem looks down at her peach satin blouse. A dark red blotch is spreading across her collar. There isn't any reason she should feel embarrassed about a stain on her shirt. But Augustine's smirk and everyone's prodding gaze causes Iverem to curse her clumsiness. She must look like some stupid slob.

What is Augustine's motive here? He barely ever glanced at her when they were at one of these things, and now he was trying to humiliate her in front of everyone. No way in hell will she let this uppity-ass weirdo get to her.

Iverem straightens her posture and glares at him. Iverem is tall, but Augustine is taller than her and even Jonah. She doesn't like the idea of him looking down on her metaphorically and physically.

In time, she'll teach Augustine a lesson or two not to fuck with her, so she giggles at his comment. "I'm such a lush sometimes," she says.

Devon lets out an anxious breath.

"Don't worry," Jonah's mother says. "I got just the thing to get that right out."

Iverem smiles at Augustine before she excuses herself. There is a smarmy smile on his face as he gazes at her with a challenge. Iverem's unsure of what kind.