“Ooo!” the room full of partiers cheered and taunted, excited to see some drama.
“Damn, Derek,” a fellow football player teased. “Getting shut down by ajunior.”
Rage flared in Derek’s eyes. A split second later, Brad was shoving between us.
“The hell did you do to my sister?” Brad demanded. Derek was head-and-shoulders taller than him, but my brother stared him down fearlessly.
Derek sneered. “This fuckingbitchflipped out over nothing.”
Everyone was watching now, waiting to see how it would escalate. I hated being the center of attention, and I didn’t want my brother to get his ass kicked on my account, so I quickly put up my hands.
“It’s not a big deal. It’s a misunderstanding. And… it’s my fault.”
Derek aimed a finger at me. “Damn right it’s your fault. You…”
Suddenly a shape pushed through the crowd to my right. Hunter roared as he flew through the air, tackling Derek in the side and sending them both crashing to the ground. Hunter pulled Derek up by his varsity jacket and threw a wild punch into his jaw.
“Don’t youeverfucking touch her!” he screamed while looming over Derek. He glanced back at me to make sure I was okay, then returned his fury to the football player. “Do you fucking hear me, you thick-necked asshole?”
Derek grunted and lunged forward, knocking Hunter backward. The football player threw a meaty fist, which Hunter somehow managed to dodge while regaining his balance. The punch unsteadied an already-drunk Derek, and Hunter took the opportunity to push the bigger man’s head down and then kick his knee up into his nose.
Derek stumbled back into the crowd, knocking over beer cans and red solo cups. Two of his football-playing teammates grabbed him, helping him stay on his feet.
Hunter’s chest heaved with angry breaths, fists held up protectively and arms bulging with muscle. “Get thefuckout of this house.” He had a look in his eyes, wild and manic, like he would fight the entire football team if he had to. For a few horrified seconds, I was afraid that was exactly what he would need to do.
Derek held a hand up to his nose, and blood trickled out from the fingers. “This party sucks,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”
A girl I had never met shoved past me and said, “Way to ruin the party, Erica.” Another girl glared at me before tossing her beer cup to the ground.
Overwhelmed with embarrassment and shame, I fled from the room.
8
Erica
I shoved my way through the confused partiers, hurrying upstairs and into the safety of my bedroom. As soon as the door was closed, the music dimmed to a thumping bass and the sound of excited chatter disappeared.
Now that it was over, the shock of what had happened began to wear off. I replayed everything in my head: Derek smacking my ass, then pulling me into a kiss while groping me further. I couldn’t believe I had slapped him.
I felt so stupid. Derek Offerman was the captain of the football team, and the homecoming king. Every girl in school would havekilledto be kissed by him at a party.
I should have played it cool,I thought bitterly.I should have just let him.
Shouting outside drew me to the window, where people were streaming out of the party. Hunter appeared next, a lacrosse stick resting on his shoulder like a weapon while he escorted a cluster of football players away. One of them rounded on him, jabbing a finger in his face like he wanted to fight, but Hunter calmly pointed to the street.
“You’re a dead man,” one of the football players shouted. “Just like yourmommy and daddy.”
Hunter recoiled like he had been punched. Even from my second-story window I could see the way his fingers tightened on the lacrosse stick angrily. Somehow, he kept his cool and didn’t engage.
All because of me, I thought, tears welling in my eyes.
A knock came at my door, and then Brad walked inside. I steeled myself, waiting for him to blame me for ruining his big party. But instead, he sat on the bed next to me and put an arm around my shoulder.
“You okay?”
“I think so,” I said. Then I shook my head. “Actually, no. I’m not okay.”
He pulled me into a hug. “One of the girls told me what happened. How Derek smacked your ass. I didn’t even see it, I was drinking the rest of my beer…”