Page 46 of Aftertaste

“I’m sorry.” Her pale skin reddened, a sure sign she was sincere and feeling bad about it. “I was so drunk that I didn’t even realize. Then I woke up at home and I didn’t even know how I got there.”

“I knew we shouldn’t have gone.” I shook my head, only half meaning it because if we hadn’t have gone, I would never have met Storm.

“You got home okay, though, right?” She darted forward and grasped my arm, panic clear on her features. She gasped. “Oh my god, did something happen?”

“Well…”

“What?” Her eyes widened. “Did someone hurt you?”

“No, no.” I shook my head so fast I made myself dizzy. “Nothing like that.” I inhaled a breath, not sure how to say what I was about to. “I fell asleep there.”

“No way?” She chuckled. “Holy shit.”

“It’s not funny.” I slapped her arm and turned to face my locker, feeling like I needed the barrier between us as the halls filled with students. “I had no idea where I was, and then this guy was there.”

“A guy?” Thalia slammed her locker shut and held her books to her chest. “What guy?”

“He gave me a ride home and—”

“What guy?” she asked again, and I knew she wouldn’t rest until she found out. Thalia was a gossip—always had been. She never failed to stay up on everything happening at school, even though she wasn’t friends with any of the popular kids. She kept her ear to the ground, at least, that was what she always told me. It was the journalist in her. Sometimes I wondered if she realized she was a high school kid running a school paper, and not someone writing for the New York Journal.

“Storm,” I whispered, closing my locker softly and turning to face her.

Her expression froze in shock. “Storm?” she repeated.

“Yeah.”

“Storm?” Her features melted, the life coming back into her. “As in Storm Hartley?” I nodded. “TheStorm Hartley?” She said it louder that time, causing some heads to turn. “Storm Hartley gave you a ride home?”

“Yes.” I grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hallway as the first bell rang out. “Stop saying his name so loud, Thalia.”

“What?” She stared at me, her brown eyes lighting with something mischievous. “I can’t help it that you got a ride home fromStorm Hartley.”

“Stop saying his name like that.” I let go of her as we walked into the classroom, heading to my usual seat in the front row. Thalia sat behind me, murmuring something, but I stopped paying attention. I wasn’t wrong when I’d told Storm I was a nerd. It was exactly who I was, and I wasn’t ashamed of it even a little.

Mr. Sheer clapped his hands twice to gain everyone’s attention then proceed to throw a barrage of math information at us, but I’d already studied this chapter in my textbook, so as my cell vibrated in my jeans pocket, I pulled it out, figuring it was Mom getting home from her nightshift at the hospital.

Mom:Just got home. I picked up an extra shift, so I’ll be gone by the time you get home. We’ll have dinner together tomorrow though, okay, sweetie? <3

Sage:Okay, Mom. Have a nice sleep. <3

I smiled down at my cell, thankful that we were finally getting to have some time together but also sad that it wouldn’t be until tomorrow. Mom had been picking up more and more shifts lately. I understood that she was a nurse and had to be on call sometimes, but it meant I hardly got to see her anymore.

Just as I was about to lock my cell and put it back in my pocket, a new message showed up from a number I didn’t recognize. I glanced up at the Mr. Sheer, making sure his attention wasn’t on me, then opened up the message.

Unknown:I can’t stop seeing your face every time I close my eyes.

My eyes widened as my entire body tensed up.

Sage:Who is this?

I stared at the three dots that signaled the person was typing. I waited with bated breath to see who it was.

Unknown:Who do you think it is?

I had no goddamn idea, and I was just about to type that when I scrolled up and saw a picture of me and Thalia sent to the number. I frowned. Why would I have sent that picture to a number not even saved in my contacts?

I rolled my eyes as I saw the timestamp, wanting to facepalm. Of course he sent the picture to his number. He needed it to ask his teammates if they’d seen Thalia at the party.