Page 11 of Bought For Us

“Am not.” Cora protests, then slaps a hand over her mouth, makes it a few steps away from the car and bends over at the waist to puke.

Gathering her long blonde hair up with my hand, I rub her back. “You sure about that?” I ask her in a teasing tone.

I chuckle when she looks at me with a glare.

“You okay, babe?” Kimmy asks, sounding concerned.

“I wanna go home,” Cora whines when she's done.

Handing her my bottle of water, she rinses her mouth before taking a drink.

“And that's where I’m going to bring you,” I tell her, helping her to the car. “Both of you.” I shoot Kimmy a look. She gives me back a guilty one. I warned her to watch the drinking tonight, and that because Cora doesn’t drink often, it would affect her more. But of course, the brat doesn’t listen to me. She never does. I know Cora can make her own choices, but I also know she feels bad for always turning down going to parties with us.

So when Kimmy begged her to go to this one, she didn’t want to disappoint her and said yes.

“You know, it's like the two of you have made it your life's mission to drive me nuts this summer.” I tell them as we pull away from the house.

“Have not,” Kimmy argues. “It’s not our fault that you’ve turned into some stuffy boring old person. What? Now that you're not in high school, you’re too cool for us?”

“Kimmy,” Cora interrupts. “Be nice.”

“No,” Kimmy mutters. “Why should I? He’s been ignoring us for weeks. Find new friends, Zack?”

“You know I haven’t.” I look at her in the mirror. “I was working at my dad's office this summer.” It’s the truth. It’s taken up a lot of my time. I miss Kimmy’s bratty ass and Cora’s sweet blushes. But maybe some part of me has been staying away for other reasons.

“Yeah, with that slutty girl. What's her name? Barbie?” Kimmy scoffs.

“Kimmy,” Cora scolds again. “We do not slut shame.”

“It’s Barbara.” I throw back. “And Cora is right. Be nice.”

“You be nice,” Kimmy mutters and my lip twitches. Even drunk Kimmy is a spitfire.

By the time I pull up to Kimmy’s place, both girls are passed out. Opening the back door, I find Cora sleeping with her head against the other door and Kimmy with her head tilted back, mouth parted, snoring loudly. Chuckling, I grab my phone and snap a quick photo to use against them next time they pull this kind of shit.

Scooping Kimmy up in my arms, I close the door and carry her into her house.

“Fucking hell,” Tyler mutters from his bedroom doorway when he sees me trying to sneak her up to her room.

“Shh, before you wake up your mom.” I scowl at him.

He rolls his eyes. “Whatever. Put her in her bed. I’m going back to sleep.” He mumbles before turning around and closing his bedroom door.

As I place Kimmy down in her bed, she groans. “Zack?”

“It’s me,” I tell her as I pull her shoes off her feet and toss them onto the floor.

“What are you doing here?” she murmurs sleepily.

“Putting you to bed.”

She sighs happily. “It’s about time you took me to bed.”

My brows jump as my eyes dart up to her face. Her eyes are still closed. But there's a smile on her lips. “Oh, really?” I ask, pulling the blanket up over her body.

“I’ve been trying for years.” She buries deeper into the blanket. “But, you’ve never seemed to see me the way I see you.”

My pulse picks up. I know I shouldn’t entertain this, I should just ignore it and leave. Yet I open my mouth anyways. “And how do you see me?”

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