“Well, I’m glad someone managed to enjoy this.” I pointedly set down my drink. “Tastes like nail polish remover.”
Piper laughed and placed a delicate hand on my arm. My skin warmed at her touch, the hairs rising in response to her.
I opened my mouth to ask more about her but froze. Right behind her, coming down the stairs was Grey. He looked great,wearing a white button-down shirt, tight black jeans, and brown shoes. His hair was messy perfection, as if he’d spent hours ensuring it looked like he’d put zero effort into it. Or maybe I just assumed anyone who had the nerve to look that good with messy hair had to put effort into it because it made me feel better. I’d never been the poster child for effortlessly cool. And that was exactly what good-looking messy-haired people were.
After looking at his pictures and reading about him all day, I was unprepared to see him in person. Dread pooled in my stomach, and my limbs felt weak. I was seconds from being spotted. His eyes latched onto mine like magnets, the deep brown of them pulling me in, even from across the room. A cocky smirk flitted across his face, and he headed in my direction.
A small gasp escaped my lips.
“What’s wrong?” Piper asked.
I tried to come up with an answer, but my brain had been reduced to radio static—no coherent thoughts, only the awareness that every step Grey took was closer to me.
Then he was standing in front of me. “How’s it going, Ethan?”
I gaped at him.He remembered my name? Why can’t I think straight?Ihadbeen drinking, but it didn’t usually make my head so cloudy.
Grey stepped closer to me, leaning in to whisper in my ear over the blasting music. He smelled of sweat and mint and orange and vanilla. When he spoke, chills rolled down my spine.
“You shouldn’t stare at me like that. People might getideasabout your intentions.”
Before I could come up with a response, he kept moving through the room, weaving between the dancing strangers.
“Oh my God,” Piper said. “Do you know Grey? What did he say to you?”
Her questions fell on deaf ears because, despite Grey’s words, my eyes were locked onto him as he crossed the room. I could still feel his breath on my ear, the tingling left behind by his words. He was about to leave the party, and here I was, stuck in place, wanting nothing more than to run after him.
Grey paused in the doorway and looked back, locking eyes with me. Of course he knew I would be looking as he left.How could I not?
Then the corner of Grey’s mouth lifted into a satisfied smile.
My heart did a somersault in my chest.
Chapter 3
You’re Everywhere
“Why are there so many damn Dreamscape posters on campus?” I asked bitterly, glaring at the most recently spotted one in the food court. It had been a week since the party, a week since I’d seen Grey and that stupid smile that had confused me. I hadn’t been sure what it’d made me want to do in the moment, but with some introspection, I’d settled on wanting to smack it from his face.
“I hadn’t noticed.” Kellan bit into a burger and chewed thoughtfully, ketchup staining his face.
“Well, there’s a lot.” I jabbed my chili fries with a fork. I’d barely touched them. Something had made me lose my appetite. “How many trees do you think they’re single-handedly responsible for killing?”
“Hmm.” Josh looked up from his anatomy book for a second. “Let’s say there’s five thousand around campus and each one is about six square feet and each square foot takes about—”
“I’m sorry I asked,” I groaned. A notification went off on my phone.
Greyson Hyun has posted for the first time in a while,Instagram told me. I’d followed him a couple of days ago in amoment of weakness and had since forgotten about it. Now, he was there yet again, taunting me with his existence.
I chewed on my lip, debating whether or not to click on it. Glancing up at Josh and Kellan, I decided to save the post for later.
“I’ve got to get going.” Josh got to his feet. “I’ve got lab in a few.”
“Gross.”
Kellan and I scrunched our faces.
“Won’t be gross when I’m making bank after school,” Josh said, hinting at an old, playful argument between us three. Of us, he was the only one who had any idea as to what he would do after graduation.
