My mood doesn’t suit the occasion. The football team won again, and everyone is high on adrenaline following the brutal ass kicking they just gave our rivals. My adrenaline is fading fast and I just want to go home.
Even though I’ve been browbeaten into attending Bryce’s party, I did hold out on driving myself there. I have no plans to stay overnight. In fact, I’m hoping I can put inan hour and then sneak out. If it’s not super late, I might even pay my girlfriend a visit. I’ve always wanted to do the whole climbing up a trellis thing to steal a kiss.
Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer are probably chill enough that I could rock up at 11 p.m. and knock on the front door, but where’s the fun in that?
“Come on, S. Head in the game!” Daniella calls. We arrived at Bryce’s twenty minutes ago and I’m already being hounded to take shots.
“I’m not drinking tonight,” I call back, receiving boos from my squadmates.
“Leave her alone,” Becca says with a slight slur. “We don’t pressure anyone with alcohol, you know that.”
I love her for standing up for me, but I will remind her of the blatant hypocrisy she’s spewing tomorrow.
“I’ll be the ref,” I reply, hoping it will appease the masses.
It does, and the mayhem continues.
The music is thumping by the time I escape the kitchen. As per usual, Bryce has a full house. Skirting the edge of the dance floor, I plan to head outside for some fresh air. My plan goes awry when I’m pulled forcefully through the laundry room door.
“What the fuck?”
Standing there looking sheepish is Kiera. She holds up her hands, stopping me from ripping into her.
“Please. I just wanted to talk to you. We haven’t seen each other at school a lot. And, well, I just saw you and thought I’d take the chance.”
“You could’ve just asked, Kiera. Jesus.”
She winces. “Sorry.”
“So what do you want to talk about?” I have an idea, and I’d rather be anywhere else.
“Just that I’m sorry for how I behaved at the last party. I was out of line.”
Huh. Not the idea I had, then.
“Oh, okay. Thank you for apologizing.”
“Can I buy you a coffee? Not as a date or anything. Just as friends?”
My mind automatically wonders when the hell I’ll find time to go for a coffee when I haven’t got five minutes to spare for my girlfriend. Then I remember the conversation with Becca and relax a little.
“Um, okay. It would have to be at school though. I’m swamped.”
Kiers bobs her head. “Sure, no worries.”
Giving her an almost believable smile, I start towards the door. “Cool. I’m gonna head back out.”
Stepping out, I run straight into…Eden!
“Oh my god, what are you doing here?” My voice is way too high, but I’m shocked to find her standing in front of me. Then I feel a presence behind me. Kiera. Who is stepping out of a room that had a closed door. A door I was behind, too.
Oh fuck, this looks bad.
Eden gives me her signature side grin. Her eyes travel over my shoulder to Kiera. I don’t dare turn around. My heart is in my butt right now.
Giving a dorky two-fingered salute, Eden addresses Kiera. “Hey, Kiera.”
Her eyes snap back to me. There is no anger or suspicion. She’s just looking at me like she always does.
