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Confusion. Fear. Anger. Regret.
Wherever she was, whatever she was doing, she’s not proud of herself.
My eyes flick to Max, who’s watching us intently. He quickly averts his gaze, turning and walking away without a word. The churning in my gut tells me he knows where she was. He may have even been who she was with.
I open my mouth to ask Piper, but she just shakes her head and walks away.
Avoids me the rest of the party but doesn’t disappear again.
Then she texts me.
PIPER: Heading back to the dorms. See you later.
ME: You’re leaving?
PIPER: Already gone. Filling up with gas.
ME: You didn’t even say good-bye.
PIPER: Why do you think I’m texting you? I didn’t see you before I left.
ME: How is that possible? I just saw you ten minutes ago. I watched you walk in the house with Lo.
PIPER: Are you coming back to the dorm tonight or staying with Micah?
Subject change. Could she be any more obvious? It’s like she’s not even trying to be smooth about it.
ME: The dorms. Why?
PIPER: Just wondering if I should expect you or not.
ME: I’ll be there later, so be ready to talk. No more of this deflecting bullshit you’re pulling right now.
I wait. And wait. When she doesn’t reply after five minutes, I send another text.
ME: Piper, you know I love you. Whatever is going on, you can talk to me. It doesn’t have to be tonight if you’re not ready but please don’t shut me out.
An hour later, she replies.
PIPER: Love you, too.
“Everything okay?” Micah asks, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me tight against his body.
“Fine. Piper’s just acting strange, and she left without saying good-bye.”
“Maybe she wasn’t feeling well.”
My eyes search the crowd in front of us. Finn and Lo are cuddled on a lounge chair by the pool. He’s whispering something in her ear that’s making her smile and her cheeks heat. Evie is on the lounger next to them, watching their interaction and shaking her head in disgust.
Kendall and Declan are in the pool. K is floating on an inflatable raft and Declan is hanging on the edge. She’s laughing as he splashes her with water. She tries to push him away, but he grabs her forearms and pulls her in the water. I expect her to break the surface screaming at him, but instead she jumps in his arms and pushes him under water, giggling the entire time.
Max and Julian are sitting on the edge of the pool, deep in conversation, oblivious to everything going on around them. Well, everyone except Max who keeps glancing in my direction as he speaks.
“Max knows something,” I state, maintaining eye contact with Max as I speak.
I feel Micah shift his head, following my line of sight. Max averts his eyes, focusing his attention on the water his feet are dangling in.
“Max knows everything about everyone. Somehow.”
