She had her phone in her hand, ready to call for help if need be.
I reached up on my tiptoes and peeked through the peephole, expecting to see someone. But no one was there. I turned back around, looked at Piper, and raised my shoulders. Maybe it was the wrong house?
Just then, we heard a bang on the window. Piper screamed, and my heart lodged itself into my throat. What if it’s them?
The doorbell rang again, and this time, my body acted of its own accord. I snatched an umbrella that was resting in the corner and swung the door open. Fury rested on my shoulders, and I was ready to take my attackers head-on.
I poked the umbrella outward like a sword before my eyes even registered who it was.
“What the fuck, Hayley!” Christian bent over at the waist, wheezing. His hand clamped down on the umbrella, and he jerked it out of my grasp. I gasped and was suddenly brought back to reality as Ollie and Eric roared with laughter from behind Christian.
“Sorry!” I stepped further out onto the porch and watched Christian slowly stand back up, one hand on his stomach where I’d poked him and the other gripping the umbrella. “I thought you were—"
His broody stare pinned me to my spot. “I know who you thought I was, and I hate to say it, but a fucking umbrella isn’t a wise choice.” He shook his head after rolling his eyes. “This is exactly why we’re here.”
Piper crossed her arms over her frilly pajama top. “What exactly are you three jerks doing here? And how do you even know where I live?”
Ollie stepped forward, his blond hair appearing darker than it really was. “We broke into the headmaster's office and looked it up.” His cheek lifted. “And nice pajamas.” Then he winked. Piper shifted on her feet as her cheeks turned pink.
Breaking up their moment and storing it away in the “ask about later” part of my brain, I shifted on my feet, wishing my sleep shorts were a little longer. I’d worn these before when Christian stayed over, but I’d always been under the covers and facing the wall when he'd climbed through my window. What does it matter? He literally had his lips on the part these shorts are hiding. “What do you want?”
Christian pushed through the door, causing Piper and me to part like the Red Sea. Ollie and Eric followed, leaving us standing there looking like we were deer caught in headlights. She mouthed, “What the hell?” to me, but I was just as surprised.
I peeked outside, scanning the dark and desolate road before shutting the door behind me. Piper mumbled, “These jerks are ruining our girls’ night—again.” I held back a laugh and followed the guys. They acted nonchalant, as if they’d been at Piper’s house plenty of times.
“Christian!” I stopped in the doorway of the expansive and newly remodeled kitchen with its sky-high ceiling and sparkling new appliances that probably cost more than Jill and Pete’s entire house. “What are you doing here?”
When we spoke last night, after he climbed through my window and into my bed (on top of the covers), he asked me again if I was still staying at Piper's. I assumed he was just making sure he didn’t need to climb in my window. I snarkily told him to go to Eric’s after the game and to have a grand ol’ time and enjoy the fact that he wouldn’t need to babysit me.
I didn’t know why I had said it like that. Jealousy was itching all over my skin at the thought of him going to Eric’s with all the girls that drooled over him at school, so I lashed out, but I got a sense that he enjoyed it.
He wanted me jealous of the girls he frequented.
But I wasn’t going to make that stupid, schoolgirl mistake again. Christian could do what he wanted. His hands and mouth on my body were a one-time thing. There was too much heavy baggage between Christian and me—too much drama that hadn't been dealt with.
Christian leaned back on the island in the middle of the kitchen, appearing casually hot in his tight black T-shirt, slightly wet hair, and jeans. “You guys are coming to the party with us.”
I placed my hands on my hips, my gray Metallica T-shirt rising a smidge. “No, we are not.”
His stare deepened as he flicked it down to my bare legs and back. “Yes, you are.”
“No.” I stood my ground.
“Yes,” he snarled.
Piper interrupted our soaring match. “Why the hell do you want us to come to your party?” She was looking at Eric now who had remained silent for most of the conversation.
He sighed out a chuckle. “It’s not me who wants you there. It’s him.” He nodded his head full of coal-colored hair at Christian.
I crossed my arms over my chest, annoyed. “I’m not going to some stupid party where you all pass around girls like they’re a goddamn bong.”
Ollie snickered, trying to hold in his laugh.
“Is that jealousy I hear?” Christian raised an eyebrow, his cool and calm demeanor back in place.
Mortification had me feeling like my body was plunging into a fire pit. I was quick—probably too quick—to say, “Absolutely not. You can fuck any girl you want and pass her on. Why would I care? I just don’t want to go.”
Christian smirked after staring at me for a second too long. “Piper? Do you want to go?”