Hardin notices Jace the same time that I do and he turns around to look at me then back at Jace. He tenses immediately. Jace's face holds a mischievous smile and it gives me the creeps.
"Didn't think I'd see you two here, since you couldn't make it to the docks and all." He says to Hardin when we reach the top of the stairs.
"Yea, we were just coming here.." Hardin begins.
"Oh, I get why you were coming here." Jace smiles and pats Hardin on his shoulder.
I cringe as his brown eyes move to me.
"It's definitely a pleasure to see you again Tessa." He says coolly.
I glance at Hardin but he is too focused on Jace to notice.
"Yea, you too." I manage to say.
"Good thing you didn't come to the docks anyway, cops came and broke up our party so we moved it here." He informs us. That means his slimy friends Hardin spoke of earlier are here somewhere.
I wish we would have just stayed at my dorm. By the look in Hardin's eyes I can tell he wishes the same.
"That sucks man." Hardin says to him and continues to walk down the hall.
"You two should come down and have a drink with us." Jace says, grabbing Hardin's arm.
"She doesn't drink." Hardin huffs. Annoyance clear in his voice.
"Oh, well you should still come have some fun. I insist." He says to Hardin. Hardin's annoyance seems to encourage Jace even more.
Hardin looks at me and I try silently say "No!!!" But he nods at Jace. What the hell?
"I'll come down in a minute, let me get her.. settled in." Hardin mumbles and pulls me by my wrist to his room before Jace can say anything.
Hardin unlocks his door and hurries me inside.
"I don't want to go down there." I tell him as he sits my bag down.
"You're not."
"You are?" I ask him.
"Yea, just for a minute. I won't be long." He rubs the back of his neck with his hand.
"Why didn't you just tell him no?" I ask. Hardin seems to be very intimated by Jace for someone who claims they aren't afraid of him.
"I already told you, he is hard to say no to." He says.
"Does he have something over you or something?"
"What?" Hardin's face flushes. "No.. he is just a dick. And I don't want any trouble. Especially not around you." He says and steps forward to me.
"I won't be down there long but I know him and if I don't go have a drink with him he will come back up here and I don't want him anywhere near you." He says and kisses me on the cheek.
''Okay." I sigh.
"I need you to stay in here though."
"Okay." I repeat. I don't want to go down there anyway. I hate these parties and I don't want to see Molly if she is here. Now I don't want him to go down there either.
"I mean it. Okay?" He demands in a soft voice.
"I said okay. Just don't leave me up here alone for long." I plea.
"I won't. We should go sign that paperwork tomorrow for the apartment. Right after you get done at Vance. I don't want to worry about this kind of shit again."
"Okay, I can meet you there." I suggest. I don't want to have to deal with these parties and my small dorm anymore, making the reminder of how young we are flash in my mind like a neon sign.
"Alright, I will be back soon. Lock the door when I go out and don't open it again, I have a key." He swiftly kisses my lips and turns for the door.
"Geez, you act like someone is going to murder me." I laugh.
He doesn't return the laugh before he walks out of the room. I roll my eyes but lock the door anyway, the last thing I want to deal with is drunk people roaming in here looking for a bathroom. I know Hardin is about people being in his room.
I turn his television on hoping to drown out some of the noise from downstairs but I keep thinking about what is going on down there. Why is Hardin so intimated by Jace and why is Jace such a creep? Are they playing their usual immature game of truth or dare again? What if Hardin is dared to kiss Molly? What if she is sitting on his lap like before? I hate the jealousy that I feel toward her, it drives me insane. I know Hardin has slept with and fooled around with many different girls, Steph included, but Molly just gets under my skin. Maybe it is because I know she doesn't like me and she tries to shove her fling with Hardin down my throat.
And you caught her straddling him with her tongue down his throat the first time I met her, my subconscious reminds me. I know I should stay put and keep the door locked but my feet have other plans and before I know it, I am taking the steps two at a time to find Hardin.
When I reach the bottom of the stairs I spot Molly's hideous pink hair and barely there outfit. Much to my relief, Hardin isn't anywhere to be found.
"Well..well..well.." A voice from behind me says. I turn to see Jace standing less than a foot from me.
"Hardin said you weren't feeling well, he's always lying that one." He smiles and pulls a lighter out of his pocket. He flicks the top with his thumb, igniting the flame and brings it to the hem of his jean vest to burn off some of the fringe.
"I wasn't. I am feeling better now." I decide to keep Hardin's lie going.
"So quickly?" He laughs, obviously amused.
The room feels much smaller now and the crowds seems larger. I nod and survey the room, desperate to find Hardin.
