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Then he came to stand in front of me.
“What has gotten into you tonight, gorgeous?”
I quirked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Meredith giggled. “Yeah. What do you mean?”
He glared at her before his eyes came back to mine.
“This isn’t like you. Getting drunk. Getting high. Are you crazy? What if you get caught?”
I shrugged. “It’s part of the college experience. Everyone does it.”
He blinked. “Seriously?”
I snickered. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you know better than I do. Really, Clint?”
His face softened. “That’s not what I was--”
“Yes, it is!”
I leapt off the porch swing and everyone turned their attention to us.
“I don’t need you protecting me, Clint. I can look after myself. I did before you came into my life, and I will after you’re gone. That’s what this is all about. Me standing on my own two feet and carving out a life I want for myself. Not the life you want for me. This is about me taking care of me. Not about me being dragged around like a damn child by my fucking boyfriend.”
His eyebrows rose. “Dragged?”
I snickered. “Yeah, Clint. Dragged. Look around you.”
I gestured at the party as I slowly circled around.
“Look at it. All of it. I’ve been so fucking afraid to leave high school behind. But look at all this. Do you think these people brought their high school with them? Their friends and their boyfriends? No, they didn’t. They came alone, like I didn’t have the balls to.”
“What are you saying, Rae?”
“All right, I think it’s time to go home. What do you say?” Michael asked.
I felt his hand come down against my arm, but I ripped away from him.
“You might be Allison’s boyfriend, but you’re not mine. You won’t touch me that way.”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, but you’re my best friend, Rae. And you’re drunk. High, too. It’s time to get out of here.”
Allison peeked around the corner. “I’m ready to go whenever you guys are.”
I pointed at her. “Did they put you up to this? Did Michael threaten you or something?”
Michael scoffed. “Threaten her? Do you even hear yourself?”
Clint sighed. “This is what happens. Alcohol and weed create paranoia.”
I stepped back. “I’m not paranoid!”
Meredith piped up. “She’s just trying to have a good time and you guys are trying to control her.”
