Sugar

3

    I chewed the inside of my lip momentarily as he stared at me, his brown eyes held a more scrutinizing gaze than most would for such a simple question.

    "Yeah." I nodded, glancing down to the bottle of water clutched in my hand. "Yeah, I am. I graduate next year, thankfully."

    Brandon nodded slowly, bringing his twisted tea to his lips and tilting his head back.

    "What are you in school for?" Alex's voice pulled my attention away from Brandon to beside me where he was sat.

    "I'm trying to get my bachelor in art education. I want to be an art teacher hopefully, and if not I've at least got the qualifications to be a struggling artist," I joked, swishing my bottle around and watching the water wash against the sides of the plastic.

    "Thats really interesting." Alex nodded, looking as if he was mulling over my words.

    I couldn't figure out why it was interesting, but I didn't say anything in return.

    "Do you know how much art teachers make annually?" His words made my heart drop slightly, my cheeks pinking immediately.

    If there was one thing I didn't want to talk about with one definitely rich man-Brandon- and one possible rich man-Alex- it's my future salary. Especially men that look to give younger women financial stability in return of favors of companionship.

    "I do," I said, my tone clipped as I stared at him. His expression didn't show me that he picked up on my annoyance, and honestly it didn't surprise me all that much. Even if he did, I doubt he cared. He was probably used to asking people such invasive questions if he was anything like Brandon.

    "They make what?" He glanced over to Brandon who was watching us closely, no expression quite present on his features. "Like 50K a year? You're going to go to school for 4 years and pay out the ass for schooling to make $50,000 in one year?"

    When I'd first met Alex I pegged him as the quiet type, the passive kind of person. I was now rethinking that whole analysis.

    The silence between the four of us was thick now, Aria's attention finally broken from her phone as her wide eyed gaze trained on the two of us. My heartbeat thudded hard in my chest, more out of anger than nerves. I mean, who says this to a complete stranger?

    A total assfuck, thats who.

    "If you'll excuse me," I said, my voice quiet as I stood up, unwrapping the blanket from around my shoulders and placing it onto the chair I'd been previously sat in.

    Alex said something as I stalked away, heading to the sliding doors. I hadn't caught it and it was probably mostly due to the pulse thumping in my ears.

    When I came to the glass doors I yanked it open, stepping into the kitchen and onto the cold tile before doing my best to not slam it closed. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding as I was surrounded by the darkness of the kitchen, closing my eyes momentarily and enjoying the silence around me.

    Without wasting another moment I made my way to the stairs, climbing each floor until I'd made it to the third where my bedroom was located and quickly found my room, closing the door and locking it behind me in case anyone decided they wanted to follow me.

    The last thing I want to do right now is talk to them.

    I plopped down onto my bed, gnawing the inside of my lip in complete and utter frustration as I pulled my phone out of the nightstand I'd placed it in earlier.