Lucrative Games

chapter nine

this is a shorter chapter, don't get used to it ;-)

I can't help the yelp that escapes from my mouth involuntarily, but I slap a hand over my lips the moment it breaks free. In response, the familiar girl before me shrieks as well.

"What are you doing?" I whisper-scream, and at the exact moment she states, "Jeez, Lace, trying to blow out our eardrums?"

I glance awkwardly at Chase, only to find that he's staring oddly at the boy in a matching yellow practice suit. I look between them, and it is immediately apparent that they're both from Sultry: along with the yellow of their clothes, they share green eyes and blonde hair—the Sultry look.

The boy beside Aria drags his eyes over to mine, and I see the recognition of my Domain glow on his face. He's probably internally saying, "Brown eyes, auburn hair...ahhh, Congen."

"You're Lacey's friend, right?" Chase confusedly asks Aria. "I recognize you from the souvenir shop." Once Aria confirms his question, he continues, "So what are you doing with Dominic?"

"You know him?" I ask Chase, referring to the boy beside Aria—Dominic, apparently.

"He's my best friend," Dominic answers, shrugging. So casually nonchalant.

"Are you telling me that my best friend has been sneaking around with your best friend?" Chase asks me, rubbing his temples. "I'm getting a headache."

"You wouldn't be if you were taking your vitamins," I murmur, shooting him a playful wink.

"Seriously, though," Aria says, asking what we're all wondering. "What's going on? Why are you guys here?"

"Earlier I told Dominic that we had found this room," Chase sheepishly admits. "But I didn't think he'd come here himself."

"How long have you guys been with each other?" I curiously ask, trying to hide the betrayal I feel within me. Why hadn't Aria told me about him?

"Since our third break last night," Dominic supplies.

Meanwhile, Aria seems embarrassed—and rightfully so, too. She had the audacity to repeatedly give me lectures about how I'm breaking the rules, when she was secretly doing the same thing? I can't believe how guilty she made me feel when she was equally as culpable as I was.

Something stirs within me, and I do my best to take deep breaths. I guess Chase can sense my frustration amassing because he supportively rests his hand between my shoulder blades, allowing my unsavory thoughts to briefly fade.

"That was you in the room with the one-way glass, then, wasn't it?" Chase wonders aloud, piecing everything together.

"Um, no," Aria quietly answers. "We just got here about twenty minutes ago."

"Damn it," Chase curses. "That means someone else was here earlier."

"Probably a guard," I whisper, not wanting to think about how close we were to being caught.

"Either way, we need to leave. Practice probably starts any minute now," Dominic states, taking the initiative to lead us into the non-forbidden area of The Dome. The three of us follow suit, Aria standing adjacent to Dominic, whereas Chase and I follow behind a bit slower.

"I thought this was our special place," I mutter, low enough only for Chase to hear.

"I know," Chase sighs, swiping a hand through his hair—I'm starting to see this as a habit for when he's nervous or frustrated. "I'm sorry, baby."

I shiver racks through my body at his term of endearment—no one's ever called me baby before—not even my parents. A small smile inches onto my face, and I avert my gaze to the ground as a faint blush paints itself onto my cheeks. The word alone makes me feel giddy, and I momentarily forget that I'm upset about finding Aria and Dominic in our special spot, despite her lack of mentioning the Sultry boy.