New Girl - By Paige Harbison Page 0,58
really not care what they think of me.”
Then his mouth was on mine. His hand was in my hair. His body, lean and strong, was pressing into mine. All I could hear was the music outside, and all I could feel was him. I wasn’t worried about what anyone thought, including him. I was unselfconscious for the first time since the last time we’d met.
I ran my hand up his shirt and felt his impossibly perfect body. His skin was warm and soft, but he held me and kissed me with strength. He lifted me up a little, and I flattened my hand on the shelf for support. It landed on the cold necklace I’d found earlier.
I wanted to stay there forever. I could imagine passing hours this way. But that couldn’t happen. Because the next second, the closet was filled with light, and Dana stood in the doorway. My feet landed on the floor and my hand swatted the necklace there, too. Dana’s eyes darted down to it, and she shoved past us to get to it. She picked it up slowly, examining it and then closing it in her fist.
“This is it,” she said. “This is the proof. Becca’s back. Or she will be soon.”
Max looked at her, and then at the silver chain in her hand. Some kind of realization washed over him.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
JOHNNY WAS STANDING BEHIND DANA IN THE doorway, and he was looking at Max like he’d killed someone.
“What is wrong with you, man?” he exploded.
Max raised his eyebrows and then walked out of the closet. I didn’t move.
“What’s wrong with me?”
Johnny threw a hand up at me. “Her? Really? After what you had—don’t you think it’s a little messed up to just be…doing that?”
Something recoiled in my core. Johnny had always been nice to me. Why would he say that?
Dana shot him a look that he ignored.
Max lifted his chin a little and looked at Johnny. “You wanna talk to me about that? Are you sure?”
“Oh, I’m sure.”
Max pushed him hard. Johnny stumbled back.
“Outside.” Max’s voice rose on the word.
Johnny went out the door, and Max followed. Then so did everyone else. A few people went to the shut curtains, and others went outside. I pushed through them into the night air.
I felt like I should say something. Like I could somehow get them to stop.
“—after everything with Becca, you really think you can talk to me about this?” Max yelled at Johnny.
“That’s exactly my point, Max! You’re supposed to be in love with Becca, remember?”
“And where is she, Johnny? She’s not here.”
“That makes it okay? You’re just doing whatever you want, and you don’t care anymore about her feelings? She loved you, Max!” I could hear the ire rising in Johnny’s voice.
“That’s bullshit and you know it!”
“It’s because of you she’s gone, you know. Because of you!”
Max, who’d had his back turned to Johnny, turned toward him and pushed him again. This time with enough force to knock him to the sand. Johnny recovered quickly.
“Don’t mess with me, Max, I got a lot of shit to take out on someone, it doesn’t matter to me if it’s you or not.”
Max gave a laugh and shook his head. “Yeah? You got shit to take out on me? Do it.”
They looked at each other, rain still coming down. It started to pour harder, but neither of them seemed to notice. Johnny balled his fists and hesitated. He didn’t want to hit Max. I could tell.
But Max was done hesitating. With a solid punch to the jaw he hit Johnny, who stumbled backward but caught himself. He swung at Max and made loud contact. Max didn’t miss a beat, grabbing at Johnny and throwing him onto the ground. Johnny pulled on Max’s shirt, ripping it so it hung wet and loose. Max yanked it off, revealing a sweating, tight body. His muscles rippled as he held Johnny down and punched him hard in the face.
Cam ran forward and pulled Max off Johnny, shouting at them to stop. The rain got heavier. Max spit blood onto the sand. Dana, who had been crouched on the ground over Johnny, ran to Max.
She slapped him across the face. He didn’t move.
“You,” she said, “are so messed up. And this?” She pulled out the necklace. “This is proof that she’s coming back. And you know what that means.”
“I think that’s a bit optimistic.”
Fury seemed to run down her spine as she said, “When you say things like that, Max—” she