Page 119 of Landon & Shay: Part One

So, I knew I had to do the unthinkable. I had to cross a line that I couldn’t come back from.

I had to break her heart completely to keep her from loving me anymore.

So, I sent out a massive text to people.

Me:Opening Night party at my house tonight. Bring booze and your worst behavior.

It amazed me how instantly I regretted having a party every single time.

The opening night performance was amazing. Mr. Thymes seemed overjoyed. Shay cried. I kept my eyes closed. And the crowd gave us a standing ovation.

It would’ve been great if I could’ve celebrated the success with Shay. If I could’ve taken her back to my house and showed her body the way I loved her. If I could’ve laughed with her while we watched Friends. If I could’ve just loved her every day for the rest of my life.

Yeah, that would’ve been great. But it wasn’t realistic.

People crowded my house, drinking, gossiping, and talking about shit I didn’t care about.

I noticed Shay the moment she walked in with Raine and Tracey. It blew my mind how quickly I could spot her in a crowded room. It was as if I was drawn to her energy, her light.Her.

She chatted with people, giving them her grand smile and bubbly personality. She shined in groups of people, being able to talk to anyone about anything. It was one of the very things I had learned to love about her. Her charm. Her wit. Her everything.

She was such a light in the world, and I was about to break her.

She glanced my way, and the smile against her lips faded into a wary frown. She tilted her head in confusion at me. Then, her lips parted, and she mouthed, “Hi, Satan.”

I gave her an accidental half smile. It was hard not to smile when you looked her way.

Hello, brown eyes.

I tore my stare away from her and moved on to something less pleasing to my eye: the rest of the world.

“Spin seven, spin seven!” a few people chanted. It looked like a group of sophomores. Maybe juniors. Either way, I was game to play.

I sat down in the circle, and right as I was about to spin the bottle, a voice pierced me.

“What are you doing?” Shay asked, making me turn to see her.

“Playing a game,” I dryly replied.

She raised an eyebrow, then she sat down in the circle, joining the game.

Why was she being so strong? Why was she still putting up with my bullshit?

There were a few giggling girls sitting next to her, drinking whatever cheap liquor sat in their plastic cups. They were annoying as fuck. The complete opposite of Shay. The complete opposite of everything I had ever wanted.

I was up first.

I grabbed the bottle and spun it, watching it go around and around. Shay’s eyes stayed glued on the bottle while mine stayed glued on her.

“Oh my gosh!” a girl giggled as the bottle landed on her. Her friends joined in on the childish laughter as Shay’s eyes shut. A small sigh released from her lips.

I stood and nodded toward the girl. “All right. Let’s get this over with.”

She hurried to stand, still chuckling and blushing like a newbie to the whole spin seven world.

We walked into the closet, and the door shut behind us.

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m about to make out with Landon Harrison! LiketheLandon Harrison.” She gasped, more excited than she should’ve been. She talked about me as if I were some ancient artifact—often studied but never touched.

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