That’s weird. I always thought Jackson kind of led her on, considering he talks to her so much. But it’s always through social media and rarely in person, especially lately. Sometimes they hang out, but in public he always treats her like a friend. It’s confusing. I’m sure Ellie is confused by his behavior too. I do know this though. Ellie is truly his number one fan when it comes to his music.
So why wouldn’t Jackson tell her about his performing at Strummers?
“We should go back to my place,” Eli says, his gaze swinging from Ava to Ellie. “Maybe he’s there.”
Jackson and Eli live together.
“Good idea,” Ellie says with a nod, before whipping her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans. “I’ll text him.”
Ava leaps to her feet and approaches us, giving me a big hug before she turns to Hayden. “So nice to meet you. Sorry we have to leave.”
“It’s okay.” Hayden smiles and the girls hug. “We’ll all have to hang out sometime.”
“Sure,” Ava says with a smile.
The three of them leave within seconds, Diego and Jocelyn and the baby following behind them. Until it’s just the four of us.
“Let’s check out our liquor stash,” Caleb says to Gracie as he leads her into the kitchen.
I turn to Hayden once they’re gone. “You do realize Ava is still in high school.”
Hayden frowns. “Seriously? God, why are you all so young?”
I chuckle. “She’s a senior. She started dating Eli last year, when we were seniors,” I explain. “Ellie is a senior, too.”
“They’re just babies,” Hayden murmurs, her gaze thoughtful. “Long distance relationship, hmm? I could never do it.”
“My hometown is, like, an hour away. No big deal. They’re making it work,” I say.
“Still. He’s a year older, away at college. And what is she doing when she graduates? Going here?” Hayden lifts her brows.
I can’t imagine Ava going here, though she might, just for Eli.
“I don’t know,” I say with a shrug, not really caring.
All I can think about is getting this girl in my room so we can be alone.
“Age difference in a relationship when we’re this young matters,” she says, as if she’s a wise, old person.
Compared to all of us, she sort of is.
“Says the twen
ty-year-old,” I tease her, and she mock scowls at me.
“Whatever,” she says, her voice full of attitude. “You’ll see what I mean when you’re twenty and I’m—”
She stops talking, a sheepish expression on her face. I think I know what she’s referring to, though. She’s talking like we’ll still be together in two years, which is very un-Hayden like. Does that kind of talk scare me?
It probably should.
“Let’s go to my room,” I suggest, grabbing her hand and pulling her close to me. Her warm body fits perfectly next to mine, and my hands are itching to explore every single inch of her.
“You don’t want to hang out with Gracie and Caleb? Have a couple of drinks?” she asks, sounding a little nervous.
Surprising. This girl seems to grab life by the balls and not let go. So what’s up?
“Nah. Your friend will be okay with my friend, right?” I slip my arm around her waist, pulling her in even closer. She’s warm. She smells fuckin’ good.