Page 41 of True Blue

I smile at him, pulling out my phone and texting Mira and Autumn. “You got a fake ID?”

19

Islam the empty cup down on the bar, swallowing the last gulp of my second Sex on the Beach. “And now your brother won’t speak to me! I’ve been texting both of them, but we’re in another fucking standoff and I don’t know what else I should do.”

Layla pouts, nursing her first vodka cranberry and glancing toward the door for the tenth time.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

She looks at me wide-eyed, adamantly shaking her head at the accusation. “No, of course not!” She sips her drink, pulling in more through the straw as she stares down at the bar. “I’m just nervous.” She laughs and leans in, eyeing the bartender at the other end tending to some giggling customers. “I’ve never used a fake ID before.”

I smile, shaking my head. “We already got through the door. We’ll be fine.” I pat her knee. “Don’t worry, Lay.”

“So, the boys are fighting again?” Layla waggles her eyebrows at me, and I push her away by the shoulder, making her cackle. “No, seriously. They’re both idiots for acting like this. I alreadyknew my brother was stupid, but it’s kind of disappointing to find out Bentley Marshall is too.”

I shake my head again. “Stop saying his name like that, Lay,” I say and then sigh. “I blew up my life for those idiots.” My shoulders fall and I lean a little heavier onto the bar top. “Mom hasn’t spoken to me since the alumni event. Not that she really checked in daily, but not even an angry voicemail this time. Just complete silence.” The alcohol in my stomach mixes with the flare of panic, churning into a hard ball in my gut and making me nauseous.

Layla pats my hand, pursing her lips. “I’m sure she’ll brush it all off like nothing happened in a week or two. Don’t worry too much over what Aunt Sandy is going to say. You can always come stay with us for breaks if she gets nasty again.”

“Did I make a mistake?” I whisper. Layla’s eyes widen and I rush to explain. “Breaking up with Christopher has only made things more complicated with Mom and Axel and Bentley. And now they’re fighting over me.” Or over themselves? I don’t really know anymore, but the thought has kept me up several times after Axel told me they slept together, working myself up thinking about it more than once. I'm not about to tell Layla there’s an added layer to all this shit, though, if Axel hasn’t told her he likes guys yet.

“J, no. Things might be complicated right now, but you don’t deserve to?—

The bell over the door rings, cutting her off as we both glance over to see who’s walking into the minimally crowded bar. Mira stands just inside the door, looking back as she waits for the people behind her to get ID’d. My stomach drops, the ball of anxiety inside it plummeting too, as I watch Autumn and Aria come in after her, smiling and looking around. I’ve been meaning to talk to Mira and try to get to know her better, but with classes, and trying to figure out what’s going on with herbest friend and his roommate, I've barely had the time to try to catch her.

“Hey guys!” Layla calls over, waving at them.

I snatch her hand without thinking, and she turns toward me. “What are you doing? What if Bentley is...” My voice trails off as the fear I was just about to voice comes to life and Bentley walks through the door, following the trio of girls as they head toward us. Then the fear quadruples as Axel steps into the bar and follows behind Bentley. Both guys stare at me over the heads of Mira, Autumn, and Aria, trapping me in their gazes.

“Hi, Layla, Janette,” Autumn greets as they reach us, leaning against the bar beside Layla. Mira and Aria stand behind her, looking around rather than at us. I nod to Autumn, ripping my eyes away from the magnetic presence of the men behind her. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Needed to get this one off campus for a bit,” Layla says, pointing at me over her shoulder. “She’s been stressing hard lately.”

I blanch at Layla as Autumn pouts at me, feeling both of the guys still staring at me, listening to every word.

“Yeah, my classes have been getting so much harder lately. I’m freaking out about my midterms next week. Starting to think med school might be a pipe dream if I have to suffer through four more years of this first.” Autumn leans into the bar, flagging down the bartender who nods to her and starts wrapping up with the group at the other end. “What are you guys drinking?”

“I had a Sex on the Beach,” I say, keeping my eyes on Autumn as Bentley and Axel crowd in with the other girls, getting closer so they can shout their orders when the bartender comes over.

“What’s in that?” Aria asks, staring at the chalkboard of drink names behind the bar.

“Vodka, orange juice, and cran, I think.” My eyes stray, meeting Axel’s over her shoulder and he beams at me, whiteteeth gleaming. “Maybe some grenadine or something?” I whisper, transfixed on the molten look in Axel’s gaze.

Layla giggles next to me, pulling me out of my trance as I look around. Mira gives me a puzzled look before averting her eyes when I glance at her.

Aria shrugs. “That sounds good. Get me one of those, Blossom?” Autumn nods, leaning forward as the bartender walks over.

She orders their two cocktails, Bentley pressing forward and ordering a round of beers for him, Axel, and Mira.

“It’ll be good, I promise,” he says to her as she scrunches her face up at the beer order. He pokes her in the side, and she bats his hand away, laughing and shaking her head. I watch the interaction with a little smile, fascinated by playful Bentley, before leaning forward and ordering a soda.

“Want to grab a table together before this place fills in?” Layla asks as the girls’ cocktails get made in front of us. Autumn nods her head, looking around and pointing out an empty high-top near the middle against the windows. Their drinks get made and Autumn passes her card over to open a tab, my soda coming up next. We take our drinks and walk over to the table. I have to jump up a little to get on the bar stool next to Layla and my feet rest on one of the bars across the legs of the chair, so they don’t dangle above the floor like a toddler. Autumn sits across from Layla and Aria grabs the seat next to Autumn, taking a sip of her drink through her black painted lips and surveying the room still.

Mira walks over, Axel and Bentley flanking her with their beers in their hands. She takes the stool at the head of the table, facing the window that looks out on the front street. Multiple people walk by in the setting light of the evening sun. She takes a sip of her beer and grimaces, glaring over her shoulder at Bentley who stands at the corner of the table between Autumnand her. He smirks, downing a third of his in one swig. I watch the way his throat bobs with the movement.

“You don’t like it?” Mira shakes her head at Bentley’s question but grabs his arm when he turns to go back to the bar. “Let me get you something else. I’ll drink that.” Axel settles behind Aria and Autumn across from me, one hand in his pocket while he slowly sips his beer and stares out the window. I study his profile, straw sitting in the corner of my mouth while I mindlessly chew on it, only half listening to the conversation around us.

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want anything else.”

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