I wait patiently as she rifles through her things and sticks her hand out of the open doorway, passing me a drink. I gratefully accept it and wait again as she touches up her lip gloss.
As I wait, I feel someone’s eyes on me and I can’t help but look around all the abandoned cars. I find the culprit a few cars down with his arm over some girl, watching me curiously. Jackson grins at me when he notices I’ve caught him staring before giving me a knowing wink and setting his attention on the girl.
A shiver runs through me and I start to feel dirty. I don’t like that he remembers who I am, though, I was probably the only girl he’s ever set his sights on that he never got, add that to the fact that Nate is my boyfriend and all that does is make me a target for sick games. Though, I’m kind of hoping he doesn’t give a shit and he’s just trying to get a rise out of me, which has clearly worked.
I shake it off and pay attention to the drink in my hand as Brooke finishes doing whatever the hell she’s doing.
We get back down to the crowd and find everyone after they moved away from the finish line. Though it’s not hard, we just follow the noise.
We watch a few more races and after Nate declares that he’s done here, we head out and twenty minutes later, he pulls up onto the front lawn of Phoenix’s house, not giving a shit about the people who have to scram out of his way.
Chapter 3
Nate and I step through the door to Phoenix’s place and all eyes turn our way before a flurry of activity takes over. Some people scram out of Nate’s way, terrified of becoming his next victim while others hurry towards him, desperately wanting his attention. Drinks are thrusts into our hands, fists are bumped, and backs are slapped.
I’ve gotten used to this over the past month but I have to admit, it’s weird. I used to be able to walk into a party with my friends and have a few guys ogle our bodies and give us creepy bedroom eyes before leaving us alone to enjoy our night, now everything is different. The title of Nate’s girlfriend comes with a shitload of baggage, though people are quickly realizing that I’m not as easily swayed as they had hoped.
I constantly have a string of girls wanting to be my friend but it’s clear it’s to get closer to Jesse and Nate. On top of that, I get the guys trying to move in and give me extra special attention, hoping they appear as being nice but all that does is piss off the boys and start a shitload of fights, though, Jesse absolutely loves it. Any excuse to swing a fist and he’ll take it.
We walk deeper into the party with our friends on our heels as Nate leads me towards the drinks table. I’m still working on the drink that Brooke had given me earlier so I decline when Nate tries to hand me another. He shrugs and helps himself to a beer just as the rest of the guys do.
Brooke and I escape the boys’ clutches and search out our best friends, Courtney and Brylee, and naturally, we find them plastered up against a few guys who neither of us recognize. We dive in and pull them away before they squeal in excitement that we’re finally here.
The party gets ridiculously busy. Every corner of the massive house is packed inside and out, and when there’s literally no more room on the dance floor so, the four of us make our way outside.
I spot the boys sitting around a bonfire, each with a cold beer in their hands and a few empties at their feet. I laugh to myself before grabbing another drink of my own. As if sensing my eyes on him, Nate turns around and focuses those dark eyes on me. The second they connect with mine, I feel a jolt fly through me, pulling me to him. It’s almost like an invisible hand is reaching out and dragging me towards to him.
I step in his direction when a large body walks past and shoulder charges me. Pain shoots through my shoulder and I stumble back into Brooke who reaches out to steady me.
I look up, trying to find the idiot who couldn’t possibly take a second to look where he was going before taking a step, only to find a smirking Josh Henderson looking down at me as he tries to shoulder his way through the throng of people.
Fear and rage rocks through me. I haven’t seen Josh since he attacked me in a broom closet and recorded it a few weeks ago before being expelled from Broken Hill High. The head cheerleader at the time, Elle, had put him up to it, but backed off once Jesse threatened to ruin her. Though, after Josh still went through with the plan, so did Jesse.