Page 20 of We're At It Again

“So, you heard that it’s official.”

“It’s all over social media. The public display was a dead giveaway, though.”

He reached into his back pocket and grasped his phone, scrolling through it before showing me a video. The narrow screen showed Austin and me fighting at his party.

“Five hundred likes overnight.” He said as he watched the dramatic dispute.

He slid his phone back into his pocket before lighting the cigarette. My brows furrowed with concern.

“Are you crazy?” I asked. “You could set off the smoke alarms!”

He shrugged and took a drag from his cigarette, blowing clouds of smoke into the air.

“That’s the plan.” He said, leaning against the wall. “I didn’t study for the English test.”

I scoffed at his blatant disregard for education, wincing at the oncoming migraine. It worsened as a shrill alarm pierced through the air. The sound echoed in the bathroom with a deafening intensity. My hands flew to my ears as I stared at him in disbelief.

“Whoops.” He glanced at the cigarette as if it had transformed into a snake. “Didn’t think that would work.”

I shook my head in exasperation.

“I’m getting out of here.”

A large group gathered outside as everyone murmured with theories of what could have triggered the smoke alarm. I felt some not-so-subtle gazes in my direction, and I glanced down at the ground, wishing it would swallow me.

“It’s so strange that the alarms went off for no reason.” A husky voice said into my ear.

I glanced to my side as Hudson’s lanky frame bent down at the waist to reach me.

“I heard some jackass did it.”

He laughed before leaning upright with his arms folded across his chest.

“I heard he’s a pretty decent guy.”

“Well, you can never trust rumors.” I said, earning another round of laughter.

“I’m done for the day.” He said. “Care to stop acting like Ms. Perfect and ditch with me?”

I glanced over my shoulder and scoffed.

“I would rather gouge my eyes out.”

“Guess you’ll have to torture yourself by looking at that all day.”

He pointed over my shoulder. My breath hitched as Austin and Cynthia stood a few feet away with their friends. I winced as I noticed his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close. That’s how he held me. A million different emotions simmered in my mind: anger, sadness, and more anger. The ambivalence was giving me a migraine.

“What did you have in mind?”

I could sense his smirk.

“Nothing.” He said. “Anywhere is better than here, right?”

I had never been one to act impulsively. While looking at Austin and Cynthia, I experienced an unfamiliar feeling. The need to let go of everything and not think, because thinking led to feeling and that was the last thing I needed right now.

“Let’s go.”

I walked off without waiting for a response, but I could hear Hudson’s boots trailing behind me. I strutted through the parking lot hoping to get into my car as fast as possible, but a firm grip on my wrist stopped me.

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