Since my conversation with Dante I've been all smiles. There's this relief as if a heavy burden has been lifted off me. Who knew Dante Moretti could be human too? I was totally caught off guard when he apologized but I'm glad he did. The hatred I had for him is long gone now replaced with admiration. If anything, I'm more sure now that Dante Moretti isn't who I thought he was. He knows how to apologize when he's in the wrong, and I think he's a good person. When he gave me his jacket, the little gesture of kindness filled my heart with warmth. I began to see him in new light. He cares and that is one thing I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

Once in my room I get changed for the after party. A knock comes from the door and I answer quickly.

"Come in."

Kay struts in and I roll my eyes. She shoots at me the same look she gives each time she wants me to spill some juicy details.

"Someone's smiling... hmm, I wonder why." she winks, lying on the bed.

I laugh, moving to join her on the bed.

"Actually, it's nothing much. Dante Moretti might just have made a sincere apology." I smile.

I tell her everything, Kay wearing a serious face as if listening to a speech on world peace. I laugh at the thought.

"Wow, I love him! I stan him even more now." she gushes, making me cringe.

"I bet your boyfriend would love to know that." I tease, rolling my eyes.

"Is someone jealous?" she smacks my arm playfully.

"Who? Me? No way." I scoff, averting my eyes.

She gasps, her palms over her mouth. She keeps silent for a while, narrowing her eyes as if studying me like a book.

"You like him!"

The words go off in my head like an alarm. I like Dante Moretti? No way.

"No." I deny almost immediately.

"You are my best friend, Ria. I know you even more than I know myself, you can't hide shit from me." she says, grinning like a fool. "You do like that Italian sauce, it's so obvious."

"You don't know what you are saying. I don't like him. I do not see him that way." I fire back immediately, getting off the bed and pulling off the long lace gown I'm wearing.

"Oh yeah? Keep telling yourself that honey." she hums.

I change into a red silk dress, it's really short with tiny straps. I do my hair in a ponytail, applying a bold red shade of lipstick to compliment the dress.

"I do not like him." I tell her again, approving my look in the mirror.

"You look so hot." she whistles. "I hope this sexy dress returns in one piece, that's if he doesn't rip it off."

I gasp. Does she know something?

"What does that even mean?" I murmur, clearing my throat.

"Oh, nothing at all or is there something you aren't saying?" she taps her chin slowly.

I narrow my eyes, getting suspicious with her reply.

"I-" I proceed to speak but she cut me off.

"I saw you sneak out of his room some nights ago, before the hiking trip. Is there something you need to tell me?" she asks, her voice sounding unusually serious. "Are you hiding something?"

Oh dear, she knew I was in his room but didn't say anything. She must have been waiting for me to come clean which I didn't. It's not exactly the nicest feeling, knowing your best friend is hiding things from you. I begin to feel guilty, settling beside her on the bed. She needs to know everything. It's about time I open up to her before I break the trust she has in me.

"It was a one time thing. I'm sorry I hid it from you, Kay. I guess I've been feeling ashamed." I sigh, looking down at my entwined fingers, unable to look at my best friend. She must be really disappointed.

"Were you drunk, the two of you? Again?" she finally breaks the silence.

"No." I answer truthfully.

She keeps silent briefly and I start to panic.

"Yes! Oh, finally." she screams excitedly.

What. The. Hell?

"Huh?"

"You think I would be surprised? Come on, it's quite obvious it's going to happen especially with the sexual tension between you two." she waves off. "I better go get my money from Shawn, he lost the bet this time."

A bet?

"Huh?"

"Yeah, we had a bet." she shrugs, sounding nonchalant.

Whaaaaaaat?

"I told you honey, it was bound to happen. I'll see you at the after party okay? I need to get changed." she says, walking to the door. "But seriously I do hope that lovely dress returns in one piece."

She leaves the room, leaving my jaw hang open in the air. I know my best friend is the worst but I just realized she's much more crazier than I thought.

Kayla Crazy Garette.

"Ria."

"Hey." I smile.

"You look stunning." he tells me, taking me in with his eyes from head to toe. "Absolutely stunning."

"Thank you, Ashton." I utter, my lips curving into a smile.

"Shall we?" he asks, offering me his arm.

"Sure." I smile, tucking my arm in his.

We are just about leaving when Dante appears, stopping right in front of us.

"Dante." Ashton greets.

"Ashton." he simply says, staring at me.

