“I’ll watch her, calm down,” he mutters and takes a cigarette pack from my pocket while not answering my question.
I study him—his pupils look normal, he looks normal, just really tired maybe. He continues when I keep staring.
“I’m not high, Jesus. Stop taking such care of me,” he snaps at me with a cigarette between his lips. “I’m not your brother, Kas. And I’m definitely not Natalya’s brother either.”
“The fuck?”
He doesn’t let me answer, only slips the pack back into my pocket and rolls his eyes while heading toward the pool house, grabbing a whole bottle of liquor from the table.
That fucking hurt my feelings, by the way. Why the fuck would he say that? The asshole means everything to me.
However, I shake the feeling off. I don’t have time for this tonight.
I go to the pool house instead and grab a bottle of beer, downing almost all of it while I go stand next to the billiard table and rest my shoulder against the wall, watching the people coming in.
Where did Natalya even get this many friends? The pool house and garden are starting to fill up. I hate crowds. Some guys are preparing a beer pong on the other side of the pool house.
Why are there so many guys? I thought this was going to be a cute girls’ party with balloons and pink cake, for fuck’s sake. Natalya is like… twelve.
Only in my head apparently.
This is starting to look like Project X. I hate it.
I look out into the garden and freeze.
Kiara’s walking toward the pool house, surrounded by two girls and some guy.
Who the fuck is that? One of the girls finally moves away and I see her more clearly as she’s coming closer.
Okay.
My lips part slightly, heat rushing up my neck.
She’s wearing a white summer dress, her olive skin glowing against the fabric. Dark waves fall over her shoulders, a few strands slipping into the neckline. I choke on my own breath for a second.
She looks carved out of the sunset.
I finish my beer too fast and immediately reach for another. I need to make this right while I have absolutely zero knowledge how to do this stuff.
She finally comes to the pool house with her friends. Natalya runs out of nowhere and jumps on her, hugging her. They laugh together while she’s hugging the rest of the newcomers.
Did she really still not notice me, or is she just ignoring me? I’m sure I wouldn’t miss it since I haven’t taken my eyes off her for ten straight minutes.
My sister leaves them alone and goes to the jocks playing beer pong while Kiara and her friends come to the alcohol table.
My mouth goes dry.
She’s here.
And she still didn’t spare me a single glance.
She’s right there, four feet away. And she still won’t look at me. She’s ignoring me on purpose.
Of course she is. I fucking deserve that.
Her hand reaches for a plastic cup, and I move faster, grabbing it before she does. She finally looks up at me.
“Hi.” My voice comes out flatter than I’d like it to.
