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“Ella…”
“It’s fine. I just wanted to know where we stand. I get it. We’re friends.” The words don’t even sound convincing to me. How could I understand? He’s confusing as hell. He comes to me when he’s hurt, he kisses me, cuddles me in my bed, calls me his girl. But as soon as I step in that direction, he balks. Before he can say anything else, I cut in front of him and climb down the slope alongside the bridge.
The party comes into full view at the bottom. A keg sits in a tub of ice, and people are gathered in groups along the bank to the left and right of the bridge. Poke Creek isn’t quite large enough to be considered a river, but it’s not tiny. It’s around ten feet deep in the center and can move fast sometimes. It empties into a reservoir a few miles downstream.
During the daylight, it’s common to see swimmers jump off the bridge. I’ve done it myself. At night, it isn’t smart since you can’t see debris that might be rushing toward you, especially when the current is strong. There’s an area farther down, past the bend, that’s used as a swimming hole.
I’m happy to see some familiar faces. I’m not going to let Alden’s hot and cold behavior keep me from having a good time now that I’m here. Kira calls out my name and waves for me to join her and the two girls with her. Holly and Breanna.
We aren’t close but often eat lunch together at school, and Breanna was my lab partner in Biology last year. Without glancing back to see where Alden goes, I make a beeline for them.
“Hey!” Kira exclaims. “I didn’t know you were coming. Is Garrett with you?”
Kira has had a thing for my brother since we were freshmen, and he was a senior.
“No, he’s not here.”
Breanna grins at me. “He’s home from college, isn’t he?”
“For the summer, yeah.”
We talk and hang out for a few minutes while I do my level best not to look around for Alden. Maybe I’m being petty but the hurt is in control right now.
“You’ve been here way too long without a beer,” a voice says from behind me. I turn to see Leo holding out a cup of beer. “Might want to swipe off some of the foam,” he advises. Leo is my age and new to town. He only started at our school about six weeks before summer break. He’s cute, with curly hair and dimples.
“Thank you, but I’ll get one later.” My answer is interrupted when Alden steps in between us.
“I’ve got her, Leo, but good looking out.” Alden barely spares him a glance while he holds out a beer to me.
All eyes are on us. Damn it. He’s staring at me like he’s prepared to make a scene and for a split second I consider taking the drink from Leo. Just to show him he can’t tell me what to do. But that’s stupid. Even Garrett warned me.
“Thanks.” The word doesn’t exactly sound sincere, but I accept the cup.
Leo doesn’t take it personally. They start talking about the fight and who might be competing next time while Kira pulls me away. Breanna and Holly follow and once we’re out of earshot, Kira exclaims, “You’re here with Alden?”
“We walked over together.”
My noncommittal answer isn’t going to appease them. “Are you here with him, though? A date?” Holly asks. She keeps her tone light, but I can hear the plea in it for the answer to be no. Kira might have a thing for Garrett, but Holly is all about Alden. Who has never given her a second look as far as I know.
“No, just friends. He’s my neighbor.” I drain the cup of beer. “Come with me to grab another?”
“Sure.”
Two beers later, I’m feeling much better. Not drunk, but on that perfect edge of buzzed where you haven’t lost control, but you don’t care about much of anything. Because fuck Alden Stokes and his bullshit.
Look at all these guys. Plenty of them have hit on me tonight. So what if I’ve seen girls drool over Alden all night. He isn’t the only one with options.
Proof of that point is walking over to me now.
“Hey. Kira, Breanna, Kyle, and Bobby are headed down to the bend to get high. Do you smoke?” Leo asks.
Tonight? Why, yes the fuck I do. “Sure.” His smile grows even larger when I take his hand. “Let’s go.”
It isn’t far. We’re in shouting distance of the others, but far enough away to dull the noise. Kira sits in Kyle’s lap, and Bobby has his arm around Breanna. We sit beside them on the grassy bank.
Leo lights a joint, hits it and hands it to me. He grins at me when I cough on my first hit but my second is better. Once the joint is gone, Alden shows up with a guy I don’t recognize and they sit farther back behind us. The glow of a lighter makes it clear they came for the same reason.
Kira looks back and laughs. She was pretty lit before the joint. “Hey! Quit spying! It’s creepy!” she calls.
