The Ice Princess and The Bad Boy

Chapter Fourteen - Something's Up

{Chapter Fourteen - Something's Up}

•Violet Preston•

"So how was last night?" Ali wiggled her brows at me as her, Carly, and I waited for Hayden's return with our drinks. We were all hanging out at the Lexington Cafe just to piss Vanessa off. Apparently, Ali and Vanessa didn't get along too well either or in simpler terms; they were straight out enemies.

"Nothing..." I shook my head stubbornly as I felt my cheeks heat up as I recalled the kiss. Argh, why couldn't I stop blushing?

"Come on, don't lie," Carly pestered, "you're obviously blushing."

"I am not!" I mentally cursed myself for having such pale skin which made my blushing more noticeable to others.

"You know we're not going to stop bothering you until you spill everything," Ali sang. Somehow, these two girls had made it their sole responsibility to know every single juicy detail of my life like it was some sort of story. However, I haven't told them anything about my past. I knew I couldn't keep it from those two forever. My life was so different now than it was just a few weeks ago. I suddenly had friends who wouldn't leave me alone along with a famous childhood friend and a guy who confuses me to the point where I'm not sure what to think anymore.

"We kissed," I blurted out in haste.

"You guys kissed!" Ali jumped up on her feet as she squealed in joy.

"No way you guys kissed?" Carly repeated in disbelief.

"Who kissed?" Hayden asked as he arrived at the table we were sitting at and set down our drinks.

"Violet and Eli kissed last night!" Ali exclaimed so loud that all heads in the cafe turned in our direction.

I couldn't help, but blush again in embarrassment. An ice princess doesn't blush, I scolded myself. I really needed to stop blushing.

"Quiet down, shrimp." Hayden patted Ali's hair sweetly. "You're attracting attention." It was funny how they both hated each other in the beginning.

"Stop calling that!" She whined as she sat down in her seat with a little huff.

"Don't deny the truth, pipsqueak. You're short, just accept that," he replied with a sly grin.

"I know that. I don't need you reminding me every five minutes."

Carly laughed and I grinned in amusement as we watched the two argue. They were so adorable together.

Ali glared at us and Hayden had an amused smile playing on his lips as he silently sipped his coffee.

"So you and Eli, eh?" Hayden looked at me expectantly, directing the attention back to me.

I rolled my eyes. "We're just friends."

"What?" Ali exclaimed. "You can't just kiss and be back at friends."

"Actually, we just officially became friends today," I corrected her.

"So what exactly were you two before?" Carly asked with curiosity in her eyes.

"We were acquainends."

"What in the world is acquainends?" Hayden's eyes narrowed in confusion along with the other two girls.

"Apparently, it means two people who are half acquaintances and friends, but not either of the two," I explained, "Eli made it up."

"Only Eli would make up stuff like that." Ali rolled her eyes playfully.

"Look, the leech is watching us," Carly suddenly interrupted as she pointed to Vanessa who was staring daggers at us from across the room.

"She must be angry that we went into her territory," Ali commented.

"No doubt about it." Hayden agreed. "I can't believe I'm stuck as her partner for the winter concert. She always looks like she's going to eat me up or something."

"That leech is so dead," Ali stood up angrily, but Hayden held her back from storming over to Vanessa.

"Why do you call her a leech?" I asked.

"Oh, that's what Ali calls Vanessa and trust me when Vanessa heard about it, she went ballistic," Carly replied in a daze as if she was remembering the exact moment in her mind.

Ali shrugged. "What? It is true though! That girl attaches herself to anyone she wants."

Then we continued ranting about Vanessa and how evil she was for the next hour. I had learned a lot about her in the last hour. It wasn't a surprise when Carly mentioned that Vanessa worshipped the ground Isabelle walked on and would do anything for her. But, the thing that caught me by surprise was when she added that a year ago, she was actually close friends with Isabelle and Vanessa. However, she realized that she didn't want to be part of their group anymore and ended up becoming best friends with Ali instead.

"Are you sure you don't want to ride with us?" Hayden asked me since he was driving Carly and Ali home.

I shook my head. "I have to drive my car back home, but thanks for the offer."

Then, they all bid me goodbye and I made my way to my own car that was one of the few cars still remaining in the school's parking lot.

I suddenly spotted Aunt Serena making her way out of the school building with Grayson by her side. Last time I checked, they only met for the first time last week when Serena came to visit the house. How come they seemed close? They looked almost secretive with the way they spoke to each other.

I slowly began to approach them, but they didn't seem to notice me.

"Is she safe?" Aunt Serena asked.

"Yes," Grayson replied.

"Good. We don't need her knowing that she's in danger," Aunt Serena replied before turning in my direction, surprise and shock written all over her normally expressionless face. "Violet, what are you still doing here?"

I ignored what she said. "What were you two just talking about? Who's in danger?"

"No one is," Serena snapped coldly. "I don't want you hanging around Mr. Desmond anymore."

"What? Wait, why?" I stared at her in disbelief and confusion.

"Because he's bad news."

"I don't understand what you mean. You don't know Eli, he's not as bad as he seems," I started. I wasn't sure why I was suddenly defending him.

"You barely know him!"

"Why should it matter if we hang around each other or not? It's not like we've romantically involved," I huffed in frustration. "Mom and his father are getting married to each other and we'll be step siblings."

"I know fully well of this, but I still do not approve. I have arranged for you to be partnered with someone else for the winter concert so you two will no longer be partners.

"Serena! You can't do this!" I exclaimed. This was outrageous. I looked at Grayson for some help, but he only stood there like an idiot in silence.

Serena ignored me and turned to Grayson, "go take Violet home."

Grayson nodded his head. "Let's go V." He grabbed my wrist started dragging me to my car.

Once we reached my car, I yanked my wrist out of his hold. "What's going on?" I demanded.

"Get in the car, I'll drive." Grayson let out an exasperated breath.

"Not until you tell me what's going on."

"I can't. I would if I could, but your aunt ordered me not to."

"Since when did you listen to my aunt?" I challenged.

"Just get in." Grayson opened the passenger side of my car and lightly pulled me in before slamming the door shut.

"Keys." He motioned for me to hand over the car keys once he was settled into the driver's seat.

I sighed and handed the keys over to him, knowing fully well that he wouldn't tell me anything. But, I knew one thing was certain, something was up between the two and I was determined to find out what.