Playing for keeps

20. Invisible pull

E A S T O N

My mind is a mix of vodka and loud music and I can't seem to make a sense of a single thing.

I lost Oakley a while ago when he'd wandered off upstairs with someone. I would go and get him so that we can leave, but I haven't a clue what I would walk into. I'd probably be scarred for life.

I'd told my brothers that I was staying over at Oakley's place tonight, because there was no way in hell that they were letting me go to a party on the other side of the city.

Not that they'd let me go to any other party.

Lately they've been heavy on the security, I don't know why, but I can't even go for a run without them coming or sending someone with me. 

I'm sitting on the kitchen counter leaning against one of the cupboards and trying to fight off the urge to be sick. 

The house is crammed with bodies, both from our school and God knows what others. The host, Adam Taylor, had put onto his snapchat that this was an open invite party and a hell of a lot more people showed up, which is fun until the air gets too stuffy and hot.

Pushing myself off the kitchen counter, I stumble to keep upright and make my way out of the house, squeezing through the hundreds of people and slipping through the front door onto the front porch. There's only a handful of people out here, also getting air or calling their rides. 

I drop down onto the top porch step and focus on not throwing up.

The only reason I had come to this party was to get my mind off a certain Viper.

I haven't seen him around the house since I'd ran away from him after kissing him. I felt guilty after that and had tried to come up with something to say the next time I see him, if I ever do. But I came up empty.

I wouldn't hold it against him if he ignores me forever. Hell, I feel like ignoring me forever.

Truth is, I don't know what I feel for Kaleb. Never having had a boyfriend, I don't know how I should be feeling. Considering the way we met, I should stay the hell away from him, but it's like there's this little invisible pull between us and I hate it.

"There's feelings here other than the need to fuck you." The memory of what he said to me, admitted to me, send chills down my spine.

I wrap my arms around myself, cursing myself for not bringing a jacket, my denim shorts and cropped tank top doing nothing against the breeze that's picked up.

I stare off down the street to try and distract myself from the sick feeling when I spot an awfully familiar black sporty looking car across the street. 

Even in the dark it's hard to miss.

It's possible that it's someone else's car, but it's highly fucking unlikely. I pull myself up, gripping the bannister to the porch steps and march down them, my confusion and anger making me forget about my headache and sick feeling.

I march across the front lawn and across the street to where his car is park, knocking roughly on the drivers side window.

"Uh, excuse me." Kaleb's eye is arched when his window rolls down, that handsome face making me forget why I marched over here in a huff. "Can I help you?" He urged, making me remember why.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I narrow my eyes in an attempt to get rid of the second Kaleb floating in front of me and clouding my vision.

Kaleb snarls right back at me. "I don't see why that has anything to do with you, Carter."