Dark Light (The Dark Light Series)(106)

About an hour into our trip, I get a nudge from James sitting a seat over. I’ve had my headphones in listening to my iPod to drown out Aurora’s singsong soprano as she giggles and flirts with Jared. Ugh, gag me. I remove one of my earbuds and look over at him.

“So I heard you’ve been holding out on us. A boyfriend, young lady?” James jokes.

I smile shyly at James and shrug. “Oh, it’s not what you think. But yes, I am seeing someone.”

I feel bad for not telling James the whole truth about Dorian. He’s a couple years older and I’ve always seen him as a big brother. Next month, he’ll graduate from UCCS along with Miguel and is planning on heading out to Denver to spread his wings in a bigger city. It’s hard to believe that our little group will get smaller. But then again, most of us are paired up now. Everything is changing, and though I love having Dorian in my life, I miss the old days.

“Well, I hear we’ll get a chance to finally meet this mystery man. Don’t worry, we won’t embarrass you too much,” James laughs.

“Oh, yes, James, since Gabriella here has been hiding Dorian from you all. I wonder why,” Aurora chimes in from behind us. I roll my eyes from behind my shades and purse my lips, refusing to even acknowledge her comment.

“Yeah, Gabs, are you ashamed of us or something?” Miguel calls out from the driver’s seat. I see Morgan jab a knuckle into his side, hinting for him to shut up.

“No one is ashamed of you guys. You know that. I’m just a private person. And you know how it is…when people feel the need to flaunt it, it’s usually because things are really not as great as they pretend they are,” I say sweetly, though from James’s sly grin and slight head nod towards the back, I know my comment is not lost on him. My statement closes the conversation and we all go back to our individual activities.

After another 20 minutes, we stop for a bathroom break at a rest stop when Jared approaches me. I try to smile warmly at my friend but after witnessing him and Aurora canoodling in the backseat for the last hour and a half, I can barely look at him without gagging.

“So Dorian is supposed to come up tomorrow?” he asks nervously, obviously trying to feel me out. When did things get so weird?

“Yeah. He’s coming in from Greece then meeting us there. Where’d your date go?” Hopefully back to where ever the hell she came from.

“Oh, she’s in the bathroom with Morgan. Freshening up, doing girl stuff, getting pretty, I guess.” He smiles then cringes, clearly worried about offending me. I wave it off.

“Seems like you two are pretty hot and heavy,” I remark.

Jared shrugs. “Well, you know how it is.”

I can’t argue with that. I know what it’s like to be totally consumed with someone. To want to feel them all over you. To feel physically sick and weakened when they’re not around. I’ve felt like that with Dorian. I still do, though this time is different. This time, I can breathe. I can actually function when he’s not around though I miss him terribly. This time I am anchored only by my love for him.

“There you are!” Aurora squeals, wrapping her arms around Jared’s waist. She stands on her tiptoes to give Jared a peck on the lips before turning to acknowledge my presence.

“Do you ski, Gabriella?” she asks in her sickly sweet voice.

“No,” I reply curtly.

“Well, that’s too bad. I would have loved to get you out there on those slopes.” Sure you would…so you can kill me and bury my body beneath the snow.

“Maybe next time,” I respond. Or just wait 11 more months then give me your best shot, sweetie.

Aurora smiles, showing her dazzling white teeth, and turns around with Jared to head back to the van.

“Just breathe, Gabs. It’s only the weekend,” Morgan mutters, standing behind me. Both of us are gazing at the lovebirds, strolling hand in hand.

“Let’s just hope she lives that long,” I say under my breath. Morgan chuckles and ushers me towards the parking lot.

An hour later, we pull up to the grand cabin-style property and scramble out of the van anxiously. Morgan’s parents have been generous enough to let us stay here at their time-share property, saving us starving college kids a ton. The décor is rustic but the amenities are modern and up to date. We set off through the vast house, claiming our bedrooms. The place is huge, boasting 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. Morgan and I claim the only rooms with conjoining bathrooms while Miguel and James agree to sleep in the room with two twin beds. Leaving Jared and Aurora in the room with a queen size bed. I’m no fool; I know they’ve been intimate. Even a blind man could see that. But it just sickens me that they’re so open about it. As if it wouldn’t hurt me.