“I think the saying is cold as ice,” I said. “But either way, I really don’t want either of you coming.” I’d weighed my options. It would be better if one of them came rather than Jacob, but still.
During our truth session the other day, I might’ve neglected to mention the party. I also hadn’t told my mom or Ollie yet, but their time would come after school.
I knew it was pointless to try to get both of them not to come though; while it might be possible to avoid the stalker that was Jacob Hall—technically David Hall, but from here on out, I was going to keep calling him Jacob, because that’s who he was to me—it would be impossible to deter both Vaughn and Dante.
Neither one wanted me going to a party with Archer. They’d both flipped the moment I mentioned it, but they couldn’t force me to stay home. They knew if I wanted to go, I’d figure out a way. It was easier if they went along with me than fought me on it.
“Babe, one, if not both, of us are coming,” Dante said. Today I sat beside Vaughn, so he couldn’t lean over into my space. A good thing, too. He did look rather sexy in his worn leather jacket today. A part of me wondered what his summer apparel was like. Did he wear that jacket in all months of the year?
Vaughn said nothing, but he did agree with him by nodding.
“See? Even the creep agrees,” Dante went on, causing Vaughn to growl. “Besides, I think you’ve proven that you can’t be trusted around Archer fucking Vega.” He spoke the blonde’s name like he wanted to stab him. He probably did. That one wanted to stab about ninety-nine percent of people he came across.
I rolled my eyes. “Dante, as much as I don’t want to admit it, there’s something between that fucking Vega and me. I need to figure out what that is. If it’s only there because of everything that used to stand between us, or if…” I trailed off, biting my lower lip.
Dante knew what I meant, though, for he finished, “Or if you have mushy-gushy feelings for the douche canoe. Yeah, I get it. Bet that bitch would squeal like a pig if I—”
“Dante,” I hissed, stopping his threat right there. We were trying to move on, trying to move past the framed for murder thing—and that included everything that had taken place between Brittany, Archer, and I. I could not hope to start over, however, if Dante and Vaughn constantly threatened to be at Archer’s throat.
He blinked. “What? I’m innocent.”
I looked at him. Vaughn looked at him. We both did a lot of looking at the one at our table who was probably the least innocent.
“Okay, I’m a reformed innocent.” Dante shrugged. “Still, I mean it. If I go to this party and see Archer get handsy, I’ll—”
“If you can’t keep it to yourself, maybe Vaughn should come,” I said. Just to make my point, I leaned forward, lowering my voice to add, “No more violence. I mean that. We all have to lay low, okay?”
Dante was too miffed to be silent. “Right. And laying low involves seeing Brittany’s boyfriend. Right, I forgot that’s what laying low meant.”
Vaughn’s deep voice entered my ears as he whispered, “He’s not wrong, you know. Doing this…it will only draw more attention to yourself.”
That much was true, but still. I needed to…
I just needed to do this.
“Archer is picking me up tonight,” I said. “If you can figure out where the party’s at, feel free to come.” I wasn’t stupid. I knew they’d show up, but I’d make them work for it. And if they showed up and tried to make a disaster out of it, I’d be pissed.
When the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, I got up and hurried away. Talking to Vaughn and Dante about it, my nerves were starting to get to me. I wanted—no, I needed for tonight to go right. I didn’t want anything bad to happen. Just a party to make up for the shitty party I’d been to before.
I was probably stupid for wanting to go, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want to live out the rest of my life in fear, hiding in that big house while hoping for a miracle.
No. Let whatever may be come, I say.
Ollie sat behind his desk, giving me a look I could only call disproving, something