"Come, I want you to meet some of my friends." His voice never fails to send a shiver down my spine.
"Uhmm.. I think I should find Hardin." I stutter.
"Aww, come on. Hardin is over there with them anyway." He says and moves to put his arm over my shoulder. I take a step to pretend that I didn't notice his gesture.
"Okay." I give in. I consider going back upstairs so Hardin doesn't know I came down in the first place but I get the feeling Jace will follow me or tell Hardin. Most likely both.
I follow him through the crowd and he leads me outside to the backyard. It is dark but lit by a few porch lights. I start to feel nervous about following Jace into the dark yard until my eyes met Hardin's. His widen with surprise then anger and he moves to stand up but then sits back down.
"Look who I found wandering around all by herself." Jace says and gestures to me.
"I see that." Hardin mumbles. He is pissed.
I stand in front of the small circle of unrecognizable faces sitting around what looks like a fire pit made from large rocks.
"Come here." Hardin says and scoots over so there is room for me on the rock that he is sitting on.
I take a seat and Hardin gives me a look that says if there weren't people around us he would be screaming at me. Jace leans over and says something into the ear of a guy with a ripped up white shirt and black hair.
"Why aren't you in my room?" Hardin says quietly but forcefully.
"I.. I don't know. I thought maybe Molly.." I begin to say but realize how stupid it sounds.
"You're not serious.": He sighs and runs his hand over his hair. The attention is put back on us when the black haired guy hands me a bottle of vodka.
"She doesn't drink." Hardin says and grabs it out of my hands.
"Damn Scott, she can speak for herself." Another guy says. He has a nice smile, he doesn't seem as creepy as Jace or the guy with the black hair.
Hardin laughs lightly and I can tell it is a fake laugh.
"Mind your own business Ronnie." Hardin says in a light tone.
"So who's up for a game?" Jace asks and I look at Hardin.
"Please tell me you guys don't play truth or dare at parties too. Honestly, what is up with playing games anyway." I groan.
"Ooohh, I like her. Nice and feisty." Ronnie says and I laugh.
"Who says there is anything wrong with playing a few games now and then?" Jace slurs and Hardin tenses next to me.
"No, actually we were thinking of strip poker." Another guy says.
"Oh, no way." I tell them.
"What about suck and blow?" Jace says and I cringe and blush. I am not sure what that is but it doesn't sound like something I want to play with this group.
"Never heard of it. But no thanks." I say. I see Hardin smile out of the corner of my eye.
"It's a fun game, more fun when you have had a drink or two." A male voice says.
I think about grabbing the bottle from Hardin and taking a drink but I have to get up early and I don't want to have a hangover.
"We don't have enough girls to play suck and blow anyway." Ronnie says.
"I can get some." Jace says and disappears before anyone protest.
"Go back upstairs please." Hardin says quietly so only I can hear.
"If you come with me." I respond.
"Okay, lets go." He says and stands up.
"Where you going Scott?" One of the guys asks.
"Upstairs." He answers.
"Come on, we haven't seen you in months. Hang out for a little while longer." Hardin looks at me and I shrug.
"Alright fine." Hardin says and guides me to sit back on the large stone.
"I'll be right back, stay here this time. I mean it." He tells me and I roll my eyes. Its ironic that he is leaving me alone with the worst group of people here but I oblige anyway.
"Where are you going?" I ask him before he walks away.
"To get a drink. You may need one too." He smiles and walks away.
I stare at the sky to avoid any awkward conversation. It doesn't work.
"So how long have you and Hardin known each other?" Ronnie asks and takes a swig of liquor.
"A few months." I answer politely. Something about Ronnie is comforting, my senses aren't on high alert like when I am around Jace.
"Oh, so not long then?" He says.
"Uhm, yea I guess. Not long. How long have you known him?" I ask. I might as well use this opportunity to get as much information about Hardin as possible.
"Since last year." He answers.
"Where did you meet him?" I try to sound casual.
"Party, well a lot of parties." He laughs.
"Oh, you're his friend then?" I ask.
"Nosey little thing aren't you?" The guy with the black hair chimes in.
"Sure am." I reply and he laughs. They aren't so bad, not as bad as Hardin made them out to be. Where is Hardin anyway?
A few moments later Hardin appears with Jace and three girls behind them. What the hell? Jace and Hardin seem to be in conversation and Jace pats Hardin on the back and they both laugh. Hardin's hands are full with two red cups. I am relieved that Molly isn't among the group of girls following behind Hardin. He sits back down on the rock with me and makes eye contact. He seems to be more relaxed than he was before he walked away.
