Our Broken Pieces - M.E. Clayton Page 0,9

think about what Chance McQueen was like in bed. It was already bad enough that I might have to actually befriend the dude, I didn’t need to know him any deeper than I might already have to.

Margot hopped off her bed and was giving herself one more onceover in the mirror as she said, “Oh, by the way, Dillon Mills is coming to the party and he asked me about you yesterday in Algebra.”

What the hell?

“What?”

She turned to face me and threw me a saucy wink. “He asked me in class if you were going to be at my party. I told him you were, and he got this really huge grin on his face.” She turned back towards the mirror. “You know, it’s not the first time he’s asked me about you.”

I could feel my palms start to sweat, and I felt guilty for rubbing them all over Margot’s comforter, but better her bed than all over the skirt she forced me to wear. “I...I’m not...interested in Dillon,” I told her.

Margot whirled around to face me again. “Mystic, you’re never interested in anybody,” she tossed out exasperated. “What’s wrong with Dillon Mills?”

She was wrong.

I was interested in someone.

It just wasn’t Dillon Mills.

“Nothing’s wrong with Dillon,” I replied. “I...I’m just not...interested in him.”

“Well, then, who are you interested in?”

I looked up at my best friend in the whole wide world and wished, not for the first time, that I could tell her the truth, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t only my secret to tell and I wasn’t brave enough to risk what I had just to unburden my heart and mind. For the past few years, everything in my life has been a well-crafted lie, and the steps to make that possible were delicate indeed.

“Mar-”

She threw her arms out beside her very dramatically. “I mean, guys are dying to date you, left and right, and you couldn’t care less,” she went on. “I just don’t get it.”

I wanted to tell her that those guys who wanted to date me wouldn’t want to if they knew the truth about me. But, then again, maybe they would. Maybe all guys wished they could be free to do what they’re designed to do.

What’s a warrior if he has no one to fight and no lands to conquer?

Granted, not all women wanted warriors. Some women wanted soft and sweet. Some women were really all about the romance and gestures of love. And there was nothing wrong with that if that’s what you really longed for.

I didn’t want to fight with her, nor did I want to lie to her more than necessary, so I just said, “Cut me some slack, will ya?”

Margot sat back down on the bed and threw her arm around me. “I’m sorry, Mys,” she apologized. “It’s just...I’d like to see you have fun for once.”

I rolled my eyes. “Guys bring on more problems than they do fun, Margot,” I replied. “I’d rather keep things simple.”

“Alright,” she conceded. “But don’t be surprised if Dillon hits on you tonight. He was very obviously in his interest in you.”

I didn’t need Dillon Mills hitting on me tonight. I didn’t need him hitting on me at all. I had planned on making myself scarce once the party was in full effect, but it seemed like I was going to have to flat out hide now.

“Don’t worry about me,” I replied, redirecting the topic. “Just worry about Chance and your epic party.”

Margot went back to checking her appearance as she mumbled, “I hope there aren’t any fights. I really want this party to be cool.”

I stood up and stood behind her, facing the mirror. “You’re worrying too much, Mar,” I told her. “Everyone’s going to be so happy to be able to have an unchaperoned party, I think they’ll be too stoked to start fighting.”

She smiled in the mirror. “You’re right, Mys,” she said, bracing herself in positivity. “This party is going to be great.”

I just wish I could believe my lies as well as Margot did.

Chapter 6

Gage~

The party was packed by the time Chance and I showed up. There had been rumors that Margot’s mother was going to let her have an unchaperoned party, and from the looks of things, the rumors had been true.

There was fucked-up shit going down everywhere.

Scanning the place, I could see people drunk off their asses and females dancing and grinding all over the place. The house resembled those teenage parties that you see in the movies where everyone