Page 7 of Your Fault

“Are you spending the night?” she asked with a grin.

Dammit! Always the same argument. There was no way I was staying there. I’d moved out months ago, and I hated having my dad around keeping an eye on me. I couldn’t wait for Noah to move into town. Everything would be better when she was with me.

“You know I’m not,” I said, looking over at the crowd. Occasionally, some bystander glanced back over. I didn’t suppose brothers and sisters were supposed to dance like that, but I didn’t give a fuck, either.

“I haven’t seen you for two weeks. You could make the effort to stay over,” she said, her tone changing. I knew that if this kept up, we’d be arguing, and I didn’t want that.

“So we can sleep apart? No thanks.”

She looked down in silence.

“Come on, Freckles, don’t be like that… You know I hate staying here, I hate not being able to touch you, and I hate all the stupid shit my father feels compelled to say to me.”

“Well, I don’t know when we’re going to be able to see each other, then, because I can’t go into town this week. I’ve got finals and graduation, I’m up to my ears in obligations.”

Damn it.

“I’ll come pick you up so we can hang out,” I said, trying not to raise my voice.

She sighed and looked away.

“Don’t make me feel guilty, please,” I asked her. “You know I can’t stay here.”

I grabbed her face, forcing her to stare into my eyes.

“You used to,” she said.

“Back then, we weren’t together.”

We kept dancing, the argument apparently over. Raffaella kept her eyes on us the whole time.

3

Noah

Almost all the guests were gone. Jenna was saying hi to my mom, and Nick was in the back smoking a cigarette with Lion. I looked around at the disorder left behind after the party and was thankful for the first time that we had someone who came every day to clean our house.

After so long socializing, I was happy for that moment alone to appreciate the good fortune I had. The party had been incredible: all my friends had been there and had bought me amazing gifts that were now piled on a table in the dining room. I was about to take them to my room when I felt arms wrap around my waist.

“You got a ton of presents,” Nick whispered in my ear.

“Yeah, but none of them can compare with yours,” I said, turning around to look at him. “It’s the prettiest gift I’ve ever gotten, and it means so much, coming from you.”

“Will you always wear it?” he asked me. A part of me realized that was important to him: he’d put his heart into that necklace. A warmth radiated from the middle of my chest.

“Always.”

He smiled and pulled me close. His lips grazed mine sweetly, almost too sweetly. I tried to step forward and kiss him more deeply, but he stopped me in my tracks.

“Want more?” he asked. Why wouldn’t he kiss me for real? I opened my eyes and saw those bright blue irises that gave me shivers.

“You know I do,” I responded, breathing fast, my nerves on edge.

“Then come with me tonight.”

I sighed. I wanted to go, but I couldn’t. To start with, my mother didn’t care at all for me going to stay with Nick. When I did it, I usually pretended I was spending the night with Jenna. Beyond that, I had to study. I had four finals coming up, and if I failed them, I’d be putting too much at risk.

“I can’t,” I said.

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