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The minute I step through the clearing and into the circle, a loud cheer erupts, and sure enough, Corey is being lifted down from the keg. Beer is running down his face and onto the exposed skin of his chest, his button-up shirt gaping open, revealing toned skin and abs.
“Corey is the man!” someone cheers and whistles. My best friend raises his arms and stumbles slightly. A girl with deep cherry red hair slides under his arm, and he grins down at her sloppily. I roll my eyes and stomp through the dirt over to them.
“Time to go, Drunky,” I call to him and his bleary eyes snap up. When he sees me, Corey’s arm drops from the girl and he takes steps over to me, slinging his arm around my shoulders.
“J! You made it.” His voice carries over the party and soon more whoops are called. I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips. Even though I’m mad at Corey for possibly putting himself at risk of getting in trouble, when I see him carefree, I feel happy. Sometimes I think I’m the only one who worries about him and his need to carry the town on his shoulders.
“Yeah, yeah.” I tap his arm and move away from his damp shirt and sticky skin. “Time to go home, Cinderella.”
He pouts like a child and a collection of boos rises from his basketball friends followed by some laughs. I don’t care though. I’m used to being the one to collect my friend. I glance around and find Harper, who is making her way through the crowd to get to us. With Corey between us, we head back to my car.
“I don’t want to go,” Corey slurs and looks behind us.
“We have to go. Tomorrow is the first day of your senior year. You need to be on your game and sober.” I huff out the reminder and push his hair back from his eyes. His head rolls back with the motion, his eyes becoming a darker blue.
“School sucks. Who fucking cares about senior year.”
“You should care,” Harper warns him. “This is an important year of basketball for you.”
Corey snorts and shakes his head. “I’m not worried. I have my own plans.”
“If your plans include Rip then you need your head checked,” I mutter under my breath, hoping one day that Corey will get over this obsession with Rip and his business.
“He isn’t bad, trust me.” Corey stumbles a little as we come out of the row of corn, heading toward my car, and I fight the urge to laugh, even though it’s frustrating. The late-August air is thick and humid, causing sweat to start to dampen my back from holding his bulky frame up.
“He is bad, everyone is scared of him.” I can’t help but argue back, hoping one day my words will resonate with him before things get bad. Harper opens my back door and we manage to get Corey in, so he’s lying in the back seat.
“I’ll sit with him,” Harper volunteers, and I send her a thankful smile before rounding to the driver's side and getting in. First thing I do is crank up the AC.
We head back into town and I’m paranoid about every car we pass, hoping it's not the cops. Even though I wasn’t the one drinking, I know my car will smell like beer if I crack the window right now. Harper chats about the party and every once in a while, Corey mumbles something to us, which usually has us cackling at him.
“I’m serious though. Everything depends on tomorrow. Rip is on edge with him being in town.” Corey sits up suddenly, propping his arms between my seat and the front passenger seat. Harper giggles.
“Who are you talking about?”
“What are you talking about?” I laugh and reach back to pat his cheek lightly.
“The guy. Some mobster’s grandson. He’s going to our school this year. Rip wants me to meet him tomorrow and be the liaison, so we don’t have any issues while he's here.” Corey’s eyes meet mine in the rearview and I can see a flash of fear in his eyes. Corey never gets scared and I’m not sure what it is about this kid that is making him feel this way. We already go to school with the family of Rip's associates, even the family of Rip’s rivals on the other side of the tracks. School just happens to be a neutral ground, if they can all help it.
“I’m sure it’s not that big of a deal.” I scoff and laugh it off. I want it all to go away. I just want things to go back to how they were before Rip and his influence on Corey. He needs school and he needs basketball. Never did I think I would be so excited for the summer to end.
ChapterFive
Jade
Ifeel stabby. This morning is already terrible and we just arrived at school. Last night, I got Harper and Corey home with me, and we piled Corey with mac and cheese before settling into bed. It was after midnight when I checked for the fifth time to make sure Corey was sleeping on his side, and breathing fine, before I could close my eyes. I’m tired. My body hurts from sleeping cramped between my two best friends all night. Even though Harper made us to-go cups of coffee this morning, it is not enough to keep me from hating that I have to be here right now. Even worse, it’s steamy and hot, making the skin under my t-shirt feel itchy. Everything is irritating me. I’m exhausted and feel like being ruthless to the next person who glances at me wrong.
I glance at Corey, who looks like he rolled out of bed and slipped right into perfection. His messy hair is styled and there's an easy grin on his face. He doesn’t even have a hangover and I hate him a little for it. Running my hands through my hair, I try to shake off the bad mood. I’m not usually this prickly. “I blame you, you know,” I tell Corey and watch as he swings horrified eyes in my direction.
“Blame me for what? What happened?”
“I’m tired. I couldn’t sleep until I made sure you weren’t going to choke on your own vomit,” I whine and hoist my backpack on my shoulder again.
He sighs and grabs my bag from me, putting it on his shoulder right over his own. “I was fine. You worry too much.”
“Excuse me. Next time I’ll just leave you to sleep in the cornfield then.” I huff and start walking faster toward the school. Corey’s legs are longer than mine though and he catches up to me, laughing, so I slap him in the stomach.
“Ah!” He sucks in and brings his hand up to defend himself. “I’m sorry, okay.”
