So, I take his hand when he stands and offers to help me up. “Let’s go back out there,” he tells me. But it sounds more like a question.
I nod. “Let’s.”
We walk back to the staircase, where the groups of party guests have once again dispersed throughout the room. Carlton is still on the stairs, but he’s alone now. I have no idea where Mabel, Meredith, and Rue went.
“I see you two had fun together,” Carlton spits. “As usual.”
My face feels hot. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
But Carlton doesn’t answer me, instead glaring at Zayne over my shoulder. “You can have her,” he says. “I was done with her anyway.”
He turns to walk away, but Zayne’s voice stops him. “Don’t talk about her like that.”
“Why not?” Carlton spins around, eyes gleaming in challenge. “What are you going to do?”
“Try it again.” Zayne takes a step closer. His gaze is intense on Carlton as he clenches his jaw. “Find out. I dare you.”
“Guys, stop,” I say with my heart pounding, but they’re locked in.
They stare each other down. The moment seems to stretch out, every second leaving me tense. This shouldn’t be different from any of their other fights. They’ve been fighting for years. But now they’re fighting aboutme, and it makes my palms sweat.
“We aren’t together, Carlton,” I repeat, in case he needs the reminder. This is ridiculous. “We never have been.”
He looks at me, breaking away from his glaring contest with Zayne. “You’re right. We’re not together.” He reaches out to grab Meredith, who is coming up the stairs with Rue. His arm snakes around her waist, and he pulls her against him, despite the utterconfusion on her face. “And we never have been. Which means I can dothis.” And then he plants a long, sloppy kiss on Meredith’s lips.
Before I can even react, someone pushes past me to run up the stairs.
Rue.
My heart sinks as she disappears into one of the rooms.
“Oh, no,” I whisper. Never mind what Carlton is trying to do to me, getting revenge by kissing Meredith. He has no idea how much he’s just hurt Rue, whether she wants to admit it or not. She may not want it to be true, but a crush is a crush, and seeing the boy you like kiss someone else is never fun.
Meredith remains frozen in shock as Carlton releases her, blinking like there’s something stuck in her eye.
I frown at him. “Was that supposed to make me jealous? Because it didn’t work.” And it’s true. Other than making me mad at him for hurting Rue, watching him kiss Meredith makes me feel…nothing. I take a deep breath, steadying myself before I say what I came to admit to him. “I haven’t felt anything for you in a long time, Carlton.”
Something in his eyes changes without his face shifting. “Well, that just makes you stupid.”
Zayne snorts, reminding me he’s still standing beside me. “What are you? Five?” He crosses his arms. “And what are you dressed as anyway? A zombie?”
Carlton fumes. “I’m Frankenstein.”
Zayne laughs. “You mean Frankenstein’smonster.Frankenstein is the doctor.”
Carlton takes a step closer to Zayne. And then he pushes him, hard enough to hurl him backwards, into the railing of the stairs.
“Zayne!” I reach toward him. But he isn’t listening. He tackles Carlton to the ground, and they transform into a tangle of twisted, flying limbs. “Stop it!” I shriek. “Someone stop them!” Iglance around, hoping someone is nearby to interfere. And then I spot Jude at the top of the stairs, holding up his phone. He’srecordingthis.
“Jude, do something.” I wave my hands at him.
He jumps when I use his name. I remember Mom telling me once that asking someone for help directly, by name, is always more effective than yelling aimlessly for anyone who can hear.
Jude looks around, mouth parted and eyes wide. “What am I supposed to do?”
“I don’t know. Try to stop them or something. You’re friends with Zayne, aren’t you?”
He stares after the wrestling forms in front of him, now being recorded by several others near us. The booming music in the house keeps the noise of Zayne and Carlton’s fight muffled, but they’re starting to attract attention regardless.
