Page 34 of Scrimmage

“Wow.” Penny reappears, leaning into me.

“Wow, what?” I glower.

“Cole is ready to jump down your throat, and if I’m not mistaken the feeling is mutual.”

“Pfft, we’ll kiss and I’ll be grossed out.”

Penny spits out her drink onto some guy next to us, laughing. “You’re insane.”

“What? We just flirt. That’s it.”

“Yeah. That’s why he’s always at your beck and call.”

I think about what Koda said earlier. I hate that I’m even remembering it.

Cole saves the day, passing me a shot and leaning into me. “What are we talking about?”

“How alcohol makes people do things they normally wouldn’t,” Penny responds smoothly. “I’m gonna find the bathroom. See you cunts later.” She shoots me one know-it-all look before turning around and disappearing into the crowd.

“Does it?”

“What?” I take a sip of my Jungle Juice and bring my attention back to Cole. He smells like sweat and musk.

“Does alcohol make people do things they wouldn’t?”

“I think it makes people do things they shouldn’t.”

“Shouldn’t or couldn’t?”

My tongue darts over my lips. “Maybe it’s both.”

“To doing things you shouldn’t, couldn’t, wouldn’t.” He throws back the shot and so do I.

I giggle when I finish and hand him the little plastic cup. Glancing around the crowd, my eyes connect with the ones that haunt me. I blink in shock and they’re gone, but I swore I saw them. I’m high. We smoked too much before we left. I need air, water, or maybe both.

“Ashland?” Cole asks, looking in the direction I’m staring. He said something before that, but I can’t even laugh it off.

“I’ve gotta go to the bathroom. Check on Penny. I’ll be back.” I dart away before he can offer to go with me.

I’m being ridiculous, but as I push my way through the crowd it feels like I’m running for my life. I try to calm down, but the music is so loud and the people are packed in so tight, that I feel like I’m suffocating. The crowd is fucking endless. Tears are threatening to fall, and it’s just fucking embarrassing. You don’t want to be the drunk girl crying at the party. My breaths are shallow and my hands are shaking.

I’m slamming into people left and right, spilling their drinks. I grab one from someone and chug it. I don’t care. I just need something. I shove my way past someone who grabs me and drags me back. A large hand grips my chin forcing me to look up. I shut my eyes tight, telling myself this isn’t happening. My heart is pounding in my ears and the voice sounds like it’s underwater.

“Look at me, Ashland.”

The words are the same but it’s nothim. I suck in a deep breath, trying to count and force my eyes open. Koda’s coal black ones stare into mine hesitantly. His grip on my chin is bruising, his fingertips digging into my cheeks. I’m shaking like a leaf. I’m sure he’s getting a sick satisfaction out of it.

“Did something happen?” He looks around the party quickly, returning his gaze back to mine.

I open my mouth to say something witty, but nothing comes out. He takes a deep breath and places one hand on the back of my neck and the other on the small of my back. Without a word, he starts ushering me through the crowd, barking at people to get out of the way until we’re in a hallway where the crowd isn’t as thick.

He doesn’t let me go. Instead he shoves open a door and pushes me inside, slamming it behind him. We’re in someone’s bedroom. It’s relatively tidy. There’s a school banner on the wall and a few medals and trophies.

“Did someone hurt you?” he demands.

I’m out of focus. I just keep seeing those eyes on the street, then again in the crowd of this stupid party, and I see them staring out of my sketchpad at me. The fear has me in a chokehold. I’m about to explode.

“I didn’t ask for your goddamn help. What do you think you are? A knight in shining fucking armor,Armory? You’re just some self absorbed dipshit who thinks he’s better than everyone else. I bet your dad is a prick, just like you.”

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