Page 48 of Ink & Ambition

“I understand you’re upset and you’re allowed to be. But what you’re not allowed to do is let shitty people that are unhappy with their shitty lives make you feel any type of way. At all.”

I can’t meet his gaze, but I do notice the clock above the door and realize I should probably start heading to class. Packing my laptop in my bag, I stand from my chair and accidentally find myself and Alex face to face. As I move to get away from his personal space, Alex grips my chin and pulls my face to meet his.

“Are you listening to me, Margot?”

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this time spent with Alex Prescott, he uses my government name, he means business.

I pull my face out of his grasp, but I don’t move too far away, our eyes still linked. “I am listening,” I reply, my voice small.

“Hiccups are bound to happen. It’s how we react to them that makes all the difference. And we’re gonna show these assholes that we can’t be fucked with.”

The more Alex talks, the more I want to believe him. He’s so incredibly positive all the time, it’s truly inspiring. Before I know it, I find myself nodding. “Yeah.”

“Yeah what?”

“They can’t fuck with us,” I reply, a slight grin starting to form on my face.

Alex’s smile is Oscar-worthy. “What’s that, sunshine? Say it loud and proud!”

I can’t help the giggle that escapes. “They can’t fuck with us!” I yell loud enough that I surprise myself, but not too loud that Iforget I’m in a library. Alex jumps off the table and pulls me in for a tight hug, his arms underneath mine as he sweeps me off my feet.

“Fuck yeah, that’s my girl!”

I laugh as he spins me around, as much as he can within the tiny confines of the study room. Once my feet hit the floor again, Alex and I both take a moment, laughing as we catch our breath. Looking up, I see Alex’s face much closer than it was before. Not afriendlykind of close. A dangerous kind of close. His breath is minty and it hits my nose as he exhales sharply. He licks his lips.

I blink out of the trance, taking a step too far back. “Thanks, Alex.” He blinks too as if he was caught in the same trance. Then he nods a few times. And then smiles.

Alex is right. We’ll show these haters who’s boss. And we’ll do it together.

“Did he say where he’s taking you?” Danika asks, her nose in her closet again, picking out the perfect outfit for my date with Ryan. “Location is a huge factor in outfit-decision making.”

“Nope,” I respond, although I’m only half paying attention. I know she’s not going to let me make the final decision anyway so there’s no point in even trying to insert my opinion.

I must be a masochist because, instead of leaving it alone like Alex suggested, I can’t stop myself from scrolling through the comments again. For every ten mean comments about me, there’s one semi-decent one so I guess there’s that? On the other hand, for every ten nice comments about Alex, there’s one incredibly dirty one. Not one ounce of hate for the golden boy.Must be nice.

Before I can finish reading the comment about my “nasally voice,” my phone is ripped from my hand.

“Why are you still reading these comments?” Sydney asks, closing the tab on my phone and tossing it onto the bed next to me.

I have no reply but, truly, I don’t know why I’m still making myself suffer. Maybe I’m hoping for a miracle and all the mean comments will change to nice ones?

Sydney takes my hands and drags me over to the vanity. Pushing me down in the chair, she puts her hands on both my shoulders. “We are not giving any more attention to internet assholes. Right now, we are going to glam you up and then you are going to have the best time on your date with Ryan. Is that clear?”

“Sir, yes, sir,” I salute Sydney and she laughs. Sydney starts working her magic to make my face look unrecognizable while Danika finally pulls the right outfit for me out of her closet. Within fifteen minutes, I’m dressed in the tightest jeans Danika owns and a black halter that makes my shoulders pop, just in time too as Ryan texts me that he’s downstairs.

Danika gives me a once over and then hands me her tan wedges. I really am lucky that she and I are the same size in basically everything. “Ok, Mar. Let loose, have lots of fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“That’s not a lot.”

“Exactly,” she says with a wink. Sydney gives me a tight squeeze and then I grab my purse and head down to the lobby. I had expected to get into Ryan’s car but instead I’m met with him standing in the foyer waiting for me.

“I would’ve come to your door, I just didn’t know which apartment it was,” he says as I approach him. “You look beautiful.”

The blush creeps up my cheeks and is masked only by my wide smile. “Thank you,” I say. “You don’t look too bad yourself.” Ryan smiles and holds the door for me to leave the building. Hiscar is idling out front and he holds the passenger door open for me too.

“So where are you taking me?” I ask when we’re both settled in.

Ryan smiles as he pulls away from the curb. “How do you feel about Italian?”

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