AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Were you at Rogues last night?”
My eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Were. You. At. Rogues?”
“What are you? My dad?” I sounded like a petulant child, but who did he think he was? I was eighteen—technically older than he was—and he was treatingmelike a kid.
“Becca,” he growled, leaning in close. I pressed back against my chair, suddenly aware of how close he was. “Answer the question.”
“Why? You already know the answer!”
The bell rang, and people started moving around us, but we remained, eyes locked on the other. It was the strange push and pull again sparking between us. When he realized I wasn’t going to admit anything, he curled a fist and pressed it down on the desk.
“Stay away from Rogues.” He pushed out of his seat and stormed out of the room.
* * *
“I didn’t seeyou in school today?” I asked Scarlett as she drove us to Jay’s house.
“Had some stuff to take care of.”
“Oh.”
“You were with the guys at lunch?”
“Yeah, Lilly invited me.”
“Good, that’s good.” She seemed preoccupied, keeping her eyes on the road and answering all of my questions with one or two word answers. “This is it.”
Scarlett climbed out and left me sitting there. My stomach was hollow, wondering what had changed since last night. She had seemed fine when she’d given me a ride home.
A rap on the window startled me, catapulting my heart into my throat.
“Coming?” Scarlett looked bored. It wasn’t as if I had a choice since she was my ride home. I climbed out and followed her up to a dilapidated house. We cut across the overgrown lawn and went around the side to the garage. The door was half-up, laughter drifting out.
“Open up,” Scarlett said.
The door lifted farther, enough for us to slip underneath it. Jay swept his arm around the place. “Welcome to my place.” He flashed me a grin, and Lilly stifled a giggle from her seat on a threadbare couch.
“It’s, uh, nice,” I squeaked, and everyone burst into laughter. Even Scarlett smirked, easing some of the tension swirling inside me.
Slinging his arm over my shoulder, Jay guided me to the couch. “Take a seat, get comfy, drinks shall be served.”
“Hey, is everything okay?” Lilly whispered, and I gave her a tight-lipped nod. “I’m glad you came.”
I liked Lilly a lot. She had a soft quality about her that drew you in and made you feel like old friends. And I really needed that right now. Especially since being caught between Evan and Kendall and now Scarlett’s mood swings was like fighting against a riptide trying to drag you under.
Jay disappeared behind a counter that looked like it’d been ripped out of a kitchen and plonked in the corner of the garage.
“Is that a co—”
Lilly snickered. “Don’t ask. His dad remodeled the downstairs in their house, and Jay decided to put some of the old stuff to good use.”
“Damn right, I did.” He called from over his ‘bar.’ “Quit bitchin’ and start drinking.”
She threw her boyfriend a look that said ‘happy now’ as she sipped the cup in her hand.
“What is that?”
