“Ever?” She questions back, her eyes widening as if that’s the most wild thing she’s ever heard. I quickly shake my head and return my gaze back to the house. The feeling of my heartbeat pounds against my chest.
She leans down in front of me, the sunset dancing off of her red hair. “Hey, it’ll be a blast. I won’t leave your side the whole time.” She smiles at me and sticks out her pinky finger. I stare at her for a moment, taking a few deep breaths before I lace mine with hers. “I pinky promise.”
Five minutes and a shooter from Abby’s bag later, I walk through the grand front doors of Luke’s house. The music immediately rattles my bones, the base filters into my body with every inhale.It’s suffocating.
Abigail drags me through the house until we’re standing side by side in a kitchen I could only dream of. All steal appliances with not a scratch in sight, bright white cabinets, and an island with a sink. It’s astonishing, but perfect for this house. We sit down at a couple of the bar stools at the island seconds before Saint, Jackson, and who I imagine is Luke walk in and go to the other side. I take my time soaking in Luke’s appearance. Unlike the other two, there is nothing soft about him. His brownhair is slicked back with pristine, keeping his forehead open for viewing pleasure. Above his right eyebrow the words “Lover boy” mark his skin in pitch black ink. His chiseled jawline pairs exceptionally well with his button up and slacks. Yet it’s his eyes that truly leave me at a loss for words. One dark brown and one baby blue, both staring at me as if I was his next meal.
“Hi Nova!” Jackson greets me, the same boyish smile from the other day making a home on his face. He’s eye-catching in his own way, not like Saint who reminds me of a German Shepard, or Luke who looks as though he’s a snake in human form. No, Jackson is much softer than both, with just enough edge to pique the girl in me who’d love a bad boy.
“Hey Jackson!” I respond back, allowing my elbows to sit on the island counter. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise,” he responds, a hint of flushed skin decorating his cheeks. My eyes wander to the left of him and meet Saint’s. He holds my gaze but doesn’t speak as he takes a large chug from the beer bottle he had been carrying. My eyes track the way his Adams apple bobs with each swallow, and I internally berate myself for even thinking about it. Not only is Saint an asshole, but Abby’s friendship has grown to mean something to me.
“I’m Luke,” the last man finally speaks up, flashing me a wicked grin in the process. His pearly whites and pointed canines have me feeling flustered. “Welcome to Melrose.”
“I actually grew up here,” I start off, mindlessly twirling a strand of my hair in between my middle and pointer fingers. “I was Saint’s neighbor. I’m surprised we haven’t met.”
Luke twists his upper half, grabbing something from the counter behind him before he responds. “Oh.” His eyebrows scrunch together slightly as he studies me. Although he tries to be subtle, I don’t miss the way he lightly elbows Saint into the side.Looks like he has heard of me.
Saint finally breaks his stare from me, and looks towards Abby. His blue eyes soften as he takes her in, and a ghost of a smile dances across his face. “You didn’t tell me she was coming, babe.”
Abigail hops off her stool and prances over to Saint. She stares up at him with lust, a look he returns, making my stomach sour slightly. “And you didn’t tell me that Luke had party favors.” She bites back with a playful tone before reaching up to him. I watch as she lightly pulls his face down to hers, kissing him lightly.
Confused, I look at the other two, and while Luke is busy looking down at his phone, I do hold Jackson’s attention. “Uhm,” I start off, wiggling myself slightly in the stool while I attempt to feel less awkward. “Aren’t party favors for kids' birthdays? Like goodie bags?”
Saint breaks their kiss, looking towards me like I’m an idiot. Luke doesn’t make me feel any better, letting out a snort of amusement. Even though he seems to find this situation funny, he doesn't once break eye contact with his screen. Their reactions make me wish I could swallow my tongue and never speak again. I clasp my hands together under the counter, absent-mindedly digging into the skin around my left thumb.
