"Dude, you've got serious issues," Silver said, looking at me like I was garbage.
"Save your advice. You need it more than I do," I replied, continuing to eat.
I ignored Ariana's hostile glare. She was clearly realizing how her plan to make me jealous had completely backfired.
"How do you know my boyfriend?" Selena's voice cut through the tension.
I caught Rizel watching with interest. What is she still doing here?
If I didn't know she was secretly a masochist, I'd say something truly inappropriate just to get her off my back. But that wouldn't work - hurting her only made her more interested.
"So you guys are in a relationship?" Eloisa asked, returning with a new tray.
"Yes. He asked me out - literally on his knees, begging. I couldn't bring myself to say no," Selena said smugly.
I didn't bother contesting her claim. If I tried, she'd probably target my balls again. Besides, if this nonsense could get these girls off my back, I was all for it.
"Huh, I didn't know you were such a romantic," Silver laughed, nudging me.
I forgot about this idiot.
"Whatever," I muttered.
"Really?" Eloisa asked, her gaze locking onto mine. Her lips twitched, her smile barely holding.
"Why do you care?" I shot back sharply. "Shouldn't you be with your fiancé right now?"
And then her smile fell.
"Oh, she's engaged?" Selena chimed in, sounding unnervingly cheerful.
Huh? Why does she sound happy about that?
I'd told her about Eloisa and the others when we were trapped in that place together. So why was she acting like this was the first time she'd heard of them?
Could this have been her plan all along? To solidify her fake girlfriend status while keeping the enmity alive?
Well, that wasn't really my problem.
"Yeah," I replied, finishing my food.
"You can order more," Selena offered, but eating more in this pressure-cooker atmosphere would give me indigestion.
"You know," Eloisa started, her voice cutting through the air like a blade, "I found someone. She might've been the one you thought I was."
My smile vanished.
"Where?" My voice went cold.
"Long gone. She showed up a year after you disappeared," Eloisa replied.
I could see Rizel trying to memorize every word. Even Ariana looked shocked.
"Where?" I asked again, sharper.
You need to get out of here. The dark energy is already sufficient, the voice warned.
I didn't need the warning. I could feel that familiar sensation - the one that made my eyes turn purple. But I couldn't stop myself. When it came to her, I always lost control.
"As I said... gone," Eloisa repeated, stabbing at her food like nothing had happened.
"Who are you guys talking about?" Ariana asked, sensing the cold atmosphere.
"Gone where?" I demanded.
"To hell," Eloisa replied, her smile twisting into something maniacal.
Wait. No. That's not possible. How could I fall for such a cheap trick? There's no way she found her before I did.
"You... killed her once, didn't you?" she whispered, and I froze.
No. It can't be.
"So I helped you do it. For a second time," she said, her grin widening.
Ryan! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!
"You..." I stammered.
"I can tell you her name," Eloisa taunted. "If you don't believe me."
"..."
"She told me herself," she added, grinning wider. "Though not willingly, of course."
This can't be happening. I searched for three years, only to be told she was there all along?
"What did you do to her?"
"Are you deaf?"
"What?"
"I..." Eloisa began, then stood up and smiled. "Renay. That was her name."
"..."
"What are you guys talking about?" Ariana's voice faded into the background.
I went blank.