"Here." He says and hands me one of the cups.
I stare at it for a second before grabbing it from him, one drink won't hurt. I recognize the taste instantly, the night that Zed and I kissed we had been drinking these. His lips tasted like cherries. Hardin stares at me and I lick my lips to collect the taste of the drink.
"Now we have enough girls." Jace says and gestures to the three females.
I look over to them and fight the instinct to judge them. They are scantily clad in skirts and their shirts are identical except the colors. The one in the pink shirt smiles at me so I decide that I like her the best.
"You aren't playing." Hardin says in my ear. I want to tell him that I will do whatever the hell I please but he leans into me and puts his arm around my waist. I look up at him obviously surprised but he just smiles.
"I love you." He whispers. His lips are cold against my ear and I shiver.
"Okay so everyone knows how this works." Jace says loudly. "We all need to get in a smaller circle. But first, lets really get the party going." He smirks and pulls something out of his pocket.
His lighter appears again and lights the object.
"It's pot." Hardin tells me quietly. I knew that it was I just haven't actually seen marijuana before.
I nod and watch as Jace brings it to his lips and lets out a large puff of smoke before holding it out in front of Hardin. Hardin shakes his head and declines. Ronnie grabs it and does the same.
"Tessa?" Ronnie says and holds it out.
"No, no thanks." I say and lean further into Hardin.
"Alright then, lets play." One of the girls says and pulls something from her purse as everyone moves from their rocks and forms a smaller circle.
"Come on Hardin!" Jace groans but Hardin shakes his head.
"I'm good, man." Hardin tells him.
"We need one more girl then, unless you want to take the chance of having Dan's tongue down your throat." Ronnie laughs. Dan must be the guy with the black hair. A quiet red head with a lot of facial hair takes a hit of the drug and passes it back to Jace. I finish the last sip of my drink and reach for Hardin's. He lifts a brow at me but lets me take it.
"I'll grab Molly, god knows she will play." The girl in the pink shirt says.
"I will play." I blurt out. My hate for Molly taking over my common sense.
"Really?" Jace questions.
"Is she allowed?" Dan asks with a smirk and looks at Hardin.
"I can do what I please, thank you." I say and give him an innocent smile despite my bitchy tone.
I know better than to look at Hardin, he already told me not to play but I just couldn't keep my big mouth shut. I down the rest of Hardin's drink and take a seat next to the girl in the pink shirt.
"You have to sit in between two guys." The girl tells me.
"Oh, okay." I say and get up.
"I'm playing too." Hardin grumbles and sits down. I sit next to him and avoid eye contact. Jace sits on my other side.
"I think Hardin should sit over here to make things more interesting." says Dan.
"Yea, I think so too." The red head agrees.
Hardin rolls his eyes and moves across from me. I don't get the point of this seating arrangement, why does it matter who sits by who? Dan moves to sit next to me and I begin to feel nervous. Sitting between Jace and Dan is more than uncomfortable.
"Can we start?" The girl wearing a green shirt whines. She is sitting between Hardin and the read head. Jace grabs what looks like a piece of paper from one of the girls and puts it to his mouth. What?
"Ready?" He asks me.
"I don't know how to play." I admit and hear one of the girls snicker.
"You put your mouth on the other side of the paper and suck in, the point is to not let the paper fall, if it falls you kiss." He explains. Oh no. I look over at Hardin but he is focused on Jace.
"Start this way so she can see." The girl on the other side of Jace says. I am relieved and I hope that the game ends before it is my turn. Or Hardin's. I don't like this game at all. They seem a little old to be playing these ridiculous games. What is it with college aged kids wanting to kiss random people every chance they get? I watch as the paper is passed between Jace and the girls mouth, it doesn't drop. I hold my breath as Hardin retrieves the paper from the girl then passes it to the other. If he kisses one of them.. I let out my breath when it doesn't fall. The paper falls between the red head and the girl in the yellow shirt and their lips meet. Her mouth opens and they kiss with tongue, I look away and cringe. I want to get up and leave the circle but my body stays still. I am next. Oh god, I am next. I gulp as Dan turns to me with the paper on his lips. I am still not entirely sure what I am supposed to do so I just put my mouth on the other side and suck the paper. I feel hot air through the paper as Dan blows onto it. I get the feeling he blew too hard, there is no way the paper will not fall. I feel the paper fall on my leg and Dan's hot breath as his mouth moves closer to mine. The second his lips brush mine he is pulled away. By the time my mind can catch up to what is happening, Hardin is on top of Dan with his hands latched around Dan's neck.