“Now you know how it feels,” a girl’s voice responds. She sounds breathy, angry, aggressive.
Stacey.
What the fuck is she up to?
I round the corner and see Sam standing in the hall. His fists are clenched at his sides and his jaw ticks.
“It’s not what it looks like, man.” Another voice, a familiar voice, carries down the hall.
“Paul?” The single word slips from my lips before I can stop myself.
What is Paul doing up here? And what are Stacey and Sam up to? The twins are trouble. Have been ever since they moved here a few years ago. Everywhere they go, chaos and destruction follows.
Sam’s eyes flick to me, telling me everything I need to know.
My stomach drops, like I’m free falling and there’s nothing, no one there to catch me. My mouth falls open but no words come out. I flail like a fucking fish out of water.
No. No. No. No.
This can’t be happening. Not to me. Not this close to prom.
Stacey’s slender form slides through the doorway. Her blood red nails skim across Sam’s chest. He grabs her wrist in what looks like a fierce grip. She doesn’t even flinch.
“What have you done now, babydoll?” Sam asks her with a smidge of what feels like… interest, in his tone.
Stacey’s bright green eyes flash to me. As soon as she takes in my stunned form lurking in the hallway, a wicked grin spreads across her perfectly done-up complexion. She smirks. Full on fucking smirks.
Bitch.
I see red. I want to scream. I want to rage. I want to vomit and sob.
But I don’t do any of those things. Instead, I turn on my heel and flee.
***
The air out here is freezing. Goosebumps ripple across my arms. Fuck winter. And fuck Sunnyvale. Whoever named this town must have had a real twisted sense of humor. This place is a cold and grey shithole.
I’ve been pouting out here on the deck for what feels like ages. I assumed Paul would come after me. I would make him beg for forgiveness, of course. Probably make him get on his knees. He’d owe me like a million orgasms before I sucked his cock again. That is, Iwould have… if he’d come out here.
But he didn’t.
I’m out here in the cold, freezing my ass off.
Alone.
And pissed.
The party rages on behind me but I’m far enough out here that I can barely even hear the thrum of the bass. I wonder if Paul is inside partying right now? I don’t expect him to be a good boyfriend. We both know this is temporary, a fleeting fling to pass the time until graduation. But that doesn’t mean he can disrespect me like that. And with Stacey! She’s the biggest, most uptight bitch in the entire school. What the hell was he—
A noise off in the woods beyond pulls me from my thoughts. The house sits on a lake, secluded and serene during the day. There’s no other homes on the street, just endless expanses of woods around us. This late at night the water looks almost black. It’s eerie. I swallow down my nerves, scanning the treeline while my heart thunders in my chest.
“Hello?” I call out into the darkness. “Is there anyone there?”
Silence greets me.
It should be comforting. I should feel better. And yet, my pulse quickens and my palms begin to sweat. I can feel eyes watching me.
“Okay, not funny, guys.” I try to giggle but it comes out sounding awkward.
