#Book 1 - Page 4 (1/2)
“Yeah, okay, Mother Theresa,” K.C. muttered dismissively as she began flipping through some photos I’d taken during my year away. “So can you speak French fluently now?”
“I know some useful words for you.” I deadpanned. She grabbed a pillow from my bed and flung it at me without looking away from the pictures in her hand. After three years of devoted friends.h.i.+p, we could exchange harmless insults as easily as clothes.
Walking into my private bathroom, I called out, “So, can you stay for dinner? We can do pizza.”
“Tonight I have to be home, actually,” she shouted back. “Liam is coming over for dinner. My mom is getting a little anxious about our relations.h.i.+p and wants to see him more.” She enunciated “relations.h.i.+p” as if there was a double meaning.
Liam and K.C. had been dating for two years, and they’d been ha**ng s*x for a while. Her mom no doubt suspected that their “relations.h.i.+p” had progressed.
“Uh oh, is Sergeant Carter on to you two?” I grunted while shoving my now empty suitcase under my bed. I called K.C.’s mom ‘Sergeant Carter’ due to her authoritarian mothering. K.C. had little privacy and was expected to report on everything. However, it only made her want to keep her secrets more.
“I’m sure. She found my nightie and went ballistic.” K.C. stood up and grabbed her purse off the bed.
“I would’ve loved to see you talk your way out of that one.” I shut off my bedroom light and followed her down the stairs.
“If my parents were like your dad, then maybe I wouldn’t be so nervous about telling them things,” K.C. mumbled.
I was pretty sure I would never tell my dad about my first time, whenever it happened.
“Well, we can hook up tomorrow or whenever. As long as it’s before school starts.”
“Absolutely, tomorrow.” She gave me a tight hug. “I need to go get myself cleaned up before dinner. I’ll see you later,” And she rushed out the door.
“Later.”
Chapter 4
“G.o.ddammit!” I bellowed up to my bedroom ceiling, now illuminated by the arrival of another partygoer.
Déjà vu struck me as the house next door roared with music and voices. I’d blissfully forgotten about Jared’s raucous parties. The constant vibrations of engines revving and girls screaming—out of pleasure, I hoped—filled the air for the last two hours and was still going strong. My muscles tensed at every new noise.
I glanced, again, at the clock on my bedside table, willing it to stop ticking away the minutes. It was after midnight, and I had to wake up in five hours to meet up with my running club for their weekly workout. I had to wake up I thought, and that was providing I could get to sleep in the first place.
And that wasn’t going to happen without an intervention.
Isn’t it about time you fought back? K.C.’s words buzzed through my head.
There was almost no chance that Jared would turn down the music if I asked, but the diplomat in me thought it was worth a shot. The “old Tate” would’ve lain in here awake all night, too intimidated by her bully to ask him to turn down his music. Now, bodily fatigue and weariness had chipped away my patience.
Maybe, just maybe, Jared had pulled the corn cob out of his a.s.s and gotten over whatever problem he had with me. It didn’t hurt to hope.
The evenings had turned chilly, so I was reluctant to step out of my warm bed. Throwing off the covers before I chickened out, I slipped on black Chucks and covered my white camisole with my black hoodie. My hair was hanging loose, I was wearing no make-up, and I sported my favorite pair of blue and white pinstriped linen sleep shorts. I could’ve looked better and probably should’ve put on some more modest bottoms, but I just didn’t care. I was too tired, so I just stalked down the stairs and out the front door in all my disheveled glory.
It was either the warm, August evening or my nerves, but I had to roll up my sleeves to cool down as I left my yard and traipsed into his. The front lawn boasted random people, none of whom I recognized, and the beating of my heart relaxed a bit at the knowledge that there’d be few people I might know here. I knew Jared’s list of friends included people from other schools, colleges, and even legal adults from questionable backgrounds. By now, the crowd was so wasted that I slipped by unnoticed.
Inside the house, the carousing was loud and obnoxious. People danced in the living room, or rather some s.l.u.tty looking girls let themselves get dry-humped, while others sat or stood in various parts of the downstairs chatting, drinking, and smoking. My nose crinkled at the revolting den of underage debauchery and stench…but, I admitted, everyone looked like they were having fun and being normal. It was official. I was a stick-in-the-mud.
Chevelle started pumping through the speakers, which seemed to have an output located in every room. Hats Off to the Bull might make it worth my while coming over after all.
Entering the kitchen in my search for Jared, I immediately halted. While various people lingered around the keg and other, harder offerings located on the countertop, the sight of Madoc sitting at the kitchen table playing drinking games caught me off guard. He was with a few other guys and a couple of girls. It was too late to do an about-face.
“What the f**k are you doing here?” He popped out of his chair and stalked over to me. His sneer was plastic. For show purposes only. I knew Madoc relished any drama that spiced up his night.
And I was drama.
I decided to play it c.o.c.ky. “Well, I’m not looking for you.” Smirking, I continued to scan the room looking disinterested. “Where’s Jared?”
“He’s already got a girl for tonight. And I doubt he’d be interested in you anyway.” He got in my face with the last.
More than a few girls wanted Madoc’s attention, but I wasn’t one of them. He was good-looking with his bright, blue eyes and styled blonde hair. He had a great body, and his clothes complimented his form. However, I doubted he ever used girls for longer than one night.
I turned to leave and continue my search, but he grabbed me at the elbow. “Actually, I’m a glutton for punishment, but you do look f**king fantastic in your pajamas. If you’re looking for some action, I can take care of you.”