The Girl in the Love Song (Lost Boys 1)

I took a step back, mindful I was holding two cups of red punch while wearing a white shirt. “Can I help you?”

“Relax! We just wanted to say that your performance at Chance’s party was ah-mazing,” Caitlin said.

“Insanely good,” Julia said. “You’re very talented.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Are you here with someone?” Evelyn asked, glancing at my cups with shrewd, calculating eyes under fake lashes. She was the prettiest of the three.

“Amber Blake. I should get back.”

Julia pouted. “I knew it. Too late.”

“Too late for what?” But my words were drowned by the DJ dropping a beat and the gym exploding with sound.

“You should have been hired to play this thing,” Evelyn shouted in my ear, moving in close. “You would have slayed it. Violet is always telling us how talented you are.”

My chest tightened at her name. “Thanks. I should go.”

“Hold on. Care to spice those up?” She produced two mini bottles of vodka.

I was about to say no but then Julia said, “Oh, I see Violet! God, she looks so freaking pretty.”

I gritted my teeth and forced myself not to follow Julia’s line of vision. Tradition at Central was that the King and Queen took their spotlight dance together, alone. The entire school would circle around River and Violet to watch them dance like a married couple at their wedding.

I can’t. I fucking can’t.

Evelyn was watching me with a knowing look.

“Sure, hit me,” I said.

She poured one bottle to each cup, leaned in, and planted a lingering kiss on my cheek. “Have a nice night, Miller.”

The girls melted into the crowd of writhing bodies, likely to join Violet and River. I downed one cup of punch, the sickly sweetness hitting my tongue first followed by the bite of vodka in the back of my throat. It warmed me from the inside out, and without thinking about the sugar intake or my numbers, I downed the second one.

The night mellowed and smoothed out. Turned liquid and murky in my vision. Somehow, I made it back to Amber.

“No drinks?” She laughed and took my hand. “Come on. Let’s dance.”

The DJ played “Dance Monkey,” and Amber bounced along to it, both my hands in hers.

“I don’t dance,” I shouted blearily.

“You’re so cute.”

She twirled herself in my arms but I pulled out of her grasp. I was already having trouble keeping myself upright. The room spun, and I could feel my numbers dropping.

“I gotta stop. Need air.”

Amber moved in close. “Good idea. Let’s go be alone.”

She took my hand and led me out of the gym and into the cool night air. Around a corner and into a deserted hallway, I slumped against the wall. Amber pressed her body to me and kissed me hard, her hands roaming.

“I’ve wanted to do this for weeks,” Amber said between kisses, her voice sounding like it came from miles away. “The way you sang at the party? It was like you were singing right at me. Right into my soul.”

God, I’m such an asshole.

I should have pushed her away and told her nothing could happen between us. But her mouth was insistent and hot. Her kiss nothing like Violet’s, but then, that was the point, wasn’t it? To get over her and move on?