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“That’s not important,” he says, reopening my door and pushing clothes around. “Do you own anything of color? What’s with all the black?” He pulls out a black dress that I have not worn in years. “Put this on.”
I just stare at Ryan. Who the hell does he think he is ordering me around? Seriously, he has some nerve. I didn’t ask for him to come over. I didn’t ask him to tell me what I can and can not wear. If he thinks he can just walk into my room and order me around, he has another thing coming.
Before I can snatch the dress out of his hands, he throws it on the bed, “Now, am I going to have to undress you myself, or are you going to be nice and put it on?”
My mouth falls open at the abruptness of his words and the sheer audacity of this man. “Abbs, it's just a party, and it’s just a dress. If you don’t have a good time, I will never ask you to go to another party again, but you need to get out of this room and this house.”
I narrow my eyes at him.
As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I have been so used to living in my room, away from the world, that I no longer know how to function as a normal person. Ugh, I hate that he’s right, and I hate that he is looking at me like he knows it. He gives a slight smile and then looks me up and down.
“I can dress myself,” I say caustically.
Ryan laughs, throws his hands up in the air as if surrendering, and starts slowly back out my bedroom door. “Let me know if you need any assistance.” He winks.
“I think I can manage.” I slam the door in his face.
We pull up into a driveway that looks like it leads into the middle of nowhere. Trees surround both sides of the pebbled road. “Where exactly are you taking me?” I ask as I look ahead at the pitch-black darkness.
“You’ll see, be patient.” He leans over in his seat connected to mine and grabs my hand. A shock of electricity surges through my body at the gesture of his skin on mine, and I can’t help the overwhelming feeling of being at home, which I have not felt in a long time, even when I lock myself in my bedroom.
I quickly take back my hand and shake the feeling off as if it never happened. Lights become visible in the distance, and before long, we are pulling up to what appears to be Cinderella’s castle. My mouth drops to the floor, and my eyes go wide. “Whose house is this?” I ask. He shakes his head and smiles with a loose grin.
The two flights of wide stairs leading up to the mahogany double-door entrance are surrounded by trimmed bushes and white columns that connect to the entryway.
The mansion has to have at least eight bedrooms, by the look of it. I bet they have a personal chef and waiting staff in a place like this.
We enter the double doors, and my eyes go wild. There’s marble everywhere, an entry table with a grand staircase winding up the sides, a pond area with a waterfall under the left staircase, and what looks like an entire library under the right. Scratch that thought earlier; there has to be at least twelve bedrooms.
I follow Ryan through the inside crowd, and to my surprise, it's as if our entire school is here. We make our way out back, and no shock this time, as I think my shock factor died out with the pond inside the house, but tiki torches and lights hang from the trees, and a full-blown DJ is in the far corner of the yard. An in-ground pool with a shallow and deep end, with a diving board and two hot tubs, finishes the rich aesthetic.
“You made it!” Colin yells as he swings his arms over mine and Ryan's shoulders. “Let me get you a drink.” He pulls me in close.
“No thanks, I don’t drink,” I calmly state. I can’t afford to be reckless and let my guard down. Not again. Not ever.
“Just a beer for me, man, that is if you were offering for me too,” Ryan jokes.
“Be right back, beautiful.” Colin kisses me on the cheek and jogs away toward a refreshment table packed full of drinks, snacks, and just about every type of chip you can imagine. I shoot a look at Ryan awkwardly. He watches as Colin leaves, and the hint of jealousy is not a good look on him.
“Ah, there's Parker.” Ryan grabs my hand and weaves me through the small group of girls dancing in bikinis by the hot tub. Parker sits on a small brick wall that overlooks the forest off in the distance of the yard.
Parker shoots one look at me before turning his head. We still have yet to talk about the kiss that happened between us and then him throwing me out of his house on my ass, but I guess he is not ready for that lecture yet.
“Hey beautiful,” Ryan leans into my ear, “don’t get mad, but I packed your swimsuit when you weren’t looking. How about we have some fun in the water?”
I shoot him a foul look likehow dare you, but then again, the water does sound nice. When I look in my bag, not only do I see my two-piece swimsuit but also an oversized band tee.How did he know?
“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you like to keep covered up, even though I find your figure quite seductive. I respect that you like to keep it modest. It’s hot.”
seventeen
parker
We’reallsittingaroundthe hot tub—our feet in the hot, bubbling water. Ryan sits next to Abigail, who is lightly sipping on a soda that Colin brought back for her; the rest of us drink beer. Savannah casually walks by, squinting her eyes in disgust toward our girl.
“Who let you in?” she snarls.
Abigail slowly raises her gaze to meet Savannah's eyes, a slight smile pulling at her lips as she replies, “I am the party.”
