The Backup Girlfriend (Grove Valley High #2) - Emma Doherty Page 0,14

over a bottle of tequila.

Shots—that’s what I need if I’m going to get through the next couple of hours with Chase and Livy over there looking like love’s young dream.

“Who wants a shot?”

“I think you need to go home, Abigail.”

My head swings to my right and I stumble slightly with the force of the movement. I squint to look at Sasha, who is looking at me with her face screwed up.

“Wh–what did you say?”

“You need to go home. You’re wasted.”

I am not going anywhere. In between sneaking glances at Chase and Livy, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to hook up tonight to try to make myself feel that little bit better. I just haven’t figured out who it’s going to be with yet.

“Come on, Abigail. I’ll call you an Uber.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re wasted.”

“No, I’m not,” I slur back at her. I step back to lean against the kitchen counter behind me but completely misjudge the distance and end up falling to the floor, straight onto my butt, hitting my head against the cabinet in the process. “Oww.”

Sasha’s eyes widen as she bends down to help me. “Jesus, Abigail. You’ll hurt yourself!”

“Okay, okay.” Aaron appears out of nowhere and crouches down in front of me. “You’re okay.” He reaches under my arms like I’m a rag doll and hauls me back onto my feet. “How about we get you some water, huh?”

I squint at him as he looks back at me in concern.

Huh.

Aaron.

Aaron is good-looking. Not in Chase’s league as far as I’m concerned, but still, good-looking. Funny, kind, friendly, popular.

Huh.

“Abigail? Water?”

I nod at him, but when he turns his back to me to fetch the offered beverage, I reach for his hand and tug him back to me.

He looks back at me in surprise before looking down at our conjoined hands in bewilderment and then trying to detach himself from me. “I’m gonna get you some water.”

“Psst.” I dismiss his comment through my squinting eyes and decide, Why the hell not? I reach out with both hands, grabbing his t-shirt and pulling him toward me so his body is right on mine. “Hey, Aaron.”

As drunk as I am, even I can figure out that he does not look comfortable right now. “Abigail, you’re drunk.”

“Hey, Abigail, I’m calling you an Uber,” Sasha says from somewhere near me.

“I don’t wanna go home,” I manage to get out, still not looking away from Aaron. “Unless…do you want to take me home, Aaron?”

He lets out a noise of disbelief, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else, and we’re separated by Sasha, who pulls me away slightly. “Abigail, come on, don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“I’m calling you an Uber.”

“No, I’m going home with Aaron.”

“You’re already at Aaron’s house,” she says quietly, her eyes darting around. “Come on, stop it.”

I whirl back to Aaron, who for some reason hasn’t run for the hills. “We should have sex.”

There’s some sort of reaction to my words from around me, shocked gasps and sniggers, but I don’t pay them any attention as I watch Aaron’s jaw fall open.

I signal to the doorway of the kitchen. “Let’s go to your room.”

He doesn’t seem to have a response to that, and I’m distracted by someone appearing at my side, holding a glass of water. “Drink this.”

I turn and see that, of all people, it’s Sophie Steele—the one girl on the cheerleading squad who tells me exactly how it is and who also happens to be Livy’s best friend. I actually didn’t know she was in the room, and it probably doesn’t bode well for how many people are watching this exchange if someone who was all the way across the other side of the house is watching this.

Ha! Everyone in here is probably watching me hitting on Aaron and getting rejected.

I should be mortified right now, but for some reason I find it funny, and I start laughing out loud. I look around, and yes, there are certainly still a lot of people in here, and they all seem to be looking my way. This makes me laugh even harder.

“Abigail,” Sophie hisses. “Pull it together. Drink this.”

I wave her away. “I don’t want that.”

“Trust me, you need to sober up.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’ll regret this tomorrow.”

“I’m fine,” I insist again, although even I can tell I’m about as far from sober as I could be right now. I haven’t stopped drinking since I got to Aaron’s house, and all those drinks I swiped earlier at Eric’s benefit have also definitely taken their