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Mia had a point. I hadn’t been thinking about Jeremy when I’d invited Reed to the party. I didn’t know about their fight then, but even so, I should have known better. Jeremy was already avoiding my calls after I missed his game today. This might be the final straw.
“All the more reason why I should find Jeremy now and talk to him,” I said. “Can you help me look?—"
I stopped mid-sentence when I saw Mia’s eyes widen, and she grabbed my wrist once again. “Darling Devil coming this way.”
I went to look over my shoulder, but Mia dragged me toward the stairs. “Quick, get up there,” she ordered.
“But, Mia?—”
“Go!” She lifted the little rope that was barricading the staircase and practically pushed me under. “You can’t be seen with him.”
This all felt a little ridiculous, but judging by the reactions of everyone at the party when the Darling brothers arrived, Mia was probably right. I didn’t want Jeremy to see me talking to Reed.
“Okay, okay,” I said as I ducked under the rope and hurried up the stairs. “Thanks, Mia,” I called over my shoulder, but she’d already disappeared into the crowd.
I wasn’t sure how long I needed to wait up here before I went back down again. Perhaps just a couple of minutes until Reed had moved off to another part of the house. As I reached the top of the stairs though, I realized I couldn’t go any farther. At least, I couldn’t if I wanted to avoid the two people furiously making out on the landing. I was either going to have to interrupt them so I could get past, hang out right by them, or head back downstairs and risk running into Reed.
None of those options were appealing. Thankfully, it was dark up here and the couple was so absorbed in one another they hadn’t noticed me hesitating at the top of the stairs. They shifted slightly as the guy pressed the girl against the wall. It freed up just enough space for me to sneak by, but my heart stopped as I moved toward them and their faces became clearer.
That was Jeremy. My Jeremy…and Heather.
My stomach plummeted, and I blinked frantically as I desperately tried to process what I was seeing. But there was no denying it—my boyfriend was passionately entangled with the girl he’d told me not to worry about. The one who was supposedly just a friend.
Every ounce of trust I had for him shattered, and my chest tightened with anger and hurt as I looked on, unable to move or speak. I couldn’t seem to look away, and I felt the image of them together branding its way into my memory.
Tears escaped my eyes and slowly spilled down my cheeks. I felt like such a fool. I’d thought Jeremy was an exception. That he was nothing like the stereotypical jocks my mom had warned me about. That he would never break my heart. Clearly, I’d made a terrible mistake, and the realization was like a sucker punch to the gut.
I didn’t know how I would react if they turned to find me there. I wasn’t prepared to confront Jeremy. So, instead, I found myself fleeing back downstairs. I couldn’t get away from this party fast enough.
As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I slammed into a hard chest. Two strong hands reached out to grasp me. “You okay there, Sunshine?”
Reed’s deep voice rolled through me, soothing me despite the panic clawing at my chest. I glanced up, and his deep-blue eyes were soft as he looked down at me. The cold aggression I’d seen in his gaze as he’d entered the party was gone. That boy had been a stranger. But this boy was the one who’d helped me with my car.
“I…” My voice trailed off as I glanced over my shoulder and up the stairs toward Jeremy. I couldn’t see him from here, and a part of me was grateful. I didn’t need the dagger lodged firmly in my chest twisting any deeper.
I shook my head. “I’m fine.”
I pushed past Reed and continued to the front door. The crowd seemed to part for me as if they could sense my desperation to get away. I didn’t stop until I was outside on the street, the freezing night air biting against my exposed skin.
I’d taken my jacket off to dance and left it somewhere inside the house, but I only felt the chill through my thin top for a moment. When I spotted Jeremy’s car parked on the side of the road, hot anger began to race through my blood instead.
With purposeful steps, I strode over to his shiny red Mustang. It was parked right across someone’s driveway. Usually, I would have shrugged it off as an accident, but tonight, I felt like my eyes were opened, and I finally saw Jeremy for who he was. He simply didn’t care. His arrogance knew no bounds. He felt just as entitled to a car space that didn’t belong to him as he did to a girl who wasn’t his girlfriend.
As I reached the car, I slammed my fists down on the hood. “Jerk!” I followed up with a swift kick to the closest wheel. “I broke my one rule for you, you entitled, inconsiderate, selfish jerk!”
It was lucky his car was a little way down the street so the partygoers who’d spilled onto the front yard couldn’t see me. Even if they could, right now I wasn’t sure I cared.
“I hate you!” I kicked the tire again. I wasn’t sure if I was angrier at Jeremy for cheating on me or myself for believing he was different. I think it was mostly myself. I shouldn’t have allowed my feelings for him to blind me from what my mom had taught me: never trust a boy who cared more about a game than he could ever care for a girl.
I hadn’t made so much as a scratch on Jeremy’s car, and I wondered if there might be a crowbar back in the house somewhere. There was nothing I would like more than to see the look on Jeremy’s face if he came out to find his baby in pieces.
“I’m beginning to think you don’t like cars…”
I spun to find Reed behind me. He was standing in the middle of the road with one eyebrow lifted and his jacket held out toward me.
“Which is really sad because I happen to love cars.”
My cheeks flashed hot, and I had no idea how to respond. I should have been wary, standing here alone with the guy who’d broken Jeremy’s nose. Instead, I was wondering if he’d consider breaking it again.
