“That’s not you, babe,” he says. “You’re not a violent person.”
“Who knows?” I grin. “Maybe your wicked ways are starting to rub off on me.”
A heavy arm is thrown over my shoulder. “Babe,” Jesse laughs. “If you wanted something to rub off on you, you should have told me.”
“Dude,” Nate grunts as he slams his palm into Jesse’s shoulder, knocking his arm off of mine. “That’s my fucking girlfriend you’re talking to.”
“I know,” he laughs. “It makes messing with you so much better.”
People start grunting and groaning and I look across to find Phoenix barging her way through the crowded people in her hurry to get to us. “What the hell is going on?” she demands before she backtracks when she sees who she’s talking to. “Oh, um. Shit,” she cringes. “What’s going on over here? Someone said there was a fight.”
Nate narrows his eyes on her and steps forward. “You let Josh into your party,” he states, demanding answers and needing someone to place the blame on.
“Josh?” she gasps as her eyes flick to mine. I mean, it’s no secret what he did to me a few weeks ago. It was the biggest news to hit the school in ages. “I didn’t know he was here. I swear. If I knew, I would have gotten rid of him.”
“Well, it looks like I’ve done that for you,” he says with a stone cold attitude that, if he wasn’t Nate Ryder, would have the head cheerleader losing her shit.
Her eyes harden and narrow on his for a split second before she reminds herself who she’s talking to. She plasters on her fake smile and turns to me. “Are you ok?” she asks as she reaches out and strokes her hand down my arm. “That would have been hard. I’m sure you’d need a drink after that.”
I resist cringing at her fake bullshit and pull my arm back from her. This whole being the most powerful girl in school shit is getting old and I’m getting sick of fake bitches like this always trying to creep up my ass. I mean, is it that hard for people to be real? I’d respect them a lot more if they were just honest and stated what they want rather than trying to be my friend when a few weeks ago, they wouldn’t go out of their way to say boo.
Phoenix must be one of the fakest girls in school. Only a few weeks ago, Elle was her best friend, until Jesse exposed her dirty threesome secret and she dumped Elle like she was yesterday’s business. Elle hasn’t been seen out in public since. In fact, I was surprised she had the balls to show her face at school after that. Though, the world she once knew is now completely different. She doesn’t talk to anyone, or maybe no one talks to her, terrified that Phoenix will shun them if they do. She now sits at a table by herself at lunch. It’s kind of sad really.
I let out a huff and decide I’ve had enough. “I’m fine,” I tell her before testing the waters and stepping up into her. “This party is getting boring. We’re out.”
Her eyes widen a fraction before she schools her features and slaps on a scowl. I turn on my heel and stalk past her. I don’t need to turn around to know that Nate and Jesse are right behind me with the rest of our group following.
We’re just about at the front door when Jesse calls out. “Party at my place.” Nate and I groan, but either way, it’s the perfect punishment for Phoenix for being such a poor party host.
Shit. Maybe Nate and Jesse are rubbing off on me a bit.
Two seconds later, Phoenix’s party is non-existent.
Jesse laughs the whole way out the door as Phoenix rushes around, trying to convince all the party goers to stay, but when a Ryder brother declares a party at their home, you know that’s where you want to be. Though, I kind of wished he hadn’t. It’s Jesse’s birthday next weekend and I know there’s going to be another party then, and no doubt, it’s going to be huge.
Nate and I get into his car and not a moment later, he’s flying down the street and pulling into their long driveway. He opens the big garage and pulls in before looking around to make sure his parents aren’t home as I’m sure their idea of a Friday night isn’t having hundreds of teenagers destroying their home.
Jesse pulls into the garage beside him and brings his car to a stop before Nate hits the button to close it.
With the cars safely tucked away, we all head on into the house. Jesse walks to the front door and opens it wide for all the people making their way down the driveway while Maxen works on cranking the music. Puck and Nate pull a keg from somewhere, while Brooke and I work on ordering a shitload of pizzas.