Pretty Hate (New Adult Novel) by Ava Ayers

do it without what I’m sending. It’s important.”
    “I honestly don’t think I’m going to be able to get out there next weekend, India. Seriously.”
    “Shush! Put the intention out there and it will happen, okay?”
    “Okay,” I said and laughed.
    I gave Lucia my address and we chatted for another half hour before she had to go for dinner. I told her I’d offer up my intention to go to Montauk the following weekend and we made plans to Skype the next day.
    I logged into Facebook and began my cyclical stalking as Stephanie called to tell me about her date with some guy she met at the bookstore.
    “So, do you think you’ll go out with him again? Has he called? Will you call him?” I said.
    “No,” she said. “It’s only been a day. How long does Cosmo say to wait?”
    “Um, I think they say three days,” I said as I focused on a post. “Holy shit!”
    “What?”
    “Trinity Epstein has a date!”
    “Who the fuck is Trinity Epstein ?”
    “This chick, she’s friends with Nicolas. God, Steph, she says she’s looking forward to spending some “quality time” with a “special guy” at a luau. Is that Nicolas?”
    “Jesus, Beth, you need a real date! How long has it been since you left the house?”
    “Can we just focus for a minute? What do you think it means?”
    “What do I think what means?”
    “The post Trinity Epstein made about the date. Please?”
    “I’m pretty sure they only have luaus in Hawaii, Beth. Is Nicolas in Hawaii?”
    “No,” I said and studied Trinity Epstein’s latest profile picture. “Do you think I should dye my hair blond?”
    “Beth, what did I just say?”
    “You said they only have luaus in Hawaii. But I’m pretty sure luau could be a universal term for a gathering in a tropical location and Bali is tropical. I’ll Google.”
    “Beth?”
    “Yeah?”
    “I’m going to go.”
    “Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
    As I was Googling luau, Ivory-Lou walked into my room.
    “Hey, freakazoid, dinner. Now.”
    “Uh, don’t we respect privacy in this house anymore?” I said and sat up on my bed.
    “Dinner. Now. Let’s go.”
    “I’m not hungry,” I said.
    “Did I ask you a motherfucking question? Close that goddamn computer before I throw it off the fucking roof and get your pasty ass to the dinner table. You have one minute.”
    “Jesus, okay! I just need to check something.”
    Ivory-Lou knelt down beside my bed and put his hand over my laptop keyboard. I looked at him and he smiled.
    “I think being inside this deprivation tank for a week solid has affected your hearing. What do you think?”
    “I heard you,” I said and stared at him. “I just wanted--”
    Ivory-Lou took a deep breath and took my hand off my computer and shut the screen. He moved his face closer to mine and smiled.
    “Do you trust that I have no goddamn problem climbing up to my roof, a roof that I provide for you, and flinging this here electronic device, an electronic device that I also provided for you, off the aforementioned roof like a motherfucking Frisbee?”
    “No,” I said and slid off my bed.
    “No, is right. Now, let’s have a nice dinner, shall we?”
    I walked into the dining room and sat between Rebel Love and Sadie as Ivory-Lou sat at the head of the table.
    Yolanda brought a huge tray piled high with thick steaks to the table as Gemini and Rachel grabbed bowls of vegetables and wine.
    “These steaks look beautiful, baby,” Rebel Love said and leaned over and kissed Ivory-Lou on the cheek. “You’ve become quite the grill master.”
    “Thank you, baby,” Ivory-Lou said and held up his knife and fork. “Dig in, everyone.”
    “Beth, get a steak,” Rebel Love said as I piled my plate full of potatoes. “You need some iron.”
    “I don’t eat meat,” I said and grabbed a spoonful of corn. “Is this organic?”
    “Organic ?” Yolanda said. “It’s goddamn Green Giant.”
    Ivory-Lou stared at me and put his knife and fork on the table.
    “Beth,