The only guy who doesn’t treat me like a child is Jackson. Instead he slips past the side of the counter and slides onto the stool next to me. His painted nails brush the hair away from my ear before he leans in. His warm breath fans lightly against my cheek before he responds in a whisper. “In this town, party favors means coke. But you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
I let out a light gasp before I turn my head to look at him. He returns my glance with a sheepish wink before standing up and walking back over to his spot. The other three all watch me now. Different levels of curiosity are painted across all of their faces, waiting for me to say anything.
“You don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable,” Abby finally responds after a long minute of silence. She stretches out her hand, lacing her fingers over the top of my own. Her touch brings me a slight sense of cover. I’ve only ever drank before, and the idea of mixing coke with my SSRI’s sounds like an absolute disaster waiting to happen.
“Trust me,” Saint starts up, leaning backwards on the other counter, glaring at the two of us. “Nova’s selfish without encouragement. She’ll only do what’s in her best interest.” He takes another swing from his bottle, emptying out the remaining drops. His words slash deep into me.What the fuck was that?I think to myself, frowning over to him with malice.
“Dude,” Jackson starts off, looking over at Saint as if he had just grown a third arm. “Chill man.”
Saint raises up both hands into a surrendering pose. “I’m just saying there’s no reason to worry over peer pressure. This isn’t a fucking DARE class.”
Abby lets out an annoyed sigh, straightening her spine before she attempts to respond. I cut her off the moment she opens her mouth, she’s done enough for me as is. She doesn’t need to argue with her little boyfriend over his bad attitude. “You’re right Saint,” I start off, licking my top teeth before giving him a cheery grin. “We’re all grown up now, right? No need to worry about me.” I look over to Luke who’s now fully focused on the people around him. His arms are crossed over his broad chest as he takes us in like we’re the next hit television show. His delight in this little battle is evident across his face.
Saint snakes an arm over Abby’s shoulders, although his body is still visibly rigid, he tries to play off the situation. “So Miss Super Nova, will you be joining us?”
Abby practically melts into his body with pleasure when he finally joins her side of the argument. She seems completelyunaware of the nickname that had slipped past his plump lips, but I don’t miss it.
“Why does your mama call you supernova?” The nerdy boy asks from next to me on the porch swing. We had spent the afternoon making posters for our lemonade stand. When his mother called us over for some cold water and a snack, we rushed over here as fast as our little legs could carry us.
“I don’t know,” I blubber out through a mouth full of peanut butter and jelly. The gooey goodness coats my mouth before I wash it down. “I think because I’m going to be a star someday.”
Saint pushes his feet off the ground, rocking the swing further. His large glasses make his eyes look as though they’re swimming in little fish bowls. Little blue fish in their little glass containers.
“That’s silly,” he starts off before looking over to me. A light sunburn has turned his cheeks and nose to a bright peach color. “Supernovas burn. It’s like the death of a star.”
I pull myself out of the memory before the rest of it can flood my brain. “Yup.” I respond, unenthusiastically. I stand up as Abigail makes her way over to my side, looping her elbow through mine the moment both feet are on the floor. She lets out a light giggle as she hands me another shooter. Once I snag the little plastic bottle, she retrieves a matching one for herself. We both quickly down them before following the guys out of the kitchen. She does it for fun, I do it because I’m desperately going to need some liquid courage for what’s about to come next.
Play Best Friends by Grandson
After the guys had finished checking in on a few of the rooms, we headed upstairs and into what I imagine is Luke’s room. Like the rest of the house, it’s flawless here. Ivory walls and floor to ceiling windows blend in beautifully with the giant California king bed. Crisp white linen covers the mattress, the only indent from where Jackson hops on to it. It’s so clean in here I almost expect Luke to yell at him. My chest tightens ever so slightly only for the pressure to release when Luke joins him.Not every man is an angry one, Nova,I scold myself silently while I make myself comfortable on the small couch across from the bed. Abigail and Saint sit on the floor in between me and the boys. Saint wraps his arms around her waist, pulling on her body until her ass is perched on his lap. He leans forward and gently nips at her neck.
