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Manson Reed. He’d put it on me the morning after theHalloween party, the morning after…
I couldn’t think about it too much. I slipped it on, grabbed my keys and my bag, and flicked off the light before I left the room.
The sun had set and fireworks lit up the sky as I drove toward the location Danielle had given me. I pulled off onto a narrow dirt road that led back into some clustered trees. It wasn’t surprising to see numerous vehicles already parked there.
Some of them sat low to the ground, imported cars with huge exhaust pipes and large spoilers. Others were American classics, built sleek and loud, covered in gleaming chrome. Then there were the lifted trucks, rumbling diesels on thick tires.
If there was anything that could give Wickeston’s love of football a fierce competition, it was the love of cars. Classic American muscle was the ideal, but it looked like imports were gathering a strong following, judging by the number of them I saw. I knew next to nothing about engines, but I appreciated the aesthetics of a sleek car.
And I appreciated the speed.
Some of the trucks had been parked in a semi-circle around the massive bonfire, their tailgates open to share coolers of beer. People sat around the fire in folding chairs or milled around in groups, drinking beer, vaping, and smoking their cigarettes. Music was blasting from someone’s sound system, and my excitement rose as the sounds of laughter and conversation permeated my car.
I’d always thrived in front of a crowd. Getting people to like me — or fear me — felt like a game I couldn’t bear to lose. I already knew a few of the people who would be here, but it was likely that everyone already knewme.
That was the funny thing about being the “former popular girl.” You were less a person and more an object of fascination, like thelatest reality show on TV. People liked you in the same way they liked their favorite celebrity.
Theirideaof you was what mattered. Reputation was everything.
I parked and flipped down my mirror to do a quick face check. I probably should have put on another coat of concealer; my mom had warned me how bad my dark circles were getting.
Whatever.
The night air was crisp, rich with the scent of wood-smoke. The flames cast dancing shadows across the oak trees, smoke rising in curling tendrils toward the night sky. The pop and crackle of distant fireworks inspired some cheers from those who were able to see the explosion from the edge of the trees.
I spotted Danielle on the other side of the bonfire and headed over.
“Yeeesss, I’m so glad you made it, babe!” She got up from her folding chair to hug me, pressing an ice-cold seltzer into my hands. “Let’s get some alcohol in you. It’s time for therealparty.”
Nate was seated beside her, and he gave me a friendly nod but said nothing. He wasn’t the only one of my ex’s friends in attendance. Alex McAllister and Matthew Fink were here too.
“Welcome back to good old Wickeston, Jess,” Alex said, pulling me into one of his too-tight hugs. Alex, Matthew, and Nate had all been on the football team with Kyle, and they’d formed a unit that went almost everywhere together.
I knew them well, probablytoowell. Nate was the son of a local police officer and had gotten away with more illegal shit than anyone I knew. Matthew used to get blacked-out drunk before every game because he said it made him “play better.” And Alex? He’d been Kyle’s best friend, his right-hand man.
Then he tried to make a move on me while Kyle and I were broken up. I turned him down and never mentioned it again, butto judge by hisveryfriendly hug, his interest hadn’t dwindled.
Ashley used to call him “skeevy,” and that was the first word that came to mind as his arms finally loosened from around me.
“City life wasn’t doing it for you?” he said.
“Trust me, I’d rather still be in the city,” I said. “Would I rather still be paying city prices? Hell no.”
I couldn’t afford a Nashville apartment, food, and bills off an intern’s measly wages; that much was certain. New York felt even further out of reach, but with the right salary, I could make it happen. I just needed to convince my boss I was worth it.
“Sounds like you need a side hustle,” he said, reaching into a nearby cooler for another cold can. “I’ve heard OnlyFans is hiring. I’ll be your first subscriber.”
His gaze slid over me pointedly, and I rolled my eyes. “Oh, ha ha, very funny. Keep dreaming.”
He shrugged, but the way he was looking at me was hardly casual. Alex was hot, no doubt about it. He was exactly the type I usually went for: broad-shouldered with a handsome face, cocky with a massive ego. But I was getting tired of dating the same damn type and getting the same damn results.
Besides, he was my ex’s best friend. The idea of dating him felt slimy.
Danielle and I had plenty to chat about and she swiftly launched into relaying every bit of gossip she knew about our former classmates. Who was married, who was pregnant, and who had ended up in prison. Alex was restless though, and kept glancing up every time another car pulled in.
“Waiting for someone?” Matthew said, crushing his empty can under his shoe.
“He’s probably staring at hisbabyagain,” Danielle teased, rolling her eyes before she explained to me, “Alex did some fancy new thing to his car and now he can’t stop talking about it.”
