“Leigh thinks he fucked Alli.”
“Last night? Did you?” Dave narrows his gaze at me and I’m sure he’s recalling our conversation from just yesterday where I told him I’d never had sex with her.
“He doesn’t know,” Pat answers and I shoot him a glare.
“What do you mean you don’t know? Like you don’t remember?” Dave pulls his glasses from his face that he uses while he’s staring at a computer for long periods of time. He shakes his head. “Shit, I knew she’d be a boring lay.”
“No, I just…I was fucked up, and I don’t remember anything. I woke up this morning and we were naked in bed together.”
“Fuck, dude. And you told Leigh?” He asks it in a way that reads more like why the fuck did you tell Leigh?
“If I didn’t, Alli would have.”
“And this is after you guys told each other you loved each other and all that shit?” Dave asks and I nod as he pieces everything together.
“You see why she’s pissed?” I ask him.
“Shit, well, I saw Skyler’s post, and I’m always down to see her, so I’m in.” Dave downs the rest of his beer and crushes the empty can on the counter.
“Don’t take all fucking day,” I growl at him as I make my way up the stairs to shower. Although, I’m somewhat grateful that they’re coming with me; they’ll distract Skyler and Peyton and maybe give me a chance to be alone with Leighton.
Here’s hoping.
I briefly wonder if I’m making a huge mistake by showing up to this pregame when Leighton said she wanted space. But then why would she go to our mutual friend’s house? Knowing there was a chance I’d show up? And let Skyler post a photo?
She wants me to come for her. She wants me to fight for her.
I nod at my reflection in the mirror before I pull off my clothes and step into the scalding hot water for the second time today.
I’m coming for you, baby.
By the time we get to Seth’s house, it’s almost eleven PM, and the party is no longer pregame status so I doubt we’re going to bars because this has become a full-on house party. The second I walk in, Dave and Pat are on their respective missions, and I’m left searching for my girl. I’m grateful that I’ve always kept Alli from mingling with my friends too often, so I’m not worried about running into her. Alli is heavy into Greek life and, for the most part, my friends aren’t.
I make my way through the crowded foyer and into the kitchen where there’s a line for the keg, and my eyes immediately find bare skin that’s practically glowing. It’s barely April, and Leighton’s entire back is out. The white silk top she’s wearing reveals her smooth, toned back with two strings tied together in a neat bow behind her neck. Her long, thick hair is pulled into a top knot, exposing so much skin I want to gouge the eyes out of every guy here just so they can’t feast their eyes on her. I rake my own eyes down her body to find tight black jeans tucked into ankle boots, and all I can picture is every piece of clothing she’s wearing scattered all over my bedroom floor.
I watch as the guy fills her cup to the brim, his eyes unashamedly perving all over her, and I flex my fist. I watch as he whispers something in her ear and she giggles, and under normal circumstances I would breathe a sigh of relief by her fake as hell smile and her even faker giggle, but all I can see is red as his hand finds her back and runs his fingers down her skin.
I will literally break your shit off, dick.
I’m through the line before I can think and pulling her into my arms. “Everett?”
“I know you know better than that,” I growl at Seth’s roommate.
“E!” He smiles, like he hadn’t just blatantly been feeling up Leighton. Like he hadn’t been breaking the only bro code I adhere to. Do not fuck with someone else’s girl. “Seth said you weren’t coming!”
“So, you decided to make a pass at Leigh?”
“Everett, stop it. You’re being a dick.” She pulls out of my grasp and shoves at my chest before she storms away. I’m immediately following behind her into a corner, ignoring the douche at the keg, and I say a silent prayer as I plan to enter my own circle of hell.
“Peyton, Sky.” I nod at them and Peyton glares at me before taking a long sip of her drink. Her red lips form a straight line and she scrunches her nose at me.
“Cartwright,” she bites out and my eyes immediately float to Skyler, someone I’m praying will be my alliance in all of this.
Help.I try and tell her with my eyes.
She blinks her eyelashes several times and tucks a strand behind her ear. “Come on, Peyton let’s go dance.” I hear the implication. I’m trying. But you gotta work for it.
“And leave her with him?” Peyton points at me before she looks at Leighton. “Is that what you want?”