“Me too!”
“Plot twist,” I hear Jackie say and Killian moves past me and stomps up the stairs. Part of me wants to go after him and demand once and for all he tell me what the hell his problem is, but I am so happy to see Hunter that I let him go.
“How are you?” I grin at him. I haven’t seen this guy since I was sixteen and he gave me my first kiss on a dare.
“I’m good now that you’re here. Can we go somewhere and catch up?”
“Yeah. Wait here while I tell my friend I will meet up with her later.” He nods and I turn around. The game seems to have disbanded and Liam and Hayley are on the couch. I bend down in front of them. “Hey, I’m going to go chat with Hunter I’ll text you before I head back to the dorm if you want to ride with me.”
“Who the heck is that guy? He’s cute.” She quickly looks to Liam. “Not hotter than you though.” She pecks his cheek.
“Just a friend. We used to be camp counselors together.”
“This is too good be true,” Jackie murmurs from the other side of Hayley. I hadn’t even noticed her sitting there.
“Be nice.” Hayley glares at her.
“I’m being nice. You have no idea how much I love to see Killian squirm.” She smiles and my stomach churns at the thought of him being upset with me, but he’s a big boy and can handle his own issues whatever they are.
“What are you talking about?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Killian likes you and he can’t handle it. He doesn’t date. But I honestly believe he wants more than to fuck you and he don’t know what to do about it.”
“He doesn’t like me. He loves to annoy me.” I can’t believe I am having a normal conversation with Jackie. It’s weird. I don’t like it.
“You ready to go?” Hunter comes up behind me and grips my elbow.
“Yeah.”
I follow him upstairs and we go out back where it is less crowded and quiet. “I can’t believe the first time I decide to come to one of these things I see you.”
“Right. Well this is my second party. Liam, that’s my cousin Hayley’s boyfriend, he’s a member…a brother…whatever. You get the picture.”
He laughs. “You’re a freshman, right?”
“Yeah
. Some of my classes are second year though. I worked my ass off doing online stuff and AP courses to get credits.”
“You always were competitive and an overachiever.”
“I was not.”
“Please. You always had to be the best. You won counselor of the summer if I remember correctly.”
“I did, didn’t I? I can’t believe I forgot about that.”
He takes my hand and brushes his fingers over my knuckles. “I remember other things about that summer.”
My breath hitches in my throat. “Me too.” The kiss was nothing special, but it was my first. “I was nervous.”
“Yeah, you were,” he says with a light chuckle. His eyes meet mine. Bright green and full of hope. His dark blond hair is long on top and faded short on the sides. He’s a lot taller and broader than I remember too. “How about a do over?” He raises his brows. “Unless that guy from before was your boyfriend.”
“He’s a friend.” My teeth graze my bottom lip. Do I want to kiss Hunter? I’m debating the thought when he leans forward and grabs the sides of my face and presses his lips to mine. It’s a soft and sweet kiss. He doesn’t push for more.
We move apart and I smile at him. “How was that?”
“It was nice.” Out of the corner of my eye I see a cigarette fall to the ground from above. I look up to the balcony above us, but no one is there.