stay. // c. parayko

Eight.

"My goodness Declan. You're being annoying." I rolled my eyes underneath my sunglasses. She came with me and some of the other Blues girls to brunch, the morning after I decided to drink a bottle of Jameson.

To be fair, Jordan bet me I couldn't so I'm now $100 richer.

"This is why I don't talk to you the morning after you blackout. Henley is mean hungover."

"Hungover, hormonal, and horny." I corrected my best friend.

"How is that any different than normal?" The girls laughed at my expense. Whatever.

"Fuck off Rose."

"Have you and Robert made it official yet?" They moved onto my best friend. Thank god.

"I think so. I don't know, though. He started talking about moving in with him."

Now I love my best friend. I really, truly do. I just don't want to live with her. I especially didn't want to live with her and Robert if Beau wasn't there. Not that it really was my decision. My name wasn't on the lease. I'd be finding a new place over the summer anyway.

"Henley. Henley!"

"What? Sorry I was thinking about the sex me and Colton are going to have tonight."

"So all the sex you had yesterday before blacking out wasn't good enough?" Apparently Joel's new girl had a problem with that.

"I feel like there's not such thing as too much sex between two consenting adults, but no. I want to keep having sex in his apartment just to bother you Marie." I smiled and finished my mimosa.

I was pretty buzzed by the time the game started. It was one of the few games we got to sit in a box. Which was probably a good thing, I shouldn't be in public while I'm drunk and in a mood.

I grabbed the pieces of candy from my purse and started to eat them. "Aren't those illegal here?" Rose was hands down the most innocent person I've met and I don't know why Thomas let her hang out with me. She doesn't even have a fake id.

"I have a green card, my dude. You want one?"

"Um no thanks." More for me, I guess.

I stopped drinking after the first period and the edibles had started to kick in. Now I really wanted to see Colton.

As soon as the game was over, I sent Declan off with the girls and met Colton at my apartment before going out.

"I like this Henley." He smirked as I took off his shirt

"Yeah well Henley is always like this. You just never wanted to stay around long enough for-"

He pushed me onto the bed, half clothed and looked down at me with a wicked grin. "I didn't say you could talk."

There were comments about us being late to the party but I didn't really care. I was high and I just got laid.

"Masie went off to do coke in the bathroom. I think it's time to go home." One of the girls I didn't know informed us.

"90% of the coke that comes through here will knock her on her ass. She'll be going home soon anyway."

"You would know."

"Yeah, well, my drug use isn't a big secret and I'm not a pussy like your girlfriend."

"Not all of us come from families like yours that can afford the good shit."

"What's that supposed to mean?" No one here except Colton and Declan knew. And Beau promised me he wouldn't tell. "Colton?"

"I didn't say a word."

"I thought they knew." My best friend admitted to spilling my biggest secret.

"I may come from a rich and powerful family but I got into 10 law schools all on my own. Can't really say that for yourself can you there Robbi? Didn't think so." I got up from out table and handed a fifty to Stella. "This is for me and Colton. Keep the change, I'll see you tomorrow night."

Colton silently drove us back to my place and waited until we got into bed to say something. "Why are you so ashamed of where you came from?"

"Everyone has always held it against me. So I didn't tell my parents I wanted to go to law school until after I applied."

"You're amazing, Henley. Don't let people tell you differently."