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In the middle of the volcanic chaos stands a figure—tall, muscular, and furious.
My hand shakes as I run it over my face.
Fuck.
What the hell is happening to me?
And how can I stop this?
8
BRANDON
Aweek later, I go out to the local pub with my friends.
Only so I don’t get too stuck in my head and…do something I’ll regret.
Chatter echoes around us as drinks are exchanged. We’re seated at a big table in the middle, surrounded by smaller ones.
A few older locals sit at the bar, discussing their crops as they down their daily pints.
The small party is in full bloom with Remi being a clown as always. He’s bouncing back and forth with a drink in hand as he verbally spars with our two childhood friends, Ava, who’s about Glyn’s age, and Cecily, who’s a year older.
My cousin Creigh is also here, but he seems more preoccupied with his phone. Annika, the girls' new roommate and Jeremy’s younger sister, tries to strike up a conversation with him, but he doesn’t dignify her with a response.
He’s listening, though, because he looks up whenever she stops talking.
I’m still a bit peeved about Annika recently being added to the group. She’s nice, but the fact remains that she represents the Heathens, and there’s often security detail outside every place we go.
I’d really prefer it if the Heathens were no longer shoved down my throat.
One small problem, though. I’ve sort of become close with Mia Sokolov. Or she could be just using me to get closer to Lan like all girls aside from Clara do.
I like her company and she games like a boss, so I guess we’ll keep seeing each other for as long as she wants. At my place. There’s no way in hell I’m stepping foot in the Heathens' mansion again.
Not after the last time I was there.
Don’t think about it.
Stop thinking about it.
It’s easy to focus on the people around me, but it’s still a struggle to be completely present. So I throw down my third drink, mirroring Glyn, who’s sitting opposite me and who’s also hell-bent on drinking herself into a coma.
She just suggested playingnever have I everin a very slurry voice. Maybe I should call it a night and take her back to the flat she shares with the girls.
Only, I really need to drink as well. A few more and then we’ll leave.
Remi holds an imaginary mic. “I’ll go first.”
Cecily flips her silver hair back and points an accusatory finger at him. “You always go first.”
“That’s right.” Ava puffs out her chest. “Glyn wanted this, so let her play first.”
“Play what?”
I nearly spit out my mouthful of alcohol. It’s not because of Killian, my sister’s boyfriend, who just said that last sentence.
Not even close.
