that I don’t recognize any of these people and don’t give a damn about who they’re hooking up with or what gossip they’re creating for Monday morning.
Dan’s hand drops from my shoulder and he instead takes my hand, pulling me along until eventually we end up in some sort of den and he’s greeting some people who look vaguely familiar from the times we’ve played their school in sports.
He turns to me and introduces me to the people he’s talking to. The guys all smile and nod while I wave, knowing I’ll immediately forget their names, while the girls are altogether more hostile, narrowing their eyes in my direction and exchanging glances between themselves.
Yeah, now that I’m here, I really can’t be bothered with this.
Dan whispers in my ear that he’s going to find us some drinks then disappears, taking with him a couple of friends and leaving me behind with the girls who aren’t even pretending to be friendly. I have the unsettling realization that any of these girls could be his ex-girlfriend and I wouldn’t even know it.
I decide to make an effort. “So, you guys looking forward to college?”
All I get is blank faces as they look between each other. Clearly they’ve decided, probably before tonight, that they don’t like me.
“Okay then.”
“So what’s the deal?” a dark-haired girl finally says. “Run out of guys over at Grove Valley?”
I’d slap her if it wasn’t the exact same thing I’d be saying if she were at one of our parties.
Yup, the next couple of hours are definitely going to drag.
Two hours later, the alcohol is starting to relax me and give me some sort of a buzz.
It seems to have done the same to the other girls, because after an hour of them telling me what a bitch I’ve always been to them when they were playing against us, apparently not to their faces but just comments and looks I gave them, and how I should be more like “that girl Sophie who is always friendly to everyone,” they’ve finally started to let up and be semi-accepting of me. Part of that is because of Dan—I get the impression he’s a pretty big deal to them (more than one of these girls definitely harbors a crush on him and isn’t very good at hiding it)—and part of it is because I dated Chase. For some reason, that earns me a certain level of respect among them, because Chase is just that hot (which only reminds me that I’d rather be at a party with Chase than here with Dan), and finally, it’s probably mainly because of the round of shots they’ve all just thrown back.
Dan is definitely getting more confident too, which is saying something because he wasn’t exactly shy to begin with. He’s standing so close to me that there’s not even an inch between us, and his hand has ‘accidentally’ grazed my ass more than once.
I’m really trying here, but I’m just not that into it.
“So how come you finally decided to call me?” he whispers in my ear, tugging me away from the group so we have some space against one of the back walls.
I shrug. “High school’s ending.”
“That the only reason?”
He wants me to tell him I’ve been crushing on him for years and couldn’t stand another day without us hooking up. “Pretty much.”
He smirks, like he thinks I’m joking. “So what happened with you and Mitchell then?”
I blink. “Chase?” He wants to talk about Chase with me right now?
“Yeah.”
I look away for a second, trying to think about something to say that isn’t going to make it completely obvious that I’m struggling to get over him, and my eyes snag on someone by the door.
Brett Sanderson.
What’s he doing here?
I watch him for a second or two, and he looks about as bored as I do, standing next to another guy who looks strikingly similar to him. He looks up for a second, and our eyes lock. I raise a hand to greet him, surprisingly relieved that there’s someone here from my school, someone I know and can talk to, but he just scowls at me and turns away.
Well that was rude.
I really don’t like that guy.
“Abigail?”
I turn back to Dan, who is looking at me expectantly. “Yeah?”
“What happened with you and Chase Mitchell?”
“Uh, well, you know, we’re really young. Things just fizzled out.”
“Yeah? I heard he’s hooking up with that hot soccer player who won them state.”
I can’t help glaring at him. If he