I didn't miss the way his beautiful pair of grey eyes turn a darker shade when he laid eyes on him. His eyes roam my body, making me place a hand on my beating heart. My heart is beating even faster than usual. I better not develop an heart attack at this point...

"I need you to come with me, Ria. I need your help with something, it's urgent." Dante tells me.

"Help with what? The party is about to start." Ashton speaks directly.

Dante mutters a few curses under his breath which I didn't miss. Why does he hate Ashton so much?

"It has to do with the party, Caitlyn isn't pleased with the decors. I don't know the exact details but I think she made a call, ordering a few things. She needs help bringing them down here." he explains.

"Oh, still I don't see why you need Ria though. You can just drive there and get it by yourself." Ashton says as a matter of fact.

"Maybe he just needs an extra hand, that way it gets all sorted faster." I utter."It won't take too much time, I'll be back soon."

"Thank you Ria." Dante sighs and I nod.

"Alright, I'll be waiting then. Get the stuffs and hurry back, It's dark already. Be safe." Ashton smiles, squeezing my hands gently.

"Sure." I smile.

"We should get going now if we want to make it back on time." Dante clears his throat.

"Okay."

We've been on the road for about thirty minutes straight now and our destination still isn't in sight. Dante and I didn't speak. Honestly, it's getting uncomfortable now especially with my heart beating fast weirdly.

"You look really amazing, Ria." he finally says, breaking the not so comfortable silence. "So beautiful."

His words play repeatedly in my head. I look at him and I realize his eyes are on me, unwavering. He sends me a smile before concentrating back to driving.

"Thank you, Dante." I mutter shyly.

Silence falls upon us one more time and when I can no longer bear it, I decide to do something to fix it... anything at all to reduce the tension.

"Can I play some music?" I ask.

"Sure." he replies almost immediately.

That was the go ahead I needed to turn on the music. Sex with me by Rihanna plays and I almost choke on my saliva. My eyes find Dante on the driver's seat, and unlike me that's busy freaking out he seems quite relaxed. His eyes remain on the road as he drives. I change the radio channel with the mindset that any other song that plays next would be just fine. I was wrong.

I rest on the head rest, my eyes drifting close but it didn't last. My eyes flutter wide open immediately sparks fly by Taylor Swift starts to play.

drop everything now

meet me in the pouring rain

kiss me on the sidewalk

take away the pain

I didn't wait another second, I turn off the radio. My heart starts beating even faster. Why the hell does it have to be that song? It's an old song for goodness sake. Why did it have to play at the very moment am stuck with Dante? Why?

I secretly take a look at Dante who licks his lower lip. My eyes widen, and I fix my eyes back on the road. How is he so relaxed? He keeps driving, his eyes on the road. Am I overthinking the whole situation?

And that's when Kay's words start to play in my head...

"You like Dante."

"You like Dante."

"You like Dante."

The question is, do I really like him?

My heart beats faster and I place my hand on my chest. This isn't funny anymore, I need to get my shit together. I can't possibly like a man who has a fiancee...

"Are you okay?"

Dante's voice brings me back to reality. I comport myself quickly, making sure to sound convincing as I could.

"Sure."

I keep thinking of how to reduce the tension. I thought of any conversation to bring up but none comes to mind. Music is out of the options now. I keep my hand on my chest, my heart beating like a drum... dum dum. I mentally scold myself to get my feelings under control.

But what feelings? I can't possibly be catching feelings for Dante Moretti, it's absurd. Maybe am suffering from heart disease? My heart should be busy pumping blood but here I am starting to feel things for this man. Ugh, heart brings nothing but trouble...

"I think it's about to start raining." Dante says, bringing my attention to him.

"Rain?" I groan frustratedly.

"Yeah, looks like it." he replies, looking at me before keeping his eyes back on the road.

"Why aren't we there yet? We've been on the road for about an hour now." I ask curiously. "And now it's about to rain."

"We are almost there." he reassures.

It starts pouring. The rain is quite heavy, it's completely dark outside too.

"Are you sure we are almost there? Dante it's really dark now and the rain-"

"We will get there soon Ria." he assures firmly.

"I hope so. I don't want to freak out but mere idea of the car breaking down in the middle of nowhere isn't sitting well with me. I'm not saying it's going to happen but I-"

My rant is cut short immediately the car comes to a halt. I wonder why he stopped the car in the middle of the road by this time of the night.

"Why did you stop the car?" I eye him suspiciously.

I start to panic because he keeps silent... something is wrong.

"I didn't stop the car, Ria." he finally speaks. "I think the car just broke down."

No. No. No, this can't be happening...