It was a thirty-minute walk from the parking lot and by the time we arrived, the party was in full swing. The guys set out to greet what felt like everyone while I checked out the less-crowded beach area. They had set up a bonfire and the dancing flames reflected in the lake's calm surface. Laughter and the clinking of bottles filled the air. People were lounging in chairs, or standing in groups. Electro beats mixed with country music, depending on the direction as students carried portable speakers around.
As if my eyes had a will of their own, I easily picked out a certain, annoyingly broad set of shoulders from the crowd. Killian stood among a group of people, his back to me. His posture was relaxed as he talked and I noticed how the other girls smiled up at him.
So, he was only an ass to me, huh?
I ruffled my hair, turned, and went to search for Chris. I found him next to the large open cabin that had several tables and benches set up. Chris, Drew, Jared, Ben, Jessica, and Rose were standing in a loose circle. My steps faltered when I saw the beer pong table between them but it was too late.
Ben spread his arms as he caught sight of me. "She's here! Let's go, we're playing."
I forced a smile. "Alright."
I knew it was a bad idea to drink on medication but I didn't have the energy to argue. Besides, with the way this evening was going, I definitely needed it.
With every cup I chugged down, the guys erupted in cheers. Fuck it. Fuck Killian and my stupid skin. Future Taylor could deal with it.
Only two rounds later, I had to brace myself against the table. The cup in my hand doubled and I blinked rapidly until my vision returned to normal. What the hell? I hadn't had that much to drink. My aim was pretty good.
I squinted at the others. Chris was in the middle of another game with Drew, Jessica, and Ben. Jared stood a bit to the side but his eyes were fixed on me. Surprised, I drew back and quickly looked away. Some guys moved in front of me, blocking his view, and I quickly dipped behind their backs and disappeared into the crowd. I'd ended up leaving my bottle in the car but there had to be some water somewhere.
Or not. Unless one counted the lake. Wherever I looked the only thing I found were boxes of beer and other alcohol.
I took a deep breath. The fresh, cool night air filled my lungs and the drunken haze clouding my mind lifted a little. I started down a path leading away from the party. By the time my head had somewhat cleared, the sound of music and laughter had grown distant.
The moonlight glittered off the small waves that softly bounced against the shoreline. The trees rustled and surrounded me with the scent of pines and wood. The tranquility of this place was soothing—until I stumbled over an uneven patch of earth, barely catching myself from landing flat on the ground.
"Easy there."
I yelped as a hand landed on my arm. I whirled around and came face to face with Jared. The trail behind him was empty. I moved to step around him, but he blocked me.
"Wait, Tay."
"What?" I didn't bother hiding the impatience in my voice.
"I've been wanting to talk to you." He ruffled his hair.
"Don't you have other people to talk to...?"
His hand dropped. "You've really been trying to dodge me, huh?"
I lifted my shoulders. "I mean..."
"I'm sorry for the other day," he said in a quiet voice. "I didn't really get my point across I think."
My arms folded across my chest. "You're not exactly resting your case right now."
"Tomorrow, let's go out on a date."
Huh?
"I—I don't think that's a good idea."
He leaned forward. "Why not?"
I snorted. "I'm sorry but I'm not going to add myself to the long list of girls you went out with."
His face scrunched. "I've been trying to turn over a new leaf."
Yeah, sure. Wasn't that what all the guys would say?
My fingers dug into my pocket and pulled out my phone. "Good for you. Find someone else to test out your new you on though."
"It has to be you."
I gaped at him. "Why?"
"You're different. And you're not even giving me the time of the day." His hand ran over his face as he regarded me. A smile spreading over his lips, surprisingly genuine. "It's refreshing."
Great. I'd managed to catch the star quarterback's interest. Lucky me.
I remembered to close my mouth. "Did it ever cross your mind that I'm just not into you?"
"Because of Chris?"
I drew back and pressed my lips together.
"He's changed, hasn't he?"
"I—" He did change. I just didn't understand why.
A new emotion shone in his gray eyes. Pity maybe? "Don't let him play you, Tay. It's only a matter of time before he and Jess hook up."
"What? Why would he?"
"You don't get it. He's nice, sure, but he's not on the team. He was always sort of stuck in our shadow. Now he's suddenly getting all the girls' attention. That gets to a guy's head."
My jaw hardened. "You...talk like you're speaking from experience."
He scratched his forehead and pushed some of that brown hair out of his eyes. "That's why I know."
"Didn't you always get the attention?" I asked, confused.
"Not always. Not until recently actually."
"But you're the quarterback. That's like an important position or something. Right?"
He stared at me. "Wow. You really have no clue about football, do you?"
