Let Me Live

Chapter Eight

People are spread out all over the house, talking, and dancing. Some are competing in an improv karaoke competition while a group in the corner is playing chess with shot glasses instead of actual chess pieces.

The only way to describe the overall feeling I get from being here is fun but relaxed and while that could very well be because of the weed circulating this property right now, it's also because of the people. The parties we attend don't need to be absolute ragers for people to have fun. We drink, we laugh, we dance, and we live.

While not loud enough to shake the walls, the music drowns out any casual conversation in the main living area of the house. Again, the cops are always watching. We have to pick and choose our battles with the law.

"You made it!" Danny announces from the couch. He stands and shuffles over, hugging us one at a time. "Jonah bet fifty bucks that you wouldn't make it," he says, his blue eyes bright with excitement.

My brows furrow. "Me?" I ask dumbly, pointing to myself. Jonah thought I wouldn't show up tonight? And he put money down for it?

Danny tugs a lock of my hair. "Not you. Our gorgeous Nova." She shakes her head with a smile, letting him butter her ego. She accepts the kiss on the cheek. He throws an arm around her shoulder and leads us to the kitchen, knowing we would want a drink.

More than a few people stop us and say hi on our way. A couple of them comment on my conversation last night with Levi and Nico, the Swim Captain and the Hockey Captain, respectively. Offering them nothing but generic answers, I push through and wander into the kitchen.

It seems that our friends had a headstart on the drinks. Anya is sitting on one of the white marble counters with Vivian, cheering for a girl doing body shots off of a guy's chest.

The guy sits up, shirtless, revealing his pale chest and I sigh as if I'd just found my child drawing on the walls. "Jonah."

His head jerks up at the sound of his name and he grins when he spots me. And then that smile slowly dies when he sees Nova tucked under Danny's arm. "Son of a bitch. Where is your willpower, Watkins?"

Nova pours herself a shot of tequila. "She's nursing tomorrow's hangover, Honey."

"Where's Charlie?" I ask, grabbing a bottle of caramel vodka and some coke to start off light.

Jonah shrugs on his unbuttoned shirt, leaving his chest bare. "Busy putting the moves on a poor unsuspecting woman, last I saw they were on the couch outside." He holds up a blender filled with slushy stuff. "She makes frozen margaritas."

Downing my half-made drink of just vodka, I abandon my spot and head straight for the blender. "Fuck yeah. Tell him to marry her." I pour a substantial amount into a fresh cup and grab a straw from the packet on top of the microwave. I slurp loudly, shocking my system with the frozen drink. I moan, "Amazing."

Jonah wiggles his eyebrows. "You sure you don't want a body shot? I promise I'll only let you lick me a little." I pull a disgusted face at his exaggerated leer, eyebrows wriggling and all.

"I would rather drink straight moonshine than let my tongue touch your sweaty and disgusting chest."

"Rude." He sticks his tongue out. The girl that took the shot off his stomach boldly wraps an arm around his waist and whispers something. Not ten seconds later they're making out in the middle of the kitchen.

Nova is leaning against the counter, debating some genius topic of conversation with a guy I recognize from her study group.

I make my way over to Anya and Vivian. "Hello, hello," I sing hopping up onto the counter and getting comfortable. "What did I miss?"