An endless summer

Chapter 1

As I stumble through the door, the echoing bark of a dog greets me. Riley bounds over, her excitement palpable. "Hi, Riley," I greet her with a smile before surveying my surroundings. "This isn't my house, is it?" I mumble, not expecting a response.

"Nope," comes the familiar voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was at Ryan's house, and we got into a fight. Then, my friend texted, saying she was at the bar and begged me to join her because of some creep, so we had a few drinks," I explain hastily.

"Sounds eventful," he chuckles, crossing the room towards me.

"Not particularly," I admit, struggling to kick off my  heels while bracing myself against the wall for balance.

"Why's Riley here?" I inquire.

"Your mom had to go to the hospital, so she brought Riley and Liam over," he explains, maintaining eye contact.

I nod in understanding.

"You can have my room if you want to stay here," he offers, gesturing towards the sofa behind him.

"K, thanks." I smile, heading for the stairs.

Once in the bathroom, I meticulously roll up the sleeves of my hoodie, noting the faint imprints on my wrists from their earlier tight grip. With a deliberate push, I relegate the troubling thought to the back of my mind and proceed to undress.

As i step into the warm embrace of the shower, the cascading water enveloped me, washing away the physical and emotional residue of the day.

I shut off the shower, enveloping myself in the warmth of a plush towel.

With purposeful steps, I gather my clothes and made my way to Mason's bedroom.

Opening the door, I found him perched on the edge of the bed, engrossed in his phone.

His gaze met mine with a hint of surprise.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were changing in here," he mutters, rising from the bed and walking passed me and I swear I caught him taking a glance.

As he closes the door behind him, I allow the towel to gracefully fall, slipping into my panties before hastily donning one of his oversized t-shirts from a nearby drawer.

I heard a rap on the door, and Mason pokes his head in before swinging the door wide.

"Well, look who's here to claim ownership," he protests, eyeing my shirt.

"Oh, really?" I retort, dripping with sarcasm.

"By the way, Lizzy's hosting a bash tomorrow evening. Wanna join?"

"Count me in."

"Great, we'll all head over together," he says, referring to our friend group.

"Got it, I'll give the girls the heads up," I confirm with a nod.

"Night dumbass." He chuckles, walking to the door.

"Night asshole."

————

Jasmine deftly navigates through the sea of people, her grasp firm on my hand, as we maneuver through the throng of sweaty bodies.

Emma trails behind me, accompanied by Liam, while Mason and Sam bring up the rear, both in mid

Reaching the kitchen, I pour myself a refreshing rum and coke.

Across the room, I catch sight of Jasmine entangled with a stranger, while Sam watches from a distance with a mixture of longing and resignation. Liam had told me about Sam's feelings for Jasmine, but I wasn't allowed tell her.