Page 70 of Things I Wish I Said
She came with me. She’s supposed to leave with me. And I’m a fucking asshole for leaving her because of something I did.
I couldn’t control myself for more than a couple hours in her presence. Couldn’t handle a little grinding on the dance floor without wanting to jump her bones.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
I round the house and step into the backyard where I begin my search. It’s every bit as crowded as it was when we parted ways, and I spend the next ten minutes searching for her, only to come up empty.
I check the dance floor, the keg, and the beer pong table, stopping to ask everyone I see on my way if they’ve noticed the chick with the black cutoff shorts and the Nike baseball cap, but of course, no one has seen her.
Panic claws at my chest with every passing minute her whereabouts remain unknown.
What if she already left? What if something happens?
I imagine having to tell her mother I don’t know where she is.
I imagine her getting into the wrong vehicle.
Someone taking advantage of her.
There are a million things that could go wrong, all of them my fault.
I rake my hands through my hair, trying to get a handle on my rising emotions when I spot Cameron emerging from a crowd of guys I recognize from school.
“Thank fuck,” I say, closing the gap between us. “I need your help.”
Cameron’s smile fades. “With what?”
“Ryleigh. Do you know where she is?”
“Yeah. I was just with her.”
I sigh, relief sweeping through me. “Oh, thank God.”
“Is everything okay?” he asks, with a frown.
“Yeah, sure.” I drag a hand over my face. “I’m just being stupid. Did she say anything to you about taking a ride from someone?”
His face splits into a grin. “I’m giving her a ride home.”
My stomach tightens at the sparkle in his eyes. Cameron can be a clown sometimes, but he’s a good dude. He was there for me as much as a person could be when my father got sick. He’s close to his family, a good friend. Ryleigh would be in good hands with him, but something about the way he’s beaming at the mention of her name has my hackles rising.
“You’re driving her home?” I choke out.
He shrugs, his smile dimming a little. “Yeah.”
I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes. Cameron driving Sinclair home sits as well with me as fucking knife to the throat. “How did that happen?”
Cameron frowns and holds his hands up. “Hey, man. She said you weren’t together. You know I would never step on your toes.” He shakes his head. “She said you were with Hannah.”
I say nothing, grinding my teeth and turning my molars to dust as I wait for common sense to prevail.
“Were you with Hannah just now?” he asks in the silence.
“What the fuck does that matter?”
“It doesn’t. It’s just Ryleigh’s a nice girl, and I don’t wanna see—”
“You think I don’t know she’s a nice girl?”
