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A smile pulls at my lips. Dang, that would be awesome — getting out of Texas and checking out life on a big campus.
And who knows? Maybe tonight would be the start of something much bigger for Erin and me.
CHAPTER 3
ERIN
Ifeel pretty confident after Riley dolls me up, but the feeling starts to fade as night falls.
I never go to parties. Never stay out past midnight.
My parents think I’m spending the night at Riley’s house, and since her parents went into the city for a concert, we don’t need to be back until the middle of the night.
We’re on our own. Free to do our own thing.
And it terrifies me.
I’ve never prided myself on being the good girl, but it does come with its perks. My killer grades. Admission to a great school. Unyielding trust from the adults around me.
And now here I am, about to break that trust. My parents would be so disappointed.
“Stop biting your nails.” Riley looks over at me from the driver’s seat. “You’re going to ruin your manicure. You’d think we were robbing a bank, not going to a party.” She lets out a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
I force a smile and take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. “I’m just a little freaked.”
“That your parents will find out we’re going to Fletcher’s Pond?”
Everyone knows that kids party at Fletcher’s Pond, which is the reason my parents have expressly forbidden me to go there.
“I’m sorry if this is offensive, Erin, but your parents are super uptight.”
I sigh. “Yeah, I know. But they just want what’s best for me.”
Riley rolls her eyes. “Whatever. You deserve to have some fun, too. Life’s too short to be a goody two-shoes all the time.”
I nod, trying to believe her words. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I do deserve to let loose for once.
And it’s exhausting having my parents always looking over my shoulder. It’s one of the reasons I can’t wait to get out of town and get to college.
We pull up to Fletcher’s Pond, and my heart races as I see the crowds of people gathered around a bonfire. The air is thick with smoke and the sound of music blaring from someone’s car. My heart starts racing and I feel uneasy, like I’m about to jump out of a plane without a parachute.
“You ready?” Riley asks, turning off the engine.
I take a deep breath and nod. “Let’s do this.”
She grabs my arm. “Let’s go have some fun.”
I try to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach as we make our way through the crowd. This isn’t me. This isn’t who I am.
But maybe, just maybe, it’s who I’m meant to be.
Or, at the very least, who I can be for one night.
As we join the party, my anxiety turns into a nervous excitement. The thought of breaking the rules and sneaking around in the dark is dangerous, but it’s also exhilarating.
But as we make our way deeper into the crowd, I feel like I don’t belong. Everyone is so carefree, so wild. And here I am, the good girl, feeling like I’m walking on thin ice.
I glance over at Riley, who’s already got a drink in her hand and is dancing with a group of guys. She looks like she’s having the time of her life.
