Page 91 of Unraveled

“Um, any love for the salutatorian?” Megan pretended to frown. “I’ll be out there making a speech, too.”

“Says the head cheerleader that performs in front of massive crowds at games.” Tucker gave her a knowing look, and she grinned.

“You’ll own it, too.” I bumped Megan’s hip just in time for the guys to descend.

“Hey! What up?!” Kyle loped up with his arms in the air, and Tucker and Jet met him with high fives.

“Hard to believe we’re graduating, huh? This is it.” Corey grabbed Jet’s shoulder and clapped a hand on his chest as he looked around the group. “Y’all coming to the party tonight? Got a different spot on the beach set up and ready to go.”

“Count on it,” Annie replied before giving Noah a weird look. “Something wrong?”

“Nope. I’m always just kinda thrown with how much you and Izzy look alike when y’all do your makeup the same.”

Annie groaned. “I was cornered. Practically forced.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sue me if I wanted to give us the full twin look tonight. You’ll live.”

“It’s definitely hot.” Kyle draped his arms over our shoulders. “All four of y’all ladies are yanking up that hot meter tonight.” He winced under the looks that Jet and Tucker shot him and looked at Mateo. “Well, I’m right. Right?”

Mateo took an awkward glance over us, spending only a fraction of a second on Emma. “Uh, yeah. Y’all look nice.”

“Thanks, Mateo.” I felt so bad for him. He was so clearly still hung up on her.

Ian suddenly appeared, draping an arm over Emma’s slender shoulders as he joined our group. “Hey, y’all. Don’t you look pretty?” He smiled down at her, and Emma beamed, eagerly turning to chat with him, seeming oblivious as Mateo walked off.

I glanced at Annie, wondering how long the awkward exchanges might last, but when the guys’ conversationturned to sports and cars, all of us girls split off, running into Trisha and Bev next.

My fog drifted back in as everyone chatted, and my thoughts floated elsewhere, landing this time on Nic. Wondering if he was going to be okay. It had been hard to not follow him earlier, and I was really questioning now if giving him space had been the right call.

He’d left the party entirely and had ignored every one of my calls before I finally just texted the stubborn Greek. I slipped my phone from where I’d tucked it into the bust of my dress, looking over our conversation in case I’d missed any other texts back.

Me: Are you okay?

Me: Do you want me to come meet you?

Me: Nic, please answer. I’m worried.

Me: Really worried.

Nic: I. NEED. SOME. TIME.

I felt the smack of his response like it was the first time I’d read it.

Some time for what, though? Time to shut down even more?

It was killing me not to go after him, and that fact that graduation was about to start was the only reason he was getting that space. Well, that and I wanted to respect his wishes. He was just so resistant to help, but I also knew him well enough to know that he appreciated it when someone cared, even if he would never say it. And I was the only one that knew his thinking place.

Just stop worrying. Try to focus on graduation for now. And the party.For once, I was looking forward to one, knowing I needed the distraction after today.And if I have to scratch this Nic itch, he won’t be too far away.

NIC

I stared out at the vast expanse of water in front of me, the tiny waves along the shoreline splashing in their own rhythmic pattern across my bare feet. The sun was sinking lower in the sky, so I knew the graduation ceremony would be starting soon, but no matter what strings I tried to manipulate inside my brain, I couldn’t bring myself to go. My anger was still in a raging war with my thoughts.

Unable to stop myself, I reached for the brown paper bag that was lying in the sand at my side. I pressed my hand against it, finding it cool to the touch here in the shade. Knowing the way my lips would form around the mouth of the bottle and how it would feel when the liquid splashed down my throat was comforting to think about, but it made meachefor a taste. That harsh burn that would dull the senses…

I groaned and leaned my head back against the wooden beam I sat against under the pier, forcing my hand to slide off the paper to run it through my hair, mussing the gel.

Not today.

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