The Sophomore (College Years #2) - Monica Murphy Page 0,19

you even considering bailing out on this party? We’re the ones in charge of it, and that includes you. Tony’s just being kind enough to let us have it at his place.”

“Yeah. I don’t know.” I shrug, trying to play it off.

Hayden sends Gracie a knowing look before blasting me with her intense gaze once again. “Does this have anything to do with a certain Jackson Rivers possibly showing up?”

“Not at all,” I say too quickly.

“Bullshit,” Hayden says on a sigh, shaking her head. “Ellie. Don’t let him scare you off.”

“Will he be there?”

“Probably,” Hayden says.

“Then I don’t want to be there,” I say firmly.

“Girl, you can’t let him control your social life,” Gracie says. “I hate Caleb with a passion, yet he’s always right there. In my face. I’ve just learned how to ignore him.”

“You don’t hate him,” Hayden reminds her.

“Yeah you definitely don’t,” I say. “But has Caleb kissed you? Led you on and then told you he just wants to be your friend?” I ask. They know what happened that night after the concert. How much he humiliated me after giving me the most spectacular kiss of my life.

I still can’t forgive him for it.

“Caleb propositions me pretty much every time we run into each other,” Gracie says. “He wants in my pants. Badly.”

“And she wants in his pants,” Hayden adds. “Badly.”

“I do not,” Gracie says irritably.

“I don’t want in Jackson’s pants,” I say.

“Liar,” they say at the same time before they start laughing.

I can’t help but laugh too, because they’re right. I’m a total liar. I would love to get in Jackson’s pants. But I’m not going to keep throwing myself at him. I can only take being rejected a couple of hundred times before I want to wither up and die.

His rejection that night was like having a hammer banged on top of my head. Knocking sense into me and making me see exactly what he was doing.

Using me. I made him feel good. Puffed up his ego, whatever. Yes, he had adoring fans at his concerts every night, but I was the one constant in his life who didn’t let him down. Who was always there to pick him up.

Well, screw that. I’m tired of picking someone up who doesn’t want me. Lesson learned, the hard way, but at least I didn’t get in too deep.

Okay, that’s a total lie. I got in way too deep with Jackson. I’m still there, treading water in the deep end. But I’m trying my best to get out, and Carson might be just the distraction I need.

“I met a boy,” I tell them, which silences their laughing almost immediately.

“Tell us more,” Hayden says, her eyes twinkling.

I explain my literal run-in with Carson. How cute he was. How he said he’d help me in class.

“I hate math,” I say, wrinkling my nose.

“How kind of him to offer,” Gracie says, waggling her eyebrows.

“It was nothing like that. He was kind of nerdy in a cute way. He wears glasses.”

“I love a cute boy in glasses,” Gracie says with a wistful sigh.

“He’s in my sociology class too,” I add. “Hopefully I’ll see him tomorrow.”

“If you see him tomorrow, you should invite him to our party,” Hayden says.

I slowly shake my head. “No way. I’m not going, remember?”

“Ellie!” Hayden sounds completely frustrated with me. “You’re going. Who cares about Jackson? Ignore him the entire night. It’ll piss him off.”

“That’s my plan with Caleb,” Gracie adds. “I love nothing more than to piss him off. He makes it so easy.”

“I don’t think I’m as strong as you two,” I say morosely. “Besides, you’ll have Franz with you.” I point at Gracie.

“And you could have your cute, nerdy Carson with you,” she says with a smile. “That will make Jackson so jealous, he won’t be able to see straight!”

“He doesn’t get jealous of anything I do.”

“Because you haven’t given him a reason to be jealous yet,” Hayden says, ever so logical. “Your boy shows up at the party tomorrow night, just for you? Jackson will lose his mind.”

“Doubtful,” I say, though maybe…

Maybe they’re on to something? I don’t know. Jackson doesn’t give a crap about me. That much is clear. I gave him clear stay away from me vibes and he did exactly that. If he really cared, he would’ve reached out by now.

Right?

And I don’t want to use Carson to get back at Jackson. That’s mean. I like him. He seems nice. I need to move on with my life and try