Page 9 of The First Play

I look Sienna over, trying not to appreciate how hot her curves are while I look for spots of vomit, but… “I’m pretty sure I was the only one who got hit.”

“Oh good. I don’t want her ruining my comforter.”

Again, I roll my eyes as Olivia walks out of the room to find me a clean shirt.

Taking a careful seat on the edge of the bed, I gaze down at Sienna’s pretty face. Not to sound like a sap, but she’s got an angelic quality about her, and I need to get to know this girl. I can feel it in my very core. She’s something special.

Which is probably why I spend my weekend thinking about her… wishing I had her number so I could check on her when I woke up on Sunday morning. I nearly popped over to Olivia’s house to offer Sienna a ride home, but Dad swung by Mom’s place and made me help him with yard work. My parents have been divorced since my older sister left for college, but Dad still comes over every few weeks to help maintain the house. I’m not sure why. Maybe he does it out of guilt for leaving in the first place. Or maybe he still has a thing for Mom. Whatever the reason, it’s always painful, because he turns me into his personal lackey, and I sweat up a storm being bossed around on my one day off while also getting interrogated about football and what I’m going to do with my future.

I go to bed in a shitty mood on Sunday night, and the only thing to ease my temper is the thought that the next morning, I’ll get to talk to a blue-eyed blonde with a smile that could knock a guy off his feet.

The second I get to school, I start scanning for her and spot her near the junior lockers, sorting her books and looking fine in a pair of fitted jeans and an oversized sweater that’s hanging off her shoulder.

Noah’s in the middle of telling me about his epicFinal Fantasygaming session, and I walk away from him as if drawn by some invisible power I have no control over.

“Dude, I’m in the middle of a story here!” he calls to my back, but I keep walking, ignoring how rude I’m being because…

She’s right in front of me.

“Hey.” I smile down at her, enjoying the hint of vanilla I’m catching and the way her blonde hair falls over her shoulders. The light from the upper windows is turning it a sparkling gold, and her eyes are so damn…

Well, actually they’re kind of staring at me like she’s terrified and has no idea why I’m talking to her.

“Um… hi?” She licks her lips before glancing over her shoulder as if searching for backup.

I take a small step back and shove my hands into my pockets, hating the idea that I’m making her uneasy. I thought we were vibing at the party, but maybe I was reading the signals wrong. She was drunk off her ass. Was everything she said in the bathroom total bullshit?

Clearing my throat, I try for a casual, light tone while scrambling for a way to bail without looking like a total douche. “So, how’s it going? Any first day jitters, or are you holding up okay?”

“Uh…” Her blue eyes dart around my face before dropping down to the book bag clutched in her hand. “I’m… I’m good?” Her eyebrows wrinkle, and she glances up at me like she’s confused by the fact that I’m standing here asking about her.

Scratching the back of my head, I let out a soft, awkward laugh and just come out with it. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

She’s obviously completely mystified and slightly terrified by the question.

I start to worry that I did something wrong. Why is she so freaked out right now? What the fuck did Olivia tell her I did at the party?

Anger starts to simmer, but it morphs to confusion when Sienna quietly asks, “Why are you talking to me?”

“Why—” An awkward laugh punches out of me. “Well… we met at Olivia’s party, and I thought I’d come over and see?—”

Her eyes bulge. “We met at her party?”

“Yeah.”

“On Saturday?”

“Yeah.”

“And I spoke to you?” Her voice has gone all soft and wispy, the color draining from her face.

Oh shit. She doesn’t remember a thing.

“Did Olivia not tell you?”

“No.” Her eyes dart to the right, and I turn to see Olivia hovering nearby.

Olivia winces and mumbles, “I thought you’d die of humiliation, so I kinda didn’t say anything.”

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