Page 403 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

Plus,whenthis gets back to Jude, I want him to know just how much fun I had.

“Your brother here too?” Eric asks.

“Please,” I say through a forced laugh. I take a tiny sip from my cup and then gently tug at the joint. Acrid smoke spills down my throat, and I do my best not to cough. “He’d freak if he even knew I was here.”

“He’s a fucking pussy,” Sean says, speaking without exhaling. When he does, a cloud of smoke obscures Eric for a moment. “Only thing he’s interested in is school or football.” Sean barks out a laugh as he takes the joint from my unresisting fingers. “Bet he’s still a fucking virgin.”

For some reason, Sean’s comment irritates me. What’s the big deal with getting your cherry popped anyway? It’s fucking annoying how everyone always seems to laud it like some kind of fucking badge of honor.

“It’s not him, you know,” I blurt out. “It’s his dad. The guy’s like super,superstrict.”

“Mr. Dearth?” Eric gets up and comes to sit beside me, forcing me closer to Sean. “Yeah, fuck, I haven’t seen his old man in a while. He used to come to all of Jude’s games. Guess he’s too busy banging your mom, hey?”

My cheeks catch alight, but I manage an easy laugh so they won’t think I’m stuck up.

They lean back, passing the joint behind my back, and I swear they’re communicating because I can feel Eric’s muscles tensing as if he’s gesturing at Sean.

But a second later, they’re both sitting forward, acting as if nothing happened.

So it’s true about weed making a person paranoid.

I laugh and try to take another sip from my cup. Suddenly, my muscles feel loose. I stiffen my spine, but the second I lose concentration, I melt back into the couch. It’s like my body’s made of that goop that goes solid when you squeeze it but runs through your fingers when you let go.

Someone takes away my cup. I’m kinda happy about that because I think I spilled punch on myself again.

“Shit,” I mumble. “Did I make a mess?”

“It’s okay, babe,” Eric says, laying his hand on the wet spot on my thigh as he sinks back. “We’re all just having a good time.”

“Shouldn’t have smoked,” I say through a giggle.

“What, the weed or the crack?”

I turn my head, squinting at Eric. “What’d y’ say?”

“Nothing.” He strokes my thigh. “Just enjoy the high.”

I grin at him, and he tucks my hair behind my ear with a finger. “Another one for luck,” he says, holding out the joint.

I shake my head. “I’m good.”

“Don’t you want to feel even better?” He leans closer, bringing his face within inches of mine. “Tell you what…If you take another hit, I’ll give you a kiss. How does that sound, Harper?”

Eric is plain looking compared to Sean, but he does have pretty lashes and soft brown eyes. Is he a good kisser, though? I don’t want my first time to be with someone who doesn’t know what he’s doing.

“What’s so funny, sweet cheeks?” Eric asks.

“Who’s a better kisser?” I stab a thumb to my side. “You or Sean?”

Eric’s face tightens at that. “Guess you’ll never know,” he says coldly as he starts scanning the room.

“Hey man, relax,” Sean says through a laugh. “She’s fucking stoned.”

Eric purses his lips. “Not stoned enough.” His eyes flicker back, but they settle on Sean, not me. “Let me know when she is.”

I try to follow him through the crowd, but I lose sight of him when Sean grasps my chin and turns my head toward him.

“How are you feeling?”

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