Page 146 of Take My Hand

Shit. She was rude to Maddy and tried to flirt with me. God, I wonder sometimes what I saw in her.

OSCAR

She hid her fucking bitchy princess vibe well for a long time. Plus she’s fit!

ZAK

Yeah well I think my new gf is fitter!! See you later mate.

OSCAR

Yeah look forward to meeting her and your new mates. And I’ll make sure everyone knows to keep Connie away from you. What you planning today – going into London?

ZAK

Appreciate it. See you about 7. Gonna grab some food and chill this afternoon. Going into the city tomorrow before we leave.

OSCAR

Does chill include sex!!!

ZAK

I couldn’t possibly comment! See you later ??

Chapter Fifty-Two

Maddy

If I’d thought that Zak’s Uncle Mark’s house was nice, Nick, his friend’s, house was incredible. They even had an indoor swimming pool with changing rooms and a spa pool. The party itself was in a room specifically for parties, with a bar at one end with proper bartenders. At the other end of the room, a hotdog stand was in one corner, and a taco stand at the other. Above us on a balcony was a DJ with a huge set of decks blasting out every type of music. It was absolutely wild; in fact, it was carnage. Food and clothes in the pool, people passed out everywhere and I’d seen more than one couple having sex in a dark corner.

“And I thought we went crazy at parties.” Liv said shaking her head.

“I just walked in on a boy blowing another boy in a bathroom. They didn’t even stop, just winked at me.” Emma grinned. “It was quite hot, actually. I almost stayed to watch.”

We burst out laughing and all jumped back when someone shook a bottle of champagne, spraying it in our general direction.

“Where are Liam and Zak with our drinks, anyway?” Liv asked and looked over to the bar. It was at least ten deep, and I couldn’t see either of them. All the boys around here seemed to be six feet plus, which meant Liam and Zak mingled in too easily.

I shrugged and was just about to say they shouldn’t be long, when Emma nudged me hard in the stomach.

“Ow, what was that for?”

“Bitch at three o’clock.”

All three of our heads swivelled that way and I groaned. “Why can’t she just leave me alone.” Connie was walking towards us, a smarmy smile on her face.

“Hey, girls,” she said in her sickly-sweet voice that I’d grown to hate over the last couple of hours. Any opportunity to speak to us and she had and each time it had been to relay some memory of her and Zak together. So much for me avoiding her. “Still having fun.” She turned and waved at a girl who was taking it in turn to kiss two boys. “That’s Hattie, she’s hilarious.” She leaned closer. “A bit of a slag, but hilarious with it.”

Liv sighed heavily and crossed her arms. “Where’s your boyfriend? Not seen you with him much.”

Emma snorted and muttered, “Trust Liv to be to the point.”

I couldn’t help noticing how Connie rubbed at her neck before plastering on a smile. “Around. We’re not joined at the hip. Unlike you and Zak.” Her eyes pinned themselves to mine, and she thrust her hands to her hips, like she was waiting for a response.

I didn’t immediately give her one because she was wrong. I’d spent some time talking to Zak’s friend Deacon and the girl he was seeing, while Zak went to play a game of pool while I’d had a long, funny conversation with his other friend Oscar. The partywas crazy, but I felt comfortable enough not to hang on Zak’s arm the whole time, so she had it all wrong.

“Zak and I are fine spending time apart.” I hated that I sounded defensive, to the point that it came across more like a protest than a fact.

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