“if Aaron won’t take you for a ride, I’m more than happy to—“
Rolling my eyes, I walk away, leaving Aaron to slap his friend upside the head.
“Slut,” someone coughs, and my eyes snap to the table Lylah and Marissa are sitting at. Anger courses through my veins, but I know I need to keep my cool, so I flip her off with a salty smirk.
Eat that, bitch.
Their gasps roll off my back as I exit the cafeteria out of the other door so I don’t have to survive one hundred and one questions from Hadley and Remi.
Besides, Conner is with them now. And something tells me their table isn’t big enough for the both of us.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Hadley asks me for the twentieth time.
“I need to do something. I can’t just sit in this room, forever wallowing. It’s just a party—what’s the worst that can happen?” She gives me a pointed look, and I shake my head a little. “You need to learn to relax,” I say.
“I know what you’re doing.”
“Me? I’m not doing anything. Sterling Prep is my new home, I might as well try and fit in.”
“So this has nothing to do with the fact that Conner’s been talking to Aimee Simson?”
“Aimee who now?”
“Cute little blonde about yay high.” She holds out her hand, one of her brows arched.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The conviction in my words masks the pit in my stomach.
“They’re just friends. She’s a junior and Conner’s been helping her with math.”
“Good for him.” I shrug, sifting through the limited choice of clothes I have for tonight.
I bought a few new outfits when Hadley dragged me to the mall last weekend, but I didn’t want to take more from James Jagger than absolutely necessary.
Settling on a denim skirt with a black crop top and a few bangles I managed to score from the only thrift store in Sterling Bay, I start changing.
“Umm, do you want some privacy?”
“I’m not hiding anything you haven’t already seen.” I shimmy out of my school skirt and pull on another. It hugs my ass and sits high on my thighs, almost too high. Once I have the crop top on, I stand in front of my mirror. It’s been a long time since I showed my stomach. Warren never liked me to show too much skin whenever we went out, which was less and less recently.
“Kenny?” Hadley asks, her eyes catching mine in the mirror.
“I’m good.” I force a smile, swallowing the lump in my throat. Warren isn’t here. He doesn’t get to say what I wear or who I talk to.
“You don’t have to do this,” she adds.
But I turn to her and flick my long blonde hair off my shoulders, knowing she can’t ever understand how significant this moment is.
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I do.”
Chapter Twelve
Conner
"Why aren't you fucking ready?" I snap, barging into Cole's room.
"Because it's just a party. I barely want to go, let alone turn up early."
"But—"
"But Aaron was flirting with Kenny earlier. Yeah, I saw."
"Right? So let's fucking go."
"Conner," he sighs, pocketing his cell and sitting forward on his bed. "I'm far from an expert here, but you need to look less fucking keen, man. You're even turning me off with this sad puppy dog act."
My chin drops. "What the fuck, bro?"
"What? I'm just being honest."
"But—"
"Just chill the fuck out, yeah? Kenny loves you, it'll be fine."
"No, no she doesn't. Right now, Kenny hates me, and can't stand to be in the same room as me."
"Just let her do her thing. She's been through hell and is in a new place. It can’t be easy for her.” He narrows his eyes. “Let her find her feet. Don't find them for her. Let her flirt with who the hell she likes, but just make sure she knows that you'll be the one there at the end of the night when she needs you."
"You're saying I should let her do whatever with whichever asshole she chooses?"
"She's not yours, Con. You aren't letting her do anything. She's her own person."
"And you'd be okay if I gave you the same advice about Hadley?"
"Right now, no. We're in a totally different place than you and Ken. But a few months ago, yeah. Hell, I let you put your hands on her."
"You trust me. You knew I'd never do more than you were happy with. Those pricks could do anything. Ugh," I groan. "Why is this so fucking hard?"
"Welcome to my