Sitting down, I look over to see all the Great White Sharks together. Becky was right; the man I wanted to see is present.
Deke, Bennett, Kellan, Eli, Maddox, and Landen each drink out of their own bottles. The only one who’s missing is Cole. I don’t see him anywhere. Deke has his arm around a redhead. She’s got her legs across his lap. He looks over at me as I sit down. He looks me up and down in a way that tells me what I already know—I’m not wanted here. But then he surprises me when he asks, “Want a sip?” and holds the bottle out to me.
Everyone laughs. “Deke, she’s too young,” his date says. Her brown eyes look at me, but I don’t think she really sees me. She’s far too gone at this point.
My jaw tightens. These kids forget I’m not much younger than they are. I may be a sophomore, but they’re only juniors. They’ve been running Collins High since they walked in the doors their freshman year, though.
Eli’s eyes meet mine, and I feel a blush creep up my cheeks. He’s by far my favorite out of the group, and the only one who ever seems to notice me. Like I’m not invisible. All the others treat me like Becky does—a nuisance.
“I bet you pass out before Demi does,” Eli says to the girl on Deke’s lap, giving me a wink. And my breath hitches as my body begins to heat up. Whew. The fire is hot all of a sudden.
“She looks to almost be there,” I say, and everyone laughs. My shoulders relax a bit.
Deke still holds out the bottle to me, and I yank it from his grasp and down a gulp. I pull it away from my lips, gasping for air. My lungs burn, and I cough at the invasion of the liquid fire.
Again, they all laugh at me. I tilt my head back and bring it to my lips, drinking some more. I’m prepared to show these fuckers I can hang with them, even if I have to fake it, when the bottle is yanked away. The vodka runs down my chin and onto my T-shirt.
“Fuck’s sake, slow down,” Cole growls. He stands beside me, glaring down at me with the bottle in his hand. “None of us are gonna hold your hair later when you’re puking everywhere.”
“I’ll hold your hair, Demi.” Eli smirks at me again. “I’m a gentleman.”
I bite my bottom lip, trying to hide a smile.
“Yeah, only because your favorite position is doggy style,” Deke quips.
Everyone laughs, and my heart beats faster.
Cole just snorts, giving me his back as he walks off with the bottle in his hand. I reach up and wipe the alcohol off my chin and stand. I shouldn’t have come. It was a bad idea. I just wanted to party and be around my sister, but she hates me. Not sure why. We’ve never been close, but it’s been worse ever since she noticed I had a thing for Eli.
“You okay?”
I look up to see David walking over to me. A quick look, I see my sister is by one of the tables making a drink.
I nod, crossing my arms around my stomach. It’s on fire from those two drinks I had. “I should go home.” He frowns. “I’ll find a ride.”
“Nonsense.”
“Yeah, I shouldn’t have come.”
He looks over my shoulder at the bonfire where I was sitting a moment ago. His jaw tightens. Everyone hates the GWS. They are their own group, and they don’t allow anyone into their stupid club of dares and illegal activities. Pretty sure the only way you get in is if you beat the shit out of someone. But they no longer take new members.
“Come on.” He throws his arm over my shoulder. “You can hang with us.”
I groan. “It’ll just make Becky mad.”
He snorts. “She wanted you to come.”
The question is why. She never wants to hang out with me. What would make this night any different?
We come up to the table, and David speaks. “Hey, babe, hand me that drink you just made.”
She turns around. “Why?”
“Your sister needs one.” He holds his hand out.
She eyes his hand and then the drink. She spins back around, giving us her back. “Babe …”
“Here.” She hands it to me, cutting him off, then smiles. “I topped it off for you. You’re welcome.”
