“Ask her what?” I asked, feigning ignorance as I poured myself a generous amount of fruit punch.
Lifting the cup near my lips, I paused, looked at Dex, before I brought the cup towards him, silently asking for him to take out his flask again.
“Stealing my girl,andmy alcohol,” he said in a grumble under his breath, but he pulled the metal out of his blazer inner pocket and poured the last of it into my cup anyway.
“Shut up about it already. I’m notstealinganything,” I said, getting huffy because Cosette really seemed to miss that the song was for her.
I saw Dex and Siege exchange a glance over the rim of my cup, and I flipped them the finger as I downed the drink in one go.
“So, you don’t want the chance then?” Siege asked, and I knew I’d had enough alcohol if my vision was blurring with one whip of my head to look at him.
“What chance?”
“The chance to see what would happen if you asked her out,” Dex said, pinning me with his glare.
I gulped, my grasp on the empty red cup effectively crushing it as Cosette finally came back, a wide smile on her face, the colorful lights from the venue making her look as radiant as ever. “What are you guys talking about? I’m ready. Let’s dance again.”
She turned to me, her hair framing her face in the most beautiful way I’ve seen it do, and her face looking as good with makeup on as much as it did when it was just her bare skin.
It wasn’t the alcohol that was making me think about wanting to kiss her.
I don’t know how it happened, or when it happened, but the truth that I was in love with my best friend came barrelling at me.
With one last look at the guys, I gave them a subtle nod before I took C’s hand to lead her towards the dance floor.
I wanted it. Wanted the chance they were offering.
Because, God help me, I wanther.
20
COSETTE
Nero’s been acting really weird these days.
I don’t know if it’s because Andy has gone MIA in school since homecoming, probably embarrassed that she didn’t get to dance with Nero, or perhaps something more dangerous.
While I don’t consider her a friend anymore, I still hope it’s the former for her safety.
The football season’s over, so there’s no reason to go to school early today. Maybe Nero actually went to check on her, worrying about her like I was?
“What’s wrong?” Siege asked in a concerned whisper from behind me, making me shake my head and duck to get into the car’s backseat before he closed the door. Siege took his seat in front, with Dex driving us to school this morning.
Because my dad had returned from his trip, our month of living together was over, so they drove from their rental to gethere today. Nero and I picked my dad up from the airport last night, and that’s partly the reason why it was bothering me when he texted me an hour ago that he can’t drive me to school this morning.
I had to set up multiple alarms with ten-minute intervals because we got home at around midnight, and instead of being late, he’s off earlier than usual. Isn’t that fishy?
“Did Nero tell you where he’s going?” I asked, looking over the Combs’ house, staring down their driveway as if it could give me an answer why his pickup’s not there.
Instead of answering me right away, Dex and Siege exchanged looks before the latter shook his head with an unconvincing, “Not really.”
I tugged on my seatbelt and leaned forward, putting myself between them.
“Stop it. Don’t lie to me. I saw you three talking yesterday by my locker while waiting for me,” I said, getting a bit more irritated. “Are you giving him jobs?”
“No, little vixen. We’re not dragging him into Azul business, okay? Not without letting you know, I promise,” Siege said, turning to me and reaching for my hand, which was now on the center console, squeezing it to reassure me.
My lips pursed, getting silent for the rest of the drive, but I decided to let it go by the time we were parked. I could always just ask Nero head-on why he’s being weird. Asking Dex and Siege if Nero told them would meanI’mavoiding having to ask him.
