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Right, it had to be someone who knew when my birthday was. That only left one person I could think of. Cayden West. Last night’s encounter in the bathroom returned to me, making me feel all hot all over. I’d been avoiding him successfully all day. The game was tomorrow, and he was constantly at practice. Why would he try to force me to go to Beckett’s party? To embarrass me? To play more of his fucked up games?
“So, you’re definitely going now, right?” Eve’s grin stretched across her face like the Cheshire cat’s.
“Absolutely not. Like I’m going to let Cayden West order me around. I’m getting movie tickets. Come or don’t. I understand if you want to go to the party.”
“It’s your birthday! Of course I’m not going to leave you on your own,” Eve pouted. She sighed. “I guess we’ll just go to the movies.”
Her eyes widened and flickered over my shoulder, and it was the only warning I had that we were no longer alone.
“When is this movie night?” Cayden’s deep voice brushed against my nerves, and I jumped.
Eve stared at me a long moment, waiting to see if I’d answer. When I didn’t, she pasted on a bright smile and angled her face up. I kept my eyes trained on my lunch tray. I felt awkward as hell around Cayden, considering the last time I’d had his eyes on me, I’d been coming.
“For Lily’s birthday. It’s today, just so you know. Hi, Selena,” Eve tacked on, probably so I’d understand that Cayden wasn’t alone behind me.
“I know.”
A paper bag was placed on the table beside me, the kind that stationery stores used. A rectangular shape was visible through the paper. A present? A bubble of hysterical laughter threatened to burst out. This guy really was insane.
“Happy birthday,” Cayden continued.
“Oh my God, you got her a gift? That’s so nice, Cade. My birthday is in a month, just so you know,” Selena purred.
I made no move to touch the present.
Eve looked awkward, shredding her sugar packet between her black polished fingernails.
“Aren’t you going to open it, Bug? Haven’t you ever gotten a present before? That’s the polite thing to do,” Selena snapped, clearly getting tired of standing around behind us.
“She can open it when she wants to. Are you girls coming to the game?” Cayden interjected, sounding annoyed by Selena’s brittle tone.
Eve nodded. “Of course. My brother’s playing, and Coach likes Lily and her mom to be there for all the home games, at least.”
“And the party after? I see Beckett actually invited you this time, Eve. How kind of him.”
I closed my hand around my plastic knife at Selena’s subtle dig.
“Yeah, so kind. What a guy,” Eve muttered through gritted teeth. “Despite the honor of getting a real invitation, we’re not coming. We’re going to the movies.”
Selena snorted. “Figures.”
“The movies after the big game? I don’t think so,” Cayden said. His voice faded somewhat as he turned his head. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” His irritation was directed at Selena.
I stood, the entire thing suddenly too much. I was acting too flustered around Cayden, and Eve was watching me too closely. Not just Eve—I felt like the entire cafeteria was staring.
“Let’s go,” I murmured to my best friend.
Before I could move, however, Cayden’s huge body pressed against mine, trapping me between him and the table.
He moved my hair from my ear slowly, tucking it back. “If you think you can avoid me, forget it. You’re coming to the party.”
“No, I’m not, and you can’t make me.”
He chuckled. “You really don’t want to go head-to-head with me on this. You’ll lose.”
“Why do you care if I’m there? What are you going to do to me?” My eyes blazed into his when I finally risked a glance upward.
He wasright there.He tilted his head to the side, considering his answer.
