the hating game ; lrh

thirty-five

I WANT TO VOMIT at the sight of Cara as she takes a seat beside Luke, snaking her slimy little arm beneath the table to rest on his thigh.

What's even worse is that Cara looks stunning. She wears a red dress, similar to one I saw whilst shopping with Anna but knew instantly that I could never pull off, that clings tightly to her entire body, hugging and accentuating her curves perfectly. She looks like a goddess, and everybody knows it. Even Jessica shifts uncomfortably in her seat as she looks at her, readjusting the thin straps on her black dress as if it will turn her into a princess.

But what disgusts me the most is the fact that Luke invited her. It's not that he just invited another girl — though even that would have aggravated me — but that he chose to bring Cara Waters. Out of everybody he could possibly have chosen, it had to be the girl who I caught my ex-boyfriend cheating on me with. Beside me, I can even feel the tension from Ashton as he realises the gravity of the situation. He casts me a glance as if to say 'that's low', even without knowing what is happening between Luke and I — though I know he probably just thinks it's another low blow from my arch enemy. And, in a way, I suppose it is.

Luke avoids my eye, his arm resting on the back of Cara's chair. They whisper amongst themselves, Luke chuckling lightly at something that Cara tells him, and I feel my anger bubbling over inside my chest. I didn't think I would last the night across from Luke without Cara as his date, and now I know that I won't. I feel like an idiot for ever agreeing to come to the banquet. The only reason Luke has brought Cara is to spite me — at least, I hope it is.

"You okay?" Jaden asks quietly, leaning closer to me so that nobody can overhear us.

I cast him a soft smile, tucking a curl behind my ear. "Yeah, fine," I respond, hoping that it's enough to convince him so. "I just don't really like Cara."

Jaden glances over at the gorgeous blonde girl, then casts me a knowing smile. "Honestly? Neither do I," he admits, making me giggle lightly.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one," I admit.

"Trust me, you're definitely not," Jaden assures me, implying how many people at our school actually don't like Cara despite her apparent 'Queen Bee' status.

When I turn back to the table, a joyful smile on my face, I lock eyes almost instantly with an extremely annoyed Luke. For a moment, I contemplate ignoring him, thinking that there is no need to cause a fuss tonight. However, the more I think about brushing his actions off, the more angry I feel.

"What?" I raise my brows at him, calling him out for staring angrily at me.

Luke seems surprised for a moment by the confrontation, but quickly recovers, shrugging nonchalantly. "Nothing," he muses, attempting to appear relaxed rather than annoyed.

I let out a huff of annoyance, letting my gaze drop from the boy. "Asshole," I mumble, though clearly loud enough for him and everybody else at the table to hear.

Luke chirps up instantly, his own brows now raised at me. "What was that?"

"Nothing," I imitate his own words, shrugging dramatically in response. In my peripheral vision, I see Ashton shaking his head at our childish behaviour. I turn to Jaden, offering him a small smile. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Sure," he nods with a smile, thankfully seeming unaffected by my interaction with Luke. I truly don't want to make the night into a string of arguments between us — I was here with Jaden.