gesture.
"Well, do you want to come? Or are you on the rag, because you're acting kinda bitchy." He wrinkles his nose at me, and I just about feel myself blow steam out of my ears.
"You're such a jackass." I turn around to walk into my house when he calls my name.
"What!" I bark.
"I'm sorry. Come to the party, please? I'll smoke this joint with you." He pulls a fatty out of his pocket and I scowl at him. Of course, he knows how to get me.
Because I'm in a terrible mood, and Logan's always got the best weed, I give in. These last few years, I’ve smoked more and more with them. I still don’t like to drink but getting high makes me forget all the terrible shit in the world. At least for a while.
"I'm not staying long." I shut my door and walk down the steps.
"Uh huh." Logan lights it up out in the open, because that's the type of area we live in.
"And I'm only going because it's been a shitty night and I want to get high." I pull the joint out of his fingers and take a hit, walking with the three of them the fifteen minutes it takes to get to Derek's.
"Uh huh." Logan repeats, chuckling at my excuses.
Jackson appears beside me, leaving a big enough distance that we can’t touch. I look at him out of the corner of my eye and watch him have a silent argument with the ground. I don’t know what it is about Jackson, but he always seems so troubled. Like the world lives on his shoulders and gets heavier each day.
“Quick camping and pass that shit, Cara.” Easton grumbles from the other side of Jackson. I look down at my hand and remember the burning joint in my fingers.
“Oh, sorry. Here.” I pass it to Jackson, and as he grabs it from me, his fingers ever so slightly brush against mine. His fingers, which are too rough for his age, send a heated wave through my hand and up my arm, making me freeze up. As always, he touch does something to me. I like to pretend it’s because he’s a little creepy and my body knows it, too.
He looks over at me with confusion and when he notices me staring at him, his lips turn down. A frown line forms between his eyes and his jaw starts tensing in aggravation.
I take a breath and flex my hand to stop the tingling.
What the hell was that?
Taking a step closer to Logan, Jackson frowns even harder but turns away from me and turning to Easton, effectively shutting down whatever the hell moment we just had.
“You look pretty tonight.” Logan says.
I whip my head towards him as my cheeks redden.
“Uh, thanks.” I look down at my jeans and off the shoulder top. I’ll never admit I stole this outfit from my mom’s closet. One of her nicer outfits, but I wanted to impress the girls.
A lot of good that did me. Now that I’m just going with the guys, I could have just worn some of my own clothes.
“Why were you sitting out on your front steps tonight, anyway? You weren’t going on a date, were you?” Logan’s face wrinkles in distaste and I have to bark out a laugh at the thought.
Me, go on a date? Hilarious.
“No one wants to go on a date with me.” I shake my head just thinking about it. It’s like I’m a guy repellant. They stay away, far away.
“They fuckin’ try.” Logan mumbles under his breath.
“Huh? What was that?” What did he just say?
“Nothin’.” Logan takes the joint from Easton and takes a hit.
Easton blows smoke in my face. “Logan scares all the guys away, Cara. It’s not that guys don’t want to go out with you. It’s that we don’t let them.”
“What the hell?” I stop walking, and they keep walking without a care in the world.
“Stop! Wait a minute.” They stop and look over their shoulders. “You’re telling me that I don’t have to be a loner at school? I seriously go day in and day out thinking guys think I’m hideous, but it’s just you three stooges scaring them away?”
Logan and Easton nod their heads, completely at ease with my question. Jackson stares at me through lowered lids and his sharp jawline pulsing and rigid.
“Dickheads! All of you! I can’t believe this.” I stomp off, pushing my way through them and continuing on to Derek’s house.
“She is totally on