Across the room, Reece is already prowling.
He leans against the kitchen counter, red cup dangling from his fingers, head tilted enough to make it look effortless as he laughs at something Jace says.
He’s entirely too aware of the way every girl within a ten-foot radius keeps glancing his way when they think no one’s looking.He drinks it all in as if attention’s his oxygen.
No doubt the second he spots Noah, he’ll drift over.
That’s how it works now.We’re all orbiting the same damn planet lately, pulled in tighter ever since Aubrey and Noah got together.
I watch him for a second longer.
His eyes roam the room, lazy, practiced.They skim, linger, move on.Until they lock onto me.
His grin retreats enough to make my stomach turn because I know that look.That stillness that says he’s just found something worth breaking.
My stomach drops.That low, twisting free-fall kind of drop that says “run”, but my feet refuse to move.My fingers tighten around the soda bottle, nails digging into the plastic.
I turn away.
“You good?”Aubrey murmurs beside me when she notices the shift in me.
“Yeah,” I lie.“Just hot.”
She nods but doesn’t push.
I let the lie hang between us.
Nicole drifts past with two of her loyal little bitches, the same ones who thought it would be hilarious earlier to corner me in the school corridor and announce, nice and loud for an audience, “Red hair, fire crotch, and still nobody is brave enough to fuck her.”
Tia’s stationed near the hallway, arms crossed tight over her chest, watching the room with that smug half-smile she wears when she thinks she still runs the place.
Something’s going down.I can feel it.It’s in the way Lola’s been giving a running commentary for weeks now, reporting every hallway whisper like a scandal analyst with a grudge.She’s been tracking the shifts in power, the fake smiles, the dirty looks, the not-so-accidental shoulder bumps.
When Tia’s eyes catch mine, the smile drops.Her gaze sharpens.It’s a warning.A reminder.So I don’t forget who she is.
I look away before she can decide to make it worse.Tonight is already loud enough without her trying to prove something.
Liz presses closer to me, her voice barely cutting through the noise.“I hate this place.”
“I know,” I say, turning to face her.“We can leave whenever.”
“Give it some time,” Lola says, eyes tracking something across the room.
Reece chooses that exact moment to drift closer.I feel him before I see him.The way the air shifts.The way the noise seems to bend around him.
Jace strides up to Noah, already a little drunk, and smacks a hand against Noah’s chest.“There he is.The King of Eastern High.Thought you’d finally outgrown these scenes.”
Noah raises an eyebrow.“Didn’t realize I needed your permission to show up.”
Jace laughs, slinging an arm around his shoulder like they’re best friends and not two seconds from pissing each other off.“Relax, golden boy.I’m surprised you’re not off being wholesome somewhere.You know, babysitting puppies, reading to orphans or making out with Aubrey.”
Noah shoves him off.“Are you done?”
Jace smirks.“Not even close.”His eyes slide sideways and follow a girl in a short skirt.“But don’t worry, I’ll behave.Probably.”
Jace turns to Reece, but Reece is already stepping into my space.
I take another sip of my soda, completely ignoring him.
