Page 157 of Splintered Hearts

I had a beer when I first got here to calm my nerves, but the effect was short-lived watching Luci take shot after shot. “Focus, Ian. Have you seen Lu?” She’d gotten into a fight with Bri, and Bri told me she was leaving. I just need to find her. “Yes or no.”

“What’s going on?” Maddox slides onto Ian’s lap. His drunk boyfriend smiles up at him. “Oh, someone is drunk.” Booping him on the nose he leans down to give him a kiss.

“Yes, you both are fucking adorable, now have you seen my sister?”

“She’s with Bri.”

“Bri left.” Hence why I’m trying to find her! “They got into a fight.”

“Hey, she’s fine. She’s probably around here somewhere.”

“There are tons of shitbags here looking to take advantage of a drunk girl. I need to find her.” While the party had toned down a bit there are still way too many people here. “Can you please help me?”

Maddox’s eyes widen, looking beyond me. “Incoming, dude.”

“Wha—oh, fuck.” Ailee stomps up to me and that sinking feeling comes back.

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Yeah, and I’ve been trying to avoid you.

“I’m trying to find Lu.”

“Well, how about you worry about where your girlfriend is?” Her icy eyes glare up at me. Soft and blue. Almost too blue. They were the first thing I noticed about her. That was during our spring break when my mother brought us up here for vacation. We’d met. I fell quick. Too quick. We talked for months, trying to make whatever this thing is work until I came back here at the beginning of summer. Weeks later now, I know I’ve made a mistake. That sweet girl I first met is nowhere to be seen. Maybe that’s my fault. It’s not like I’ve been asking a lot of questions. A pretty girl, far beyond my league, was paying attention to me. I wasn’t questioning shit.

“Look, I’m sorry, but Luci—”

“Sometimes, I think you like her.”

I breathe. Ailee’s drunk, and pissed. “She’s my sister.”

“Not really,” she slurs, her eyes shining with tears. Great. Ailee had been so warm but something’s shifted and I’m not sure what.

“Look, I just want to find her. She’s drunk and I just—”

“Want to run after her like always.” Her glossy lips pinch.

“It’s not like that.”

“We’re at a party! She has people here, she’s fine. She’s—”

A squeal snags my attention as a warm body flops into my arms. Bright brown eyes blink up at me and it takes every ounce of strength I have in my body not to drown. Years later and she still makes my heart race.

It’s wrong, but I can’t help it.

“There you are.”

She giggles, folding her arms around my waist and laying her head on my chest. Yup. Someone’s drunk. “So warm.”

“I was looking for you.” Luci tips her head up, resting her chin on my sternum. “Are you alright?”

“Peachy! Oh!” She stabs a finger to the sky. “I saw a UFO!”

“I’m sure you did.”

“Jamie, it had blinking lights and it was green. I tried to take a photo but I lost my phone.” Great. I’ll have to deal with that tomorrow “Hey! Guess what?”

“What?” I can’t help but laugh at her animated state.

“I’m twenty-one!”

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