He shrugs. “I came here, didn’t I?”
I nod.
“So, let’s leave Alix with the guy she won’t shut up about and go back to your place.”
I look up at Dane, and my heart squeezes. I have waited so long to hear those words, dying for a piece of his attention. And now that I have it, I…
Over his shoulder, the front door opens, and when I see Dylan, my breath catches. And then my chest tightens because he’swith someone. She’s pretty, smiling up at him. Whatever they’re talking about has his full attention.
“So, what do you say?” Dane asks. I look up at him, wanting the jealous surge pulsing through my body to stop. I feel like my heart is tearing at the sight of Dylan with another girl, so I pull Dane’s head to mine and do something reckless. I kiss him.
Dane takes that as a green light, stepping forward to lean deeper into the kiss. I close my eyes, trying so hard to feel something, but there’s nothing. I feel nothing. I pull away, pressing my lips together.
“I’m sorry,” I say to Dane, shaking my head. “I can’t.”
“Cecily.” He steps in front of me. “Are you fucking serious? You’ve been throwing yourself at me for years, and Alix convinces me to give you a chance, and now this?”
I look over his shoulder, trying to find Dylan, but he’s nowhere in sight. I start panicking when Dane’s brow furrows. I inhale, trying to calm the storm brewing in my chest. I feel so stupid, humiliated, and embarrassed. I so badly wanted things to work out with Dane, but this last week has chopped me down in ways that no one can understand because not even I understand it.
“I’m sorry,” I say again.
Dane walks over to Alix and yanks her arm through the party.
And I stand frozen in place while Alix yells at him, looking back at me.
She shouts, “What the fuck, Ce?”
My breath is shaky, and my vision starts to blur. Everyone’s staring at me, and I’m trying so hard not to crumble.
I close my eyes, and warm hands touch my arms.
23
Dylan
Scott wraps his arms around Cecily before I can get to her. She looks like she might cry. And as I stand across the room, I’m unsure how to handle this. Cecily is always a light. She’s witty, smooth, yet simple, but right now, her edges are cracking.
I saw her kiss Dane. I knew she must’ve done it to shut him up or prove a point because when she pulled away, her eyes said things that words never could.
Scott pulls her through the backyard towards Rocky’s room in the back.
“Hey,” Viv says, taking a sip of her drink. “What’s going on?”
“I need to talk to Scott,” I mutter. “I’ll be right back.”
She nods. “Okay.”
I walk past the boys and follow Scott and Cecily into Rocky’s bedroom.
I hear Scott say, “Hey! Whoa! I think the alcohol’s hitting you. No, give that back to me! You’ve had too much already.”
When I round the corner, she’s chugging the rest of his drink.
“Ce?” I say, walking over.
“There you are,” Scott says. “Where the fuck have you been?”
“Remember when you invited Viv?” I remind him.
