Lemonade (WLGYL #2)

Chapter 5-Present

Once the party started, various family members were milling about the house, the few who recognized me stopping to say hello. There was Jessie's Aunt Karen, visiting for the summer from her farm in Idaho. There was her Uncle Ian and his husband Dylan; Aunt Melissa and her four children, all under five years old.

When I finally caught a break from the introductions and small talk, I noticed the shift in energy. Jess had left my side a few minutes back to go talk to some of her cousins by the drink cooler outside. Caleb and Reyna were sitting on the suede loveseat in the corner of the living room, making eyes at each other as if they had only been dating for four weeks, not four years. Even my parents were chatting with some people I didn't recognize. For the first time in, well, forever, I felt out of place in the Masterson house. I felt alone.

Hearing the front door open, I looked up and saw Zach Williams walking in, a case of beer tucked under his arm—the first truly familiar, friendly face I had seen in the last thirty minutes. He smiled when he saw me.

"Branson!" he said cheerfully, giving me a hug with his free arm. He smelled like oranges and his hair had grown out in the years since I'd seen him, tight curls around his head instead of the close crop it had once been. "Long time no see."

"Guess so," I said, laughing lightly. Zach had always been able to brighten my mood. "How've you been?" Last I heard, he was at Indiana University studying computer science. He must've just graduated, too.

"Awesome," he said, his eyes shining so I could tell he really meant it, that he was happy. He looked like he was about to say something else when his eyes caught on something over my shoulder.

I turned around and saw Mason in the doorway to the kitchen, his arm casually slung around Ben O'Reilly. They weren't looking at us, but as I turned back to Zach, he gave me a sympathetic smile and shrugged.

"Sorry, Emma. It's just, well, we're playing drinking games in the basement so I have to—you know—catch up to them." He looked a little uncomfortable, like he didn't know if he should invite me or not.

I nodded smoothly. Totally chill. Of course he'd want to hangout with his friends, Mason included. It was Mason's party after all. If anything, I was the odd one out, regardless of Mason being my new roomie.

Zach hesitated. "Unless—I mean, you can come join, if you want. It's just a bunch of us guys, though."

Well that was definitely a non-invitation. I gave him a tight smile. "No, that's fine, I should find Jessie anyway. It was good seeing you, though."

Zach tapped my shoulder with his, his dark brown eyes sparkling. "You too, Branson. See ya around."

As he walked away, I looked around the room, trying to find Jessie's dark head of hair anywhere. When I didn't see her, I started hyperventilating. I didn't belong here, why didn't I belong here anymore? Had I spent too much time in California? Was this retribution for Liam and Amara, the people who had filled the holes in my heart the Mastersons had left behind?

Before I could start crying and full-on panicking, I searched for any safe haven around me. I didn't want to lock myself in the bathroom in case anyone needed to use it. Caleb's room and Mason's room were both off-limits, and I didn't want Jessie to see me upset—I didn't want to burden her with my confusing emotions—so her room was also off limits. Me losing touch with my hometown was my own fault. I had distanced myself for a reason.

Not knowing why, I was being drawn to the walk-in pantry in the kitchen. It had a door that could actually be closed, and there were already plenty of snacks and drinks out on the tables and countertop, so I had a feeling no one had a reason to enter it anytime soon.