Page 70 of Under the Influence

“Yeah, Dray had some kind of family meeting but said he’d stop by after, if everything went well. I’m sure it has to do with everything that happened last week.”

She glances down at her arm, remembering. Or trying to forget, I’m not entirely sure.

“You gonna wear that outfit on your date?” I question, raising my eyebrow.

“It’s not a date.” she snaps. “He said it’s not a date.”

“French Fries are still potatoes,” I laugh. “Here, let’s shop my closet.”

She rolls her eyes and slips her ripped jeans off. I toss her a red long-sleeved bodysuit and a black leather skirt. “Maybe it will be harder for him to destroy you when you look hot as hell.”

She giggles, putting the clothes on, “I’m gonna wear this, and he’s going to have me crawling through a cemetery.”

I raise my brow, “Your first thought was that he’d take you to a graveyard?”

She rolls her eyes, “Well, it definitely wasn’t some romantic picnic.”

She’s right. Nash hasn’t ever put in any kind of effort before. He will probably load her up in his Jeep and take her to a drive-thru. I check my snap, hoping for an update from Dray. I can’t believe I’m already totally obsessed with him. I’ve known him for five whole minutes, and I can’t stand being away from him.

“Am I crazy for already being stupid over Drayton?” I ask.

“Um…” she snickers. “Have you seen him? He’s totally hot, and half of the teenage female population is falling at his feet.”

“You’re right. You’re totally right,” I agree, reading Drayton’s message that just came through.“Uh, I think something is wrong.”.

“Something is definitely wrong,” Cori agrees. “It’s been an hour since Nash said he was taking a shower. I think he’s standing me up for our not-date.”

I pass Cori my phone. The Snapchat picture still pulled up, “Was Drayton at Nash’s house?”

“I… I don’t know. Something is going on, though,” I snap him back a picture of us, asking if he needs a pretend emergency to bail him out of the family meeting. Not sure what I could make up, but I’d definitely send out a 911 call to save him.

Cori and I wait for another thirty minutes with nothing but silence from both guys. By now, she’s had time to put on a full face of makeup at my vanity and talk to her mom on the phone, and I’ve done absolutely nothing but sit here and wonder if Drayton is ever going to show up.

“I think I’m gonna head home.” she says “It’s pretty obvious Nash isn’t coming.”

I nod, watching her start to pull out her phone, right as mine rings. Drayton’s voice is rushed through the speaker, and I rush out to his Jeep to see what the hell is going on. Cori is on my heels, but Drayton is halfway to my front door when I close it behind me.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, rushing to him. The obvious hurt in his eyes, blood dried around his busted lip. “What the hell happened Dray?”

He wraps me into a hug while Cori hangs back a little, nothing but a bundle of nerves and worry.

“It’s bad, Lainey. Things are about to get really, really bad.”

“Who did this to you?” I ask, rubbing the pad of my thumb gently over the cut on his lip.

“My new roommate,” he sneers, frantically rubbing his hands back through his floppy light brown hair.

“Roommate?”

“Lainey, I’m moving to Legacy.”

Cori rushes up, “Moving? Like in with Nash?”

Drayton nods, “Nathan is sending his mom to a rehab program. She agreed to go, and we’re moving into that house because Nash can’t live there alone. I can’t… I can’t live with him. I hate him!” He rushes out, making his way back to his Jeep.

“Dray, wait!” I yell, grabbing the Jeep door before he goes to close it. “Just let me go with you. Let’s go talk.”

I look back at Cori. I don’t want to leave her, but I also need to go with Drayton right now. I have to be with him.