Harlow Graves waves me in when she sees me standing at the door and my brows furrow, having never seen a nice look from that girl aimed my way but I step in hesitantly.
"Hurry up, Ash."
I startle and look behind me, noticing Asher, whose eyes settle on mine. His body is tense, but he dips his chin at me, eyes moving around the room before narrowing slightly and settling back on me.
I follow his line of sight, seeing what's caught his attention and see Dylan again. Aren't they friends?
I look back to Ash but he's moving into the room, slipping past me, joining the circle of drunk Uni students, his steps unfaltering.
He doesn't say a word to me. He probably doesn't want me here. In his space. We haven't really discussed the boundaries for our lives outside of the deal we struck. We should probably do that.
I, on the other hand, try to find a way to escape without him noticing. When I said I wanted to put his tips into practice, Ididn't mean in front of him. My eyes settle on Dylan for the slightest second and he smiles. "You playing, Ivy?"
My eyes move from Asher to Dylan and back, seeing Asher staring hard at Dylan.
Harlow's eyes swing to me and narrow, "I'm sure she has friends she can go-"
"C'mon, Ivy. You can sit next to me." Asher cuts Harlow off and pats the spot next to him.
I freeze. Then straighten my shoulders and slip further into the room, ignoring the many pairs of eyes on me and move to sit beside Asher before Harlow's body stops my descent.
"Sorry, didn't mean to bump you." She settles in beside Asher, her elbow rubbing against his and then leans forward until the skirt she's wearing rides up her thigh dangerously.
I sigh and sit down beside Dylan, fingers twisted together. He smiles at me, the boyish charm he's always had pulling me in.
I can do this.
Harlow doesn't wait for anyone to say anything before she spins the bottle, giggling drunkenly when it lands on a boy across the circle who gives her a wink and stands up, leading both of them into the closet nearby.
I furrow my brows at the conversation that starts up, and drop my shoulders, content to listen to everyone else talk while I just sit here and Dylan leans over to murmur out of the corner of his mouth, "how long before we hear an over-the-top moa-"
He's cut off when said over the top moan leaves the confines of the closet followed by wolf whistles and cheering from some of the boys in the circle.
I grin, glancing around the circle, my eyes stopping on Asher and seeing him watching the conversation between me and Dylan.
He looks away, jaw ticking.
I'd never really mixed with any of Leon or Asher's friends at these parties. Charlotte and I tended to just do our own thing before leaving half way through.
The closet door opens again and Harlow exits, fixing her skirt.
She takes her seat again and then hands the bottle to me, giving me asweetsmile.
"Your turn, Ava."
I narrow my eyes at the name, knowing full well this girl knows who I am but then Asher is speaking. "Ivy." He corrects Harlow but he doesn't take his eyes off me.
I swallow.
"That's what I said." Harlow huffs and points a finger towards the bottle. "Spin the bottle,"
I place the bottle back on the carpet and with a beating heart, I flick it into a spin, refusing to look at DylanorAsher as it spins and spins, my pulse quickening as it slows.
It lands between two guys.
Asher watches the bottle with a blank look before dragging his eyes up to mine.
Blake gives me a lecherous smirk. "Two at once-"
