I opened my eyes wide and pushed him.
“How dare you!”
I tried to walk out the door, but James reached an arm toward the doorjamb, blocking me.
“Fuck, June! I’m serious. You don’t know what he’s capable of.” I saw him glance at the window. “Trust me, it’s better if I drive you home,” he insisted, with a sharp jaw and stern voice.
“Why do you have to pretend you care about me? I don’t get it, Hunter.”
He shrugged it off. “I already told you, I’m doing it for Will.”
“Yeah, and last night you did it Will, too, right? Let me through.” I gulped with difficulty as he drew near my ear.
“Last night was different. I was really turned on, I was bored, and you’re the only one I’ve never done it with.”
“Yeah, you were so turned on that when I left you still had the blue paint on your lips. You didn’t make out with anyone.”
I lifted my chin and met his intense gaze. His eyes glinted. James loved a challenge, people standing up to him, and putting someone in their place. But more than that he loved to provoke people no matter the price.
“Maybe someone kissed me somewhere else.”
“Eww.”
I got so irritated that I couldn’t look at him in the eye anymore.
“What the fuck about me has gotten into your head?” He looked at me darkly.
“Nothing. Let me go or I swear I’ll castrate you!”
“I already told you, you aren’t special, White.”
“Are you done talking to yourself?” James raised an eyebrow. I felt gross. I wanted to go home. Right now.
I bolted out of the room, went downstairs, and just as I was about to reach the entrance, I heard a chuckle. Jackson was drinking a beer on the couch, but he didn’t miss an opportunity to look scornfully at me. “Of course,” he mumbled irritably, staring at me and the hoodie.
“What the hell do you want?” I confronted him in a rage. He shook his head and turned to talk with his friends.
“June, I was looking for you! Austin’s here. I don’t know who invited him, but it might be better for me to take you home. I don’t want him to see you here.”
William chased after me into his yard.
“I have my bike.”
“Okay, but you’re sure that—”
“I said I have my bike. I don’t need you guys,” I exclaimed, exhausted and very rude.
“Is something wrong? You seem . . .”
“No, everything’s okay. Sorry, Will. I’ll see you at school.”
>> <<
I put the bike in the garage, then ran up the steps and put my hand in my jeans pocket, looking for my keys. A sudden gust of wind made me turn around abruptly.
I noticed a big black SUV parked in front of my house that I hadn’t noticed before.
How odd. I carefully observed my surroundings and confirmed that the street in front was deserted, and all the neighbors were asleep.
