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Half the people had already left, but there was still a good amount partying. And I’d been too paranoid earlier because nothing mean or bad happened. It’d been truly a party with people drinking, laughing, talking, and flirting. No humiliation scene had happened.
I said as much to Kira, then added, “I’m sorry for thinking that.”
Her eyes grew thoughtful. “Alex wouldn’t say why you left your last school or really anything. I’m guessing something happened back there?”
I nodded, my neck stiffening. “Yeah. Something.”
“You don’t need to worry about me.”
I was beginning to believe her. “How long have you known my cousins?”
She glanced over her shoulder, and I knew where she was looking. She’d been looking there all night long. It’s where Scout was sitting, talking with Cohen and a girl, who was obviously into Scout. Kira had been over there half the night too, but both guys were ignoring her and I wouldn’t stick around if that was my treatment either. “Can we talk about Scout instead?”
I was back to being tense. Guarded. “Sure. Though, I don’t know the kid so I can’t say much.”
Her eyes locked on mine, studying me. “He vouched for you in the cafeteria. That’s big for Scout. He only vouches for Cohen, Cohen’s sister, and Alex. That’s it.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what to tell you. He’s not my friend.”
Her eyes narrowed. She sat back, and it was as if she released whatever she’d been looking for. She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t get him. He moved here last year, and I had such a massive crush on him, but it’s like I’m nothing to him. I usually get what I want, you know?” She grimaced. “That made me sound cocky. I’m not like that, but I just don’t understand. Cohen wants me or he did until something I said tonight pissed him off, now he wants nothing to do with me.”
“Are you after Cohen or Scout?”
“Scout is first preference, but he’s become unattainable. He doesn’t mess with any girls in school. It’s girls in his fighting world. I know a few of them from Pine Valley who he’s hooked up with. There’s one that’s more regular than the others, and she’s a massive bitch. No one in our school. But, yes, Cohen too. I mean, Cohen’s hot. I thought he was coming here for me tonight. Now look at him, he’s all over that girl.”
I looked without wanting to, but I still felt pulled because I felt the prickling on the back of my neck. I was right. Scout was watching me, and he wasn’t hiding it. And while he was watching us, the girl who was almost sitting on Cohen’s lap was watching him. The wistfulness was there. I saw it in her eyes before she masked it, smiling at something Cohen said to her.
“She’s so stupid. Cohen just wants in her pants, and because of that look she just gave his best friend, he’ll fuck her and then dump her.” Kira huffed, turning around and settling back into the couch. She rolled her eyes. “Guys are all the same. Just wanting sex.”
I frowned, hearing her bitterness seep out.
My phone started buzzing, and I stood, saying, “It’s probably my mom.”
Kira nodded, pouting and not giving me another look as I left.
I headed down the hallway, pulling the phone out.
I was right. It was a number from her nursing home.
I answered it right as I got to the back bedroom. People had been going upstairs or downstairs to hook up, so I was certain it was empty.
My hand found the doorknob when I realized it wasn’t a call. The screen switched and I saw a picture of my dad there.
He was on the ground. His face swollen. Blood all over him. His eyes were so beaten that I could barely see them, and his skin was an unhealthy pallor.
Pain sliced through me. The room began to swim around me, and I tried to grab hold of the doorknob, but then I didn’t care because it was my dad. I was seeing my dad. I was seeing him—I was choking.
I was going down.
My knees shook. I saw flashing lights. It had happened enough to me over the last year. I knew the precursors, and this time, I couldn’t stop it.
Then firm arms came around me and carried me down a hallway.
“What?”
“Relax. Not going to do shit to you.”
That was Scout. Scout was carrying me.
A door opened. Someone else was there.
“Cohen, cover us,” I heard Scout tell Cohen.
“Got it.”
A door was being opened, then shut. Then water was on.
“Wha—”
He didn’t answer, plucking my phone out of my hands. He ran his hands down my pants.
“What are you doing?”
I got that question out right before he straightened and placed a hand on my chest. He pushed me back, right under the shower spray. It was freezing cold, and I gasped, surging toward him. “What are you doing?”
