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“So I get hungry when I drink,” I say, hoping to steer her off the topic before she becomes suspicious or figures something out.
“But you haven’t drunk anything,” she states, raising a brow in question.
“Well maybe my body’s just reacting to being at a party, it’s used to drinking and eating when there are this many people around.”What the fuck?That was honestly the stupidest excuse I could have come up with.
Stella shrugs her shoulders not further inquiring and I consider that a win. “Yes!” I shout, as I find a bottle of the most delicious apple juice known to mankind. The little apple shaped glass bottles are for one adorable, deliciously sweet, and so damn refreshing. I grab the bottle, twist off the cap, and chug it down in one drink.
Once finished I look back at Stella who eyes me questioningly, like I’m some crazy woman chugging a bottle of apple juice while standing in an open refrigerator.Oh wait.
“They’re delicious, Kai and I used to go down to the ninety-nine cent store every Friday and grab a couple. They were usually two for a dollar so we’d each get one with whatever allowance we had kept that week. It wasn’t much but it was an indulgent treat.”
Stella nods her head in understanding and the memory of what Kai and I would do brings me to question why they’re in the guys’ fridge. I search the room for him and immediately spot him in the far corner playing a game of beer pong with Casey hanging on his arm. It’s as if he feels me watching him when he looks up and his stoned eyes connect with mine. He nods, answering my unspoken question. He brought these here for me because he knows they’re my favorite.
I suddenly feel overly emotional as tears threaten to spill out of my eyes like a goddamn leaky faucet. Pull it together Jade. “Okay I’ll just grab a plate and some chips and donuts and we’ll head back to the confines of the bedroom,” I say, grabbing some paper plates, a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, Lemon Lays, and a pack of Entenmann's Glazed Buttermilk Donuts. That should hold me up for the next hour or so. I’m not sure when I went from puking every damn thing that entered my mouth to devouring the grocery store lot in a matter of seconds. The perks of pregnancy.
We head to the hallway hoping to escape back into the bedroom but we don’t make it far before we’re ambushed. “Where are you two going?” Leighton asks, clearly not interested in our response but instead using it as an in to give one of her half assed insults.
“To go talk about how much we wish we were just like you Astor,” I mock, rolling my eyes and continuing to walk away.
“With all of that food?” Leigh asks, seemingly disgusted.
“I got the munchies,” I reply, shrugging my shoulders.
“Whatever, why don’t you guys stay and play a game of beer pong. Kai and Casey are the reigning champs, honestly couple goals,” Leigh sneers, and I hear Stella scoff behind me.
“We’re not a couple,” I hear Kai mumble before Casey shuts him up with a sloppy kiss.What the fuck?One thing would be him sticking his tongue down her throat at school but in his own house, with Stella standing a mere five feet away, that’s a low blow. Besides, he must be drunk out of his fucking mind, Kai doesn’t do PDA.
“I’ll pass,” I say, “I’ve already smoked a bunch and not in the mood to puke my guts out if I get cross-faded.” Leigh rolls her eyes in resignation, obviously irritated.
Just as I think we have an out, Drake steps forward staring straight at Stella, “What about you Little Silver, you up for a game?” he asks, a teasing smirk taking over and I’m afraid I don’t know what he’s playing at. I’ve seen Drake flirt, the sexy crooked smile, his hooded eyes staring intently into yours, and the protruding veins in his arms and he crosses them over his chess. He’s got this whole “mating ritual” that is sure to get him laid. I mean he was obsessed with my sister for years, I know what it looks like, and I’m not liking this at all.
A clueless Stella nervously runs her fingers over her hair tucking it behind her ear, “I um, I’m not very good,” she says, and I almost feel bad for her.
Casey scoffs, “Ugh obviously,” and that right there is what I was expecting. Stella mentioned to me once that Casey, Leighton, and her were the best of friends, that is until Kinsley and thequeensdeemed Stella an outcast. These petty princesses in palaces are worse than the ghetto chicks back home in the slums.
