“Thanks,” I say, forcing myself to smile.
“Are you going to the party tonight?” Ana jumps in, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
He grins. “The party in that haunted mansion? Hell yeah.”
Ana raises an eyebrow. “Haunted?”
“Yeah, there’s a local legend about a ghost that lives there. Every year, it lures people in to throw a party. Some say it feeds on the energy, like a vampire feeds on blood or whatever.”
“That’s so creepy,” Ana says. “And I’m all about creepy stuff.”
I scoff. “I think you’ve watched too many scary movies.”
“Yeah, but isn’t that the best kind?” Josh says, his smile widening.
It lights up his whole face, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and I catch myself staring a second too long before looking away.
“You coming too, Sebastian?” he asks.
“Nah, I’m not a big party person.”
“Too bad, man. You’re missing out. Big crowd, great costumes, and, uh…” He lowers his voice. “Plenty of spots to have a little fun. That place is huge.”
What is it with guys like him? Always making everything about sex. I can only imagine what kind of “fun” he means: a blowjob in the bathroom from some girl in a slutty nurse costume, most likely, or nailing a cheerleader in the pantry, hidden by stacks of canned food.
“I’ve tried to convince him, Josh, but he prefers locking himself away from the world,” Ana says, shooting me a wink.
“Hey, now. I’m out here, aren’t I? At a patch, surrounded by people. Socializing.”
“And that’s a step in the right direction.”
Josh leans forward over the table, puts a hand on my shoulder, and gives it a light squeeze. “No one’s gonna bite you, Sebastian. Except maybe the vampires.” He winks.
The touch, so sudden and unexpected, makes me freeze. His hand’s big enough to cover most of my shoulder. Heat seeps through my denim jacket, and there’s an earthy scent of pumpkin on his skin. His thumb presses just above my collarbone, and fuck, why does that feel so... good?
His brown eyes lock on mine, and the intensity hits like a punch to the chest. There’s something weirdly magnetic about them, like pools of melted chocolate. I get the strangest urge to reach up and touch the scruff on his jaw. To lean in and press our mouths together. To?—
What the fuck.No, this is exactly why jocks are a problem. They think they can charm anyone with a glance, a touch, a smile. Just because they’ve got good looks and muscles. And most people lap it up, dropping to their knees, ready to suck their dick.
Not me.
I take a step back, out of his grip, and clear my throat. “Yeah, no thanks. Not interested.”
“Told you he’s a lost cause,” Ana says.
Josh studies me for a second, something flickering across his face, but it’s gone too fast to read. “Hey, if you change your mind, you know where to find us.”
Us.A minute ago, he barely remembered Ana existed, and now it’s suddenly us.
Yeah, he’s definitely playing mind games. I’m not falling for it.
I give him a curt nod and a fake smile, then grab Ana by the arm and lead her away from the stand, leaving the douchebag and his pumpkin guts behind.
2
Iwouldn’t even know what to wear, anyway.
That’s the excuse I give myself once I’m back in my dorm room, frowning at the mess of clothes scattered across the bed. I could throw on some old jeans, a black hoodie, slap on a pair of fangs and call it a day. Bam. Vampire. But as a theater guy, showing up in something bland and generic feels even worse than not going at all.
