Page 30 of Remember Us This Way

Clearly this party has been in full swing for a while, and I’m surprised it hasn’t been shut down yet. Though from my experience, the cops tend to let us party as long as our noise is contained and we’re not bothering anyone. They only need to worry when we’re not partying, and everyone is out on their own.

People I don’t recognize say hello, and when I stop for a second, someone shoves a beer into my hand. I talk with one of the guys on the team, pretty sure his name is Jason something . . . Maybe Harding? I don’t know, but all that matters is he’s a good player, and so far, he hasn’t let me down in training. I haven’t had a chance to get to know him yet, and from what I can tell, he seems to have his head screwed on, apart from the fact that he just fucked one of the cheerleaders in the bushes outside Liam’s home.

Come to think of it, was this the asshole who spent his summer trying to get between Zoey’s legs? Or was that Cameron Landry? I don’t fucking know anymore.

Dropping my cigarette to the lawn, I quickly stub it out with my toe before finally heading inside. The house is crammed with bodies, most of the guys are standing around and watching the girls dance while calling out crass comments. The floors are sticky, and I keep to the edges of the room as I scan Liam’s home, not willing to risk walking through the girls just yet. I need a few drinks before I can lower my standards enough to put myself through that shit.

A game of beer pong is set up on the dining table, and I find Liam at the head of it with a girl under his arm as he throws the ping pong ball across the table, directly into the cup at the other end. Everybody breaks into cheers as Liam hollers and takes a swig of his beer before dropping his lips to the girl’s and furiously eating her face.

Not giving a shit if I break up their little celebration, I step into Liam’s side as people call out to me, wanting my attention. “Hey man,” I say as he pulls away from his girl.

“Yo, you made it,” Liam cheers, grabbing my hand and pulling me in to clap me on the back. “I was starting to think you’d bailed.”

“On the first party of the year? Nah. Just had shit to do first.”

“Fuck yeah,” he says, nodding to some kid who scurries into the kitchen to grab me a beer, despite the one already in my hand. “Let’s get you fucked up. There’s a party to be had!”

I grin, not really in the mood to get fucked up, but after the week I’ve had, I could use the drink. The kid returns and offers me a beer, and I take it gingerly before cracking the top. Lifting the rim to my lips, I take a quick swig and scrunch up my face. This shit tastes like piss, but I’ll drink it anyway.

Liam bails on his game, and we head outside to where the rest of the football team is chilling by the firepit. The guys welcome me with open arms, and before I know it, another beer is shoved into my hands. The loud music flows out to the yard, but it’s muffled enough that we can actually hold some form of conversation, not that the guys are interested in talking when there are girls draping themselves all over them.

Shannan hovers like a bad stench, but I’m not about to make a scene by telling her to fuck off, not yet at least. As long as she doesn’t try to get naked and grind all over me. She’s fine to pretend she means something here. Besides, she’s dancing with her friends, and so far, the rest of the guys seem to appreciate her efforts. Me on the other hand, I couldn’t be less interested.

I fuck around with the boys for an hour before getting up and making my way toward the back door, but I only get a few feet away when Shannan steps directly into my path. “Where are you going?” she purrs, her hand plastered against my chest.

“None of your damn business,” I say, pushing her hand off me.

Shannan shakes it off, and as I go to step around her, she steps with me. “Come on, don’t be like that,” she says, reminding me just how persistent she is, only when I look at her, all I see is the bitch who’s been making Zoey’s life a living hell all week. “Why don’t you come dance with me?”

“I don’t dance,” I say, attempting to get around her again.

She puts her hand up on my chest again and steps even closer, pushing up on her tippy toes to whisper in my ear. “That’s okay,” she murmurs. “I can dance enough for the both of us. Unless you’d rather just skip all the bullshit and take me upstairs instead.”

Fucking hell. This chick doesn’t give up.

I pull back and look down at her, my face scrunching in disgust. It’s one thing getting with the cheer captain, but hearing that kind of desperation is the biggest turnoff. “I’ll pass,” I say, shoving her off me again. “Fuck Liam instead. He’ll give you what you want.”

Shannan gapes at me as I walk past her, and I can guarantee that she’s never been rejected before, especially by one of the football players, but I’ve got better things to do than play pass the cheerleader.

Making my way inside, I head for the kitchen and find another beer before cracking the top and lifting it to my lips. I’ve already had a few, too much that I won’t be driving home tonight, but not enough to fuck me up. Not yet at least. There’s still time. After all, pushing away the people I love isn’t the only thing that helps numb the pain.

Wanting to avoid Shannan’s bullshit for a while, I make my way through Liam’s home, cutting through the throng of partiers and stopping to say hi to the few people I’ve gotten to know this week.

The music is so loud, I barely hear what anyone is saying, and I zone out, glancing around the party. Couples are hooking up in the hallways and lingering on the stairs while sloppy, drunk girls fumble around, knocking into each other. Girls squeal and laugh as they spill their drinks everywhere while random guys make asses of themselves trying to hit on them.

A familiar laugh sounds over the music, and my gaze shifts back toward the dance floor, and I suck in a breath when I find Zoey dancing with her friends, and fuck me, she’s breathtaking. I can’t tear my eyes off her.

She’s got a drink in her hand, and it’s clear from the light flush in her cheeks that she’s already had a few too many. She dances so carefree, more relaxed and happier than I’ve ever seen her before. She’s simply stunning, and for just a moment, something thaws in my frozen heart.

Her body moves to the music, and goddamn, it’s hypnotizing. In those boots and that tiny skirt, I’ve never wanted her more. I’ve always looked at her as a kid, and well, that’s because we were kids, but now? Fuck! No wonder every guy at school has been desperate for a taste.

A wide smile spreads across her face, and I watch as her friend, Tarni, holds up a bottle of straight Vodka and pours it right into her cup. “Alright, girl,” she calls over the music, leaning into Zoey. “Which one of these assholes is gonna pop that cherry?”

Oh, hell no. Over my dead fucking body.

Zoey laughs and glances around the room as if actually looking for someone to fuck, and a deep anger swirls through my veins. Only as she looks around, those big green eyes find mine through the darkness, her smile so fucking bright it hurts.

She doesn’t respond to Tarni’s question, just simply keeps watching me as she continues to dance, and I can’t look away, the two of us locked in a trance. Zoey laughs to herself, sipping her drink as she moves to the music, her wide stare drawing me in.

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