I weaved my way through the crowd and stepped outside, letting the cool night breeze wash over my clammy skin as I leaned against the concrete wall of the building.
The night hadn’t been going too terribly. I managed to avoid Wes and Loralei, at least together. Wes didn’t move from the VIP section, and if Loralei wasn’t there with him, she was on the dance floor or at the bar.
I couldn’t help but notice the difference in Loralei that particular night, though. She’d complained the first three nights of our trip about the bars or clubs being too noisy and crowded, but tonight, the loud music and crowd didn’t seem to bother her at all. I assumed it was because Wes was there, which made that knot in my stomach twist a little more.
“Well, well. My night just gotso muchbetter. Alone at last.”
It was quiet, but I heard the now-familiar, unmistakable voice of Loralei. And when I registered her words, my heart sank. There was onlyoneperson she’d be talking like that with.
Knowing who that person was, why I felt the need to look was beyond me, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. I was too nosy for my own damn good sometimes. I moved toward thedirection I’d heard her voice and inconspicuously peered around the corner into a small alleyway.
What I saw was notat allwhat I was expecting.
There was Loralei…withChad.
“I tell you my schedule cleared up, and you just happen to tag along on this trip at the last minute, huh?” Chad quipped as he backed her up against the wall.
Loralei smirked. “I still wanted to see you. So, when you told me you were going, I reinstated my invitation.”
The next moment, their lips and hands were on each other.
I stepped back, my wide eyes darting around as I tried to wrap my head around catching Wes’s girlfriend sucking face with and being felt up by his good friend.
What the actual fuck?
A noise startled me, and I turned, rushing back inside so I didn’t get caught. Instead of going to the private section where the others were, I found an open booth in a dark corner. I needed a moment alone, still trying to process what I’d seen…and what to do.
Do I tell him? Yes. No. I don’t know.
In retrospect, this was everything I wanted before. It was theperfectform of sabotage, and not even at my hand. But it was different. This could actually hurt Wes, andrealhurt wasneverpart of it.
I didn’t want to hurt him.
But what kind of person would I be tonottell him? He deserved to know. He’dwantto know…right?
I spent the next hour agonizing over what to do, barely paying attention to what everyone else was saying or doing as I worked through my inner conflict.
We didn’t leave too much later, exiting the club and startingour trek back down the winding pathway that led directly to the hotel. I glanced up at the others. Lucas and Callie were hand-in-hand at the front. Grace and Haley were behind them, flushed and giggling as they walked. Blake, Gabe, and Wes were trailing behind them.
I looked over my shoulder, not seeing anyone else.
There was no Loralei.
There was no Chad.
I wasn’t left wondering where they were for long, though.
“Where’s Lora?” Gabe asked.
“She had a headache, so she went back to the hotel about a half hour ago,” Wes answered. “I asked if she wanted me to go with her, but Chad was leaving too, so he said he would walk her back. She said that would be fine, and she told me to stay.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. No one else thought anything of it, not even Wes. It was quite literally happening right under his nose, and he didn’t even see it.
As we walked, I kept seeing Wes look over his shoulder at me now and then, his eyes studying me with each glance. I knew I’d been acting off after what I’d seen, and now I wondered if I was enough to be noticed by him.
When we finally made it back to the hotel, everyone continued chatting as they walked inside, but I lingered behind. I slowed my steps near the fountain in front of the building, lowering myself onto the edge.
I let out a breath as I stared down at the water. I didn’t know what to do.
