But sex means I’m his girlfriend, I think. He did say in that possessive gruff voice that I was his. I hope that means he’s mine, too.
Walking through the parking lot with Alec carries a different connotation now. People that offer him high fives also greet me and ask to make plans to hang out. It leaves me on edge, tasting the crackle of something off in the air.
It’s exactly what I told Alec would happen—the same dickheads that bullied me would flip their tune and act chummy towards me after I became Lucas’ girlfriend. Officially.
It makes me uncomfortable.
We find Lucas and the others gathered around Devlin’s shiny red sports car.
“Yeah, I wanted to get one last ride out of her for the season,” Devlin says to one of the girls hanging around with skirts way shorter than dress code regulation. He winks at her. “They’re calling for an early snowstorm. Will you come keep me warm? We can get snowed in and ice skate on the lake.”
The girl coos with her friends. Two of them stand close to Lucas.
“We’ll make a party out of it,” Lucas adds, slinging an arm around the one on the left with bright red lipstick. “Blizzard Bash. That’s what we’ll call it. Start a hashtag.”
Carter whoops.
Alec and I approach. I hang back a bit. Lucas’ attention passes right over me. He doesn’t welcome me with open arms like I’m his girlfriend or sling hatred at me.
It’s like I’m invisible.
Wonderful. It’s what I wanted all along. To be ignored and fly under the social radar.
And now I no longer need that.
“Hey man,” Lucas greets, bumping fists with Alec.
“‘Sup.” Alec nods to the rest of the group. “What’s this about a snowed in party? I’m down.”
“I’m hoping we get a snow day,” says one of the short skirts, twirling her hair as she leans into Lucas’ side.
“We’ll get drunk as fuck and go sledding.” Lucas gives everyone a lazy grin as they cheer for his suggestion. “And a snowball tourney.” He tips a salacious leer at the girl he has his arm around. “Hot toddies and hot tub time.”
Devlin waggles his eyebrows and blows a kiss to the girl he was flirting with over his car. “My kind of party.”
My lip curls. What the hell is this?
The Lucas Saint that visited my room on Saturday and told me about Oak Ridge College of the Arts and this douche are not the same people. The mask he wears at school is back in place. I was silly to think what we shared would make him change around his friends.
Lucas is still toying with me, happy to play possessive, but afraid to commit to more. I’m not having it.
“Count me out.” I wrap my arms around myself. “I’m more of a movie marathon under a blanket sort of person during a snowstorm.”
Lucas lifts a brow and cocks his head to the side.
“Suit yourself. I guess I’ll need to find a few new cuddling partners. What about you, darling?” He addresses the girl batting her eyelashes at him as she presses her breasts into his side. “Yeah, you’re down to keep me company, right?”
I bristle, gnashing my teeth. Lucas ignores the daggers I shoot his way.
“Of course, Lucas.”
I almost gag at her breathy tone. Jesus. This is a school parking lot, not the set of a porno production.
You’d never know the difference with the syrup in her tone.
Lucas chuckles and walks off with his cohorts in tow, keeping his arm around the flirt’s shoulders. I stay back from the group as they head for the steps to school.
Alec darts a concerned glance my way, but I ignore him.