I contemplate grabbing something to eat since I’m in town, but I decide against it. I think I still have a frozen meal in my freezer.
I don’t make it very far before I hear familiar voices behind me. “Josie!”
Spinning, I find Pen and Vi beaming at me, bags hanging from their hands.
“Where the hell have you been?” Pen is the first to say.
I stare at her, puzzled. “Here?”
“We know that. She means, why haven’t you answered your phone?” Vi questions. “We’re going to a party tonight. You need to come with us.”
I grab my phone from my back pocket and realize I forgot to charge it again. “It’s dead and I don’t do parties.”
I’m awkward as hell. I get too hot, too claustrophobic, and I’ve been ditched too many times to ever want to go again.
“You have to come, please,” Pen begs, lacing her fingers together, placing them under her chin and pouting. “I promise you’ll have a lot of fun and there’s a pool. I swear it’s clean-ish.”
“Heavy on theishbut you don’t have to get in the pool if you don’t want to. Just come with us,” Vi insists.
“No, I really don’t?—”
Vi scoffs, pinning me with a look that holds me in place. “It’s Friday night. Unless you’re going to another party or hooking up with someone we don’t know about, you’re coming with us.”
It’s been a few months since I last hooked up with someone. It was mediocre at best or maybe it’s my fault because everything in me has died. After that night, I swore I was done. It was pointless when I couldn’t feel anything.
“I’m not, but I really don’t do parties.” I shrug.
“What are your plans for tonight?” Vi cocks a brow, folding her arms against her chest.
“A frozen meal and cleaning my house.” My homework is already done.
They both blow raspberries.
“You’re coming with us and that’s final,” Vi adamantly states, leaving no room for discussion.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel nice that someone actually wants me around.
“Okay, I’ll need to go home and change.”
“Yay!” They perk up, their smiles lifting again.
“We’ll send you the outfits we’re wearing and we’ll pick you up in forty minutes or so,” Pen lists, already pulling her phone out and typing away. “Oh, and Danny will be there. I hear you guys have a class together and are hiking buddies?”
“Yeah, but not by choice.” I want to ask her what all he said to her or anyone else, but I don’t. I’m sure if he had told her about the cliff, she would’ve said something, right?
Pen softly chuckles. “I promise he’s not that bad. He’s sweet and very single.” She wiggles her brows, giving me a knowing grin.
“Not interested,” I quickly supply.
Her grin only grows, but she doesn’t comment on it.
Once they’re done, we go our separate ways. A voice in my head tells me I’m not ready to leave the house and be around other people, but another is fighting against it, screaming that it’s time I live.
I just wish I could figure out how to do that.
The streets are packed and the house is overflowing with people. The music is blaring loud enough you can hear it a block down. I’m surprised the cops haven’t been called, and for a moment, I worry about it. The last thing I want is to get arrested.
“The houses had been vacant, but someone bought them and now they rent them out to students,” Vi explains as if she could read my thoughts. “Trust, I wouldn’t be here if that were the case. The last thing I need is to lose my scholarship.”