However, all that has changed now that we showed up and took Stella under our wing. The guys at school are starting to notice her more and the girls, well they’re not liking that very much. A beautiful, naive, virgin is one hundred percent more appealing than an overused skank that’s been passed around like a dirty locker room towel. In addition to all of that, Stella Silver is a good person with a heart of gold, and that’s all I see.
Drake moves in closer to us, placing his arm around Stella’s waist and pulling her into him. He lowers his mouth to her ear licking his lips tauntingly. “Well you're in luck sweet Stella because I’m pretty damn amazing. They’re only still standing because I have yet to have my turn, and I’m kind of in need of a partner? What do you say Stella?”
“She said no, she doesn’t know how. Let’s try not to embarrass the poor girl,” Kai utters, clearly not wanting Stella on his best friends team. Interesting. I can clearly see what the Dragon is up to now, and I’m starting to realize how dangerous this can be. One thing is making Kai jealous, another is playing with Stella’s feelings. This is definitely going to backfire.
“Actually,” Stella answers, stepping toward Drake and placing her hand in his now extended palm, “I guess if I’m going to learn it has to be from the best,” she murmurs, using her free hand to flick her hair over her shoulder, a move I’ve never seen before. Fuck, Stella is playing with fire, and if the murderous look in Kai’s eyes is any indication, she’s going to burn this house down.
We all move closer to the table where the beer pong tournament is set up, the whole crowd coming to settle around us. Red solo cups filled with water are set up in a triangular shape in rows of four, three, two, and one, on both sides. “Pick your poison Silver,” Drake says, opening the cooler full of hard seltzer’s and bottles of tequila, gin, vodka, and whiskey. On the table to the right there are the chasers and mixers, orange juice, cranberry, and soda water.
“Um, I guess tequila and orange juice. Isn’t beer pong supposed to be played with beer?” she asks, making the crowd erupt in laughter.
“Not in this house doll face,” Kai mocks, holding the bottle of tequila he has in his hand and taking a quick drink. Casey wiggles under his arm turning to face him with her mouth wide open. Kai then does something I swear leaves me with my mouth wide open. He spits the tequila he has yet to swallow in the bitches needy mouth. With a devious chuckle, he lifts his head looking Stella straight in the eye. “The big kids drink hard liquor. Still think you can hang?”
Stella shrinks down, a wave of embarrassment hitting her as the fuckers around us laugh even louder at Kai’s sarcasm. Though the unlikely white knight comes to the rescue. Dragon brings a cup full of tequila with a splash of OJ I saw him pour, and hands it to Stella. He leans in and places a small kiss on the outer corner of her lip, “Don’t worry sweetheart, this big guy is gonna take care of you.”
The game is down to the last single cup on both sides. As expected Stella isn’t particularly good, but she’s gotten better the more she drinks which usually tends to happen. Drake’s obviously done most of the work and lucky for her he doesn’t miss a shot. The tension in the room is sky high, not a single sound coming from the audience that watches intently. It’s Stella against Casey. Casey shoots and misses making everyone watching gasp loudly. Now it’s Stella’s turn. It comes down to one last shot. She needs to make it, if she doesn’t Kai will surely make the next shot and the game will be over. She needs to win, we all need her to win.
Kai stands to the side, his gaze never once leaving Stella as she reaches for the ball. Drake moves behind her, placing his hands on her waist making her flinch at the contact. He leans into her, whispering something we can’t hear in her ear, but whatever it is makes a sultry smile appear on her face. Beside me Kai sits up straighter, the grip on his cup incredibly tight. These two are playing him well. Drake steps back giving her enough room to shoot her shot. And she does, straight down the line, the ball spinning along the rim before dunking into the cup.
They won. Stella and Drake fucking won.
The crowd erupts in hoots and hollers, everyone chanting out Stella’s name. Drake wraps his tattooed arms around her, consuming her in an all-enveloping hug. He picks her up, spinning her around before setting her back down on her feet and kissing her softly on the lips. It’s just a small peck, I don’t think anyone saw but I did, and I know for a fact Kai did too. Drake releases his hold on her waist and moves to stand at the front of the table with his arm still draped around her shoulders. Kai and Casey move to stand against the wall, both with equally furious scowls.
