Page 54 of The Chemistry of Us

And the absolute temptation of self-sabotage that went with it.

He would see it all.

The old Vaughan would have held my hand and said, “What can I do?”

This Vaughan, he wasn’t mine anymore. He looked the same. But there was too much damage.

Happy Birthday to me and my sadness.

CHAPTER 21

VAUGHN

Iwas stoked. Completely out of my mind thrilled I could shove that A straight up my dad's pinched-as-fuck ass. I hadn’t seen Tru all day, and the party was getting ready to start. Why was I so anxious? Her kiss did me dirty in so many ways, and I wanted her to know that it helped. I walked out of that library, and all I could think about was the surprise of her mouth on mine. I was so hyperfocused when I walked into that test that I finished it in half the time.

As much as it irritated me that she’d been right, part of me also knew that I owed her an apology. I also semi forgave her for the hair and short-sheeting. Clever, actually. We’d probably kill each other later in this dirty little war—but she gave me one small moment of accomplishment that I could smear in my dad's face. I was happy. And I wanted to party the shit out of Saturday and well into Sunday.

I checked my phone again.

Nothing.

Whatever. Her loss, right?

The door suddenly swung open. Chad, one of our linebackers built like a brick and corn-fed from Iowa, held up two cases of beer. “Let’s go, bitches!”

Brady elbowed me in the ribs. “He's wearing a tartan?”

“The man is definitely wearing a tartan.”

I couldn’t help my smirk. “The man even Scottish?”

“FREEEEEEDOM!” Chad shouted, lifting his two cases. Oh shit, Rainier beer? Seriously? “SPARTA!"

I choked on my laugh. “Bro’s already three sheets to the wind. He just quotedBraveheartand the three hundred in one sentence. It’s gonna be a good night.”

“The best.” Chad bumped my fist.

What could possibly go wrong?

Three hours later, I learned the answer to that question.

“I take it back. I take it all back.” I drunkenly groaned into my cup. “Chad’s the worst.”

A loud thunk sounded. Someone was so drunk they fell over by getting hit by a ping pong ball. Chad thought it was a good idea to start beer pong early. For the record, it wasn’t.

Wait, wasn’t Chad just standing next to me?

My eyes were so blurry that it was hard to walk in a straight line, let alone think in one. Wait, that wasn't right. People didn’t think in straight lines. Huh, that was funny.

I stumbled through the living room when the door suddenly opened.

It was Tru.

She was dressed in another hot-as-hell dress. I enjoyed the few seconds of looking until some idiot reached for her.

Nope.

Another guy offered her a beer.

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