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TWENTY
ALLURA
About ten minutes ago, Reece left the room to get me something that’ll help me relax. I try not to think about all the times he’s done this for me, but memories are dancing around me like ghosts.
When he returns, he hands me a gummy.
“I still don’t qualify for the pills, huh?” I joke as I hold the gummy between my fingers.
He cracks a tense smile. “Not yet. But that will help you relax for the day.”
“Should I just take the entire thing?”
“Maybe … Actually.” He takes it from me and bites off half of it. Then he hands the other half back to me.
I hesitate then pop it into my mouth.
He watches me chew it with his teeth sunk into his bottom lip.
“What?” I ask after I swallow it. “Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Nothing. Just thinking about some stuff,” he replies vaguely with a shrug.
I direct my focus back to the mirror, my chest rising and crashing as I force myself to breathe evenly. His vagueness, though, is clawing underneath my skin.
“You look beautiful,” he tells me quietly. “But you always do.”
I expect a smirk to be on his lips, but he appears completely serious.
Before I can say anything, he rises to his feet. “I’ll be around in the house. If you need anything, just message me.” He strides out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
I sit in the chair for the next ten minutes, zoning off until Jessa finally walks into the room. By this point, I’m floating on all sorts of clouds and sunshine, thanks to the gummy.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” Jessa says as she hustles into the room. She’s carrying a few bags, her hair is pulled out of her face, and her cheeks look flushed. “There was this thing with my car, and I …” She slows to a stop as she notes my face. “Okay, what’re you on?”
I bite my lip. “Is it that obvious?”
“Sort of.” She sets her bags down by the chair beside mine. “I don’t think your mom will notice or anything, but other people might.”
I scrunch my nose. “Well, that sucks. Although, I feel okay enough not to care.”
She sits down in the chair beside mine. “That’s great and everything, babe, but seriously, what’re you on?”
“Reece just gave me like half a gummy?” I shrug like it’s no big deal.
“You took a gummy from Reece?” She speaks slowly, like I’m crazy. Or maybe that’s because I’m high. Who the hell knows?
“Yeah. What’s the big deal?”
“It’s just … you taking anything from Reece … especially with what he did to you at the party the other night.”
“You mean, when he party crashed my only possibility of getting fucked before I get fate married or whatever?”
“What?” The sound of Ryder’s angry voice bites across the room. He’s standing in the doorway, sporting a pair of black slacks and a black button shirt, half-dressed in his tuxedo, I think. His dark hair is perfectly styled, and I’m high enough to secretly admit to myself that he is absolutely breathtaking.
Jessa’s eyes widen before she twists around to look at Ryder. “Why are you in here?” she asks. “This is where the bridesmaid party is getting ready.”
Ryder’s dark and searing gaze never wavers from me. “What did you just say, Al?”
