The List

#5: go to a concert and feel the sick vibes

In the car, Claire proposed a question I never thought she'd ask. "So," she cleared her throat. "Any advice for handling an antisocial Eros?"

Light filtered softly in the car, slight and pure, much like Claire, her feelings for Eros and how I was so cruelly against it. Guilt bubbled through me, for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

Claire had me and Luna come over before her date with Eros and help her get ready, choose the perfect outfit and do her hair perfectly so he'd like it. It was superficial, and as much as I'd like to refute her actions, I knew if I were in the same position, I'd do the exact same.

So I answered as truthfully as possible.

"Eros just has a hard time letting people in Claire, you must understand. His life hasn't been particularly easy and he just wants to get through high school. The few people he does let in however, are very close to his heart and he treasures them lie no other," I admitted. "So if you ever penetrate his caged heart, know you're lucky and don't fuck it up."

A smirk curved my lips, thinking of the phrase Eros had used so often with me. But, my words make me curious, had he used that phrase because he knew I was going to penetrate his heart? And he wanted to warn me?

It was cute and warmed my heart, so I decided those was his intentions.

"If you don't mind me asking," Luna's voice was quiet from the back, apprehensive. "How'd he end up in Monte Verde?"

"His parents and him lived in Virginia. After they died, his grandmother came to take care of him, but that's when he began to lash out—"

"Lash out?"

Claire was worried, and I hadn't expected that from her. Ever since I knew she wanted Eros, she had become the antagonist of my story which was entirely unfair because she hadn't done anything wrong, I was just being a bitch.

But I couldn't help it. I wanted Eros and I didn't want to share.

"Yeah, for a while he was involved in cage fights and he fooled around a lot. His therapist suggested they move back to Monte Verde, where Eros' grandmother lived prior so he could have a fresh start, reconnect with the place his parents once met in. So that's what they did. And the rest is history."

The car fell silent for a moment as Luna and Claire processed this new information about their new friend. My hands drummed against the steering wheel absentmindedly as I turned onto Ryder's street. He, Luna and I had plans to go out later tonight while Eros and Claire went to the concert.

I only agreed because I needed to keep myself busy from thinking about what he and Claire would do, if they lips would touch. If they would end up fooling around like how we did.

"God I hope he likes me."

My head turned to Claire in my passenger seat. She seemed, stressed, holding her head in her hands, fingers weaved into her hair.

"He will. He's genuinely a people person once you push pass his angsty exterior," I offered her a small smile, hoping it didn't seem too much like a grimace.

Despite how much I wanted to steer Claire wrong with Eros, I couldn't. I just wasn't that person. Eros and I had decided that yes, what was developing between us was dangerous and yes, we decided that we both needed to move on, get each other out of our systems.

I didn't realize it would be that easy, for either of us.

Arriving at the house, Claire reluctantly followed Luna and I to the door, tugging on her hair. Luna let loose a giggle and pulled her toward her side as I unlocked the door and beckoned them in, thankful for the cool air hitting our skin.