My face grew hot. I gestured around. "Well...it's weird, isn't it? A bunch of guys cuddling in an open field and occasionally someone throws a ball. I don't know."
He burst out laughing. "Wow. I can't believe... Just, wow."
"Are you done laughing?"
His lips pressed together. "I was actually benched until last year—"
A branch snapped behind him and we both jumped.
Chris appeared out of nowhere. Gone was the easy smile. There was a strut to gait that I'd missed before. He faced Jared with his chin held high. "So, that's how it is huh?" His expression twisted into a sneer, and he barked out an ugly laugh. "You can fuck her Thompson, she's not that great anyways."
I felt a kick to my gut. Like a fish out of water, my mouth was opening and closing but somehow no words came out. No. This wasn't him talking. Not really. He was drunk. And he misunderstood... I had to try and explain.
"Let me explain," Jared and I said at the same time and Chris' face darkened.
My eyes snapped to Jared's. "Go. I will talk to him."
"I'm just trying to help."
"You're making it worse," I hissed.
His gaze moved from me to Chris. "You said there was nothing going on man. I thought you and Jess—"
"That's none of your business, Thompson," Chris interrupted him.
"Sorry, Jared. I think Chris and I need to have a talk. Alone," I added after Jared still didn't leave.
As soon as his frame disappeared down the path, I turned on Chris. "Care to explain what he meant?"
His voice dropped. "You're believing that shit? How about you start with what I just walked into? Again?"
I jerked. He didn't think...? "Chris, listen." I had to try. "This is a misunderstanding. We were just talking. I don't understand where this is coming from all of a sudden."
I noticed that his eyes were bloodshot and slightly wild. "You guys keep sneaking away. What am I supposed to think about that?"
"We aren't sneaking around—Hey!"
He briskly shook me off when I reached for him. I stumbled as my feet caught on a root and with a thud, I landed on the ground.
Blood rushed to my head and my heart pounded so loud it drowned out everything else. What had just happened? I blinked several times before I lifted my head and stilled.
Chris was gone.
Slowly, I pushed myself up to my feet. A sharp pain seared through my ankle, and I fell backward again. This had to be a dream, right? This didn't just happen?
With shaking fingers, I searched for my phone. Had I dropped it? I bit my lips to fight back the tears pooling at the edge of my vision. My fingers closed around the cold metal, but it took me another few minutes to finally get up. My ankle throbbed but I started down the path, limping from tree to tree.
The bonfire shone like a beacon. I stopped just outside the flickering cone of light, hiding in the cover of the trees. I wasn't even close to anyone. What the hell was I doing here?
Laughter sounded from my right, and I ducked. Half-hidden behind a large oak I watched as two people stumbled through the bushes their bodies wrapped around each other so tightly, I wondered how they were even able to walk.
I held my breath standing perfectly still. Please keep moving on.
The guy lifted his head and all the air left me. No. It couldn't be.
"Chris, wait." I recognized Jessica's high-pitched voice instantly. "Let's take my car this time."
"Alright." A groan was followed by giggles and then the rustling sound of their footsteps faded away.
What?
Suddenly the puzzle pieces clicked into place. My head spun and the world tipped sideways.
Why did he suddenly get so jealous? Why did he overreact when I talked to Jared? Because it was him. Cheating. One thing was sure. This was definitely not a misunderstanding.
I didn't know how long I stood there. My phone vibrated in my hand and jolted me out of my trance. The screen had cracked when I dropped it earlier, but it still showed the warning. Five percent battery remaining.
A headache started in the back of my skull.
I forced my stiff fingers to open maps. Great, the nearest bus stop was a fifteen-minute walk away. In my condition, it would take me probably thirty. There were no buses at this hour, but this would still be my best bet. After all, this day couldn't possibly get any worse than this.
Slowly, I started moving again. A gentle night breeze brushed against my exposed skin, but I welcomed the chill seeping into my limbs. There was a metallic taste in my mouth and my ankle protested with every step, but the pain couldn't pierce through the numbness that had taken over my body.
The bus stop consisted of a small sign and a wooden bench set beneath a square glass roof, covered in grime and moss. I collapsed onto the cold metal seat. Maybe all I needed was a bit of rest. And then I could just walk home.
I sat at the bus stop for what felt like an hour. At some point, my phone died. I didn't care. There was no one to call anyways.
The moon was blocked by the tree line behind me, but it only made the stars above my head shine more brightly. My eyes traced over constellations. I was starting to feel tired. I'd just spotted The Big Bear when I heard leaves crunching on my left.
My eyes darted around. A figure emerged from the same path I'd taken. When they stepped out of the shadows of the trees, I sucked in a sharp breath.
What sort of twisted luck was this?