AllFreeNovel
Share Us
TJ said the point is to confess something on other people’s shirts, for example, a crush or something you lied about. They know damn well that most people are going to be passed-out drunk by the time midnight rolls around, and odds are, they won’t remember who wrote what. I say that’s the perfect recipe for disaster, but hey, what is college for if not awkward moments and killer hangovers?
“I need to put these in the fridge. You coming?” Lacey gestures to the pack of canned cocktails in her hand, and I nod before turning to tell Aveena. Only, she’s busy sucking face with Xavier, and I decide not to bother them, shadowing Lacey to the kitchen.
I’m glad she was able to come tonight. She just recently started attending parties again. She wasn’t comfortable with leaving her eleven-year-old stepbrother alone in the beginning, but he turned twelve a few months ago, and Lacey’s slowly reverting back into a semi-normal college student.
I scan the room for a moment. I haven’t seen Chance anywhere, which is weird considering that he lives here. Lacey’s just shoved her booze inside the fridge when a deep voice calls on us.
“Ladies, running a little late, are we?”
I spin to see Theo closing in on us with Everest Cahill, another one of his roommates. The last time I saw this guy, he was asking me to watch his dog for the weekend, and like an idiot, I thought he was asking me out. Showed up at his house, only to find out Everest had offered me a job, not his heart. The strange thing is, that weekend with his dog showed me just how much I love dog sitting.
Thank you, Everest.
Wait, if it weren’t for that horrifying misunderstanding, I wouldn’t have become a dog sitter, therefore, I wouldn’t have been hired by Finn’s father the summer before senior year, and I never would’ve dated Finn. I guess that means I also wouldn’t have had my heart pulverized into a million pieces.
I take it back.
Fuck you, Everest.
“Yeah, sorry. Had a hard time getting this one out of the Uber.” Lacey grins, nudging me with her elbow.
Everest flashes a small smile. “Not in the mood to party?”
“Something like that.” I spare him the details.
“Hey, do you happen to know where Xavier is?” Theo shows us the highlighter in his hand, his scheming smile doing little to hide his intentions.
I scoff. “Why? So, you can draw dicks all over him?”
“I was going to write ‘hooker’with little hearts, but that works, too,” he deadpans, and I smile at his shameless personality.
“They’re in the living room.” Lacey beckons him to follow her. We enter the room a minute later, and I slow down at the sight of the newest addition to the group.
Finn is standing next to Xavier with his hands in his pockets, wearing a white T-shirt that molds his toned body to a T and shabby black jeans that are ripped at the knees—someone needs to buy this boy new clothes. He scans his surroundings for a moment, and I get the sense that he’s looking for someone.
Please don’t let it be me.
You’d think he heard my thoughts by how fast he finds me in the crowd.
Our eyes lock.
I look away, struggling to pay attention to the conversation as Theo and Xavier bro-hug. Before I know what’s happening, Theo’s passing highlighters around the circle, and we begin signing each other’s shirts. It isn’t long before everyone’s signed my long-sleeve shirt—well, everyone but Finn—and call me foolish, but I almost think I’m going to get away with it.
Until Finn parks himself in front of me, that is.
“May I?” he asks, a highlighter trapped in his fist.
The rest of the group takes notice, staring at me. I feel stuck. I know if I say no, I’m basically telling them that it’s always going to be weird between us. It’s almost like I have no choice but to be civil with him.
“S-Sure.” The word gets caught in my throat.
Unsure, I extend my arm toward him since it’s one of the only spots without a drawing. Finn doesn’t miss a beat, writing something on my forearm, and instead of trying to read the transparent message on my sleeve, I catch myself staring at the black bracelet around his wrist. Okay, fine, I also stare at the bulging vein snaking up his arm.
A year later, he’s still wearing my bracelet.
I assumed he would’ve thrown it away like garbage.
After all, that’s what he did to me.
