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“Marshall?”
Everyone bursts into laughter, and Madison goes around introducing everyone again, but if she thinks I’ll remember any of them? Yahhhh, okay. I don’t know what it is, but if I had to remember people’s names to save my life, I’d be dead. One hundred percent.
“You got all that?” Chloe asks with an amused look on her face.
“Ha! Of course I do!” I say with all the fake confidence I can muster.
“Good. Quick, pop quiz. What’s his name?” Madison points at one of the guys in the group, the one I noticed earlier.The sexy nerdy boy.
I try to remember, but my mind spins, and I come up blank. “Let’s go dance! Don’t you guys love this song? I do.” Threading my arm through Everleigh’s, I wiggle my butt and nod my head toward the group of people dancing.
“Someone is avoiding the subject.” Chloe grins. “It’s Holden, by the way.”
“Hell, I’m lucky I remember Everleigh’s name, and she’s my damn roommate.” My words slur, and a cackle escapes my throat. “Eight shots later and there’s a pop quiz? Fuck, I’ll just take the F now,” I declare with a huge shit-eating grin on my face. “Now, can we please dance?” I beg, sticking out my lower lip like a child.
“Okay, we’ll lay off you. Just don’t forget our names,” Madison says as she takes Chloe’s arm, and the four of us walk toward the group of people dancing.
We join up with more girls from the dorm, including one I recognize from across the hall. Everleigh reminds me that her name is Maia, and I try to store it in my head. Soon we’re all dancing and giggling in a large group, more boys and girls weaving their way in and out.
With the alcohol coursing through me, my body moves to the beat of the music, and I get lost in the waves of bodies dancing beside me, arms swaying and heads bobbing. I don’t realize at first when a pair of hands land on my waist and move with my hips to the beat. But when the fingers grip a little harder, I’m suddenly aware of everything.
I quickly spin around, needing to see who this person is, who just put their hands on me without permission, and hope it’s a cute boy. But first, I need to gain control back.
As soon as my eyes adjust and my brain processes the face mere inches from mine, I stumble back, a small yelp escaping my throat. I almost lose my footing in the sand, but there are too many bodies to bounce off.
“Len? Are you okay?”
I faintly hear Everleigh’s voice, but I need to get the fuck away from here and quick. My heart pounds in my ears, and panic grips my stomach. Instantly, I feel less drunk, more aware, and fuck, I can’t breathe.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just need to get some air.” I push through the crowd, focusing on getting as far away as I can from that group of people.
“Want me to go with you?” Everleigh shouts from behind me.
I turn around and give her a hug so she thinks I’m okay. “No, I won’t be long. You enjoy yourself, party girl.”
Everleigh laughs, and the sound makes me feel slightly better. “Okay. Come get me if you need me, though. And don’t leave without telling me.”
“Aw, you’re such a mom.”
Everleigh makes a disgusted face. “Ew, I so am not.”
“Love you.” I blow her a kiss.
As I turn to walk away, I catch his evil face, the gross expression he carries around like he’s some sort of gift from God to women.
I’m going to be sick.
I walk downthe beach until the party is far behind me. Until there’s only sand and sea and no people. I constantly look over my shoulder and check that no one is following me. All of my memories come flooding back, reminding me of the hell that was high school. The years of torment and pain. Of keeping my mouth shut for fear of the repercussions he threatened me with.
He wouldn’t dare do anything in public. There might not be many people around here, but there’s still enough. If I screamed loud enough, I’d be heard. And believe me, I’d scream until my throat bled if that’s what it takes to keep that asshole away from me. Then precious golden boy might lose his perfect reputation, and I know he won’t risk that. His perfect stupid useless rich life will go up in flames. Boo-fucking-hoo.
It won’t happen, and I’m not wasting any more energy trying to will it into existence. Karma will come around eventually.
Boardwalk lights shine down on the shore, and I find a spot between two that’s cast in darkness. I plop down in the sand and stare out at the dark water. The vast Pacific Ocean stretches for miles and I let the tears I’ve been holding in spill down my cheeks and drip onto my shirt. I don’t even feel drunk anymore, and that sucks.
Seeing him was a total downer and ruined my whole fucking night. Why is he around here anyway? He was supposed to be going to school in Washington State. If I find out he’s going to Sierra Cove, I’ll leave. I can’t be at the same school with him.
Did he find out I was going here and decided to follow? How will he survive without his douche posse trailing his every move?
