“Axel, put me down!” I screamed over the music as he hoisted me over his shoulder caveman style. This was the second time this week that he’d done this. But this time I almost hit a trapeze artist. “Axel!”

He ignored me.

I stared at his butt in his jeans that hugged him perfectly. “Stop being a Neanderthal.” I slapped his butt and then laughed. I just touched Axel’s butt. Hehehe.

He didn’t respond as he carried me away from the dance floor and past the center ring.

“Axel! You’re showing my butt to everyone again.”

He put his hand on my ass to cover me. “Then maybe you should stop wearing insanely short skirts.”

“Are you kidding me right now?”

“Do I sound like I’m joking, Scarlett?” He carried me into a dimly lit hall and finally set me down on my feet. “We had a deal.”

“What deal?”

“That you wouldn’t flirt with Jacob.”

I laughed. “We were just dancing. I always dance with Jacob.”

“Not like that.”

“Well I would have danced with you, but oh wait…you were too busy flirting with my arch nemesis!”

“I wasn’t flirting with Gigi. And I’m a little pissed off that you’d even think I’d do that to you.”

“You’re pissed off?” Of course he’d flirt with her. He flirted with everyone but me. And Gigi had kissed him earlier this week. Had Axel somehow forgotten about that? Because I hadn’t. Gigi clearly had her eyes set on him. She wanted the hottest guy in school and I’m sure it made her doubly happy that she was hurting me. “I’m the one that’s majorly pissed off.”

“You’ve had too much to drink, let me take you home.”

So that he could come back and flirt with Gigi without me glaring? Screw him. Screw him, screw him, screw him! “Bite me.”

He lowered his eyebrows at me. “Why are you even here, Scarlett?”

Excuse you? Why was he being such an asshole tonight? Scratch that. Why had he been such an asshole for the past several years? “Because I was invited.”

“You’re grounded. You’re supposed to be at home. Not here.”

“Why do you even care? Are you worried I’m hurting your chances with Gigi?”

“What? No.”

“It sure looked like you were trying to hook up with her.”

“What are you talking about?”

Did he think I was blind because I wasn’t wearing my glasses? Or maybe he just thought I was dumb. But I wasn’t either of those things. “I’m sorry that I’m here cramping your style or whatever you’re mad about. How about you just ignore me like you always do?”

“I don’t…”

“Yes you do! You don’t want me here, so just pretend I’m not.” I pushed past him.