“Run along now, Shayne. This isn’t your home anymore.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “I can see that.”
Turning around, I make my way to the opposite side of the beach that leads into an open wooded area. I catch Valen’s concerned eyes across the fire, and she stands up like she’s going to come over, but I give a slight shake of my head, letting her know I’m fine.
“You’re back,” a deep voice coming from my left says. I turn around to find Aiden standing there in a black shirt and fitted jeans. I have to admit, he isn’t awful to look at with his dark, curly hair, full lips, and light brown eyes.
“Yep.” I stuff my hands into my back pockets.
“What was that about?”
“High school politics,” I say. “Apparently, I’ve been demoted.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. How’ve you been?”
I frown, trying to figure out his motive. I don’t know why he’s talking to me when I’ve been all but declared a pariah. It’s not like he hasn’t noticed. Looking around to see if anyone’s taken notice to us, I spot Taylor and Alexis scowling in our direction. “We have an audience,” I whisper conspiratorially. “You probably shouldn’t be caught talking to me.”
He scrapes his teeth across his bottom lip to bite back a smile. “I don’t give a fuck. I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because you no longer have a small army of guys cockblocking any and every potential suitor.”
He says it as a joke, but it only serves as a reminder of how much things have changed. Not that I think there was any actual cockblocking happening.
“Shit, wrong thing to say.”
“No, it’s fine.” I wave him off.
I glance over at Thayer once more, unable to resist getting another look at him. He’s staring right at me, the warmth that I usually see in his eyes nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, I feel the urge to bail. I don’t want to be here anymore. I consider asking Valen for a ride home, but she’s currently lip-locked with Liam, and I can’t bring myself to ruin her night. She doesn’t get to see him as much with him living at the dorms.
“Hey, are you sober?” I ask Aiden.
“As a judge.”
“Feel like giving a girl a ride home?”
“Only if we can get some food first.”
“Sold.”
After I tell Valen that Aiden is going to take me home, she reluctantly agrees to stay. We hop into Aiden’s lifted black truck and he turns to look at me.
“Any requests?”
“Pizza,” I say without hesitation.
“Say no more. There’s a bomb-ass pizza place in Haverhill.”
He throws the truck into drive, heading down the winding, narrow path that leads to the main road. It’s easy to talk to Aiden. He’s cocky and witty, but respectful, and not too pushy. After we split a large pepperoni pizza and a pitcher of Pepsi, I feel stuffed. And in slightly better spirits than earlier.
“I’m so full,” I groan, leaning my head back against the booth.
“That mean you’re not going to eat that?” he asks, flicking his chin at the last piece on the silver pizza tray.
“It’s all you.” I laugh.
Aiden folds the slice in half, devouring it in two bites, dusts his hands, then stands. “Ready to go?”
I dig into my purse, pulling out some cash, but he stops me.
“I got it,” he says, throwing three twenties down onto the table.
“Let me pay for half at least.”
“Nope.” He stuffs his wallet back into his back pocket, then motions for me to lead the way.
“Thanks,” I say, turning to face him, walking backwards toward the front of the restaurant. “For the ride and the food.” He smirks at me, but then his eyes focus on something over my shoulder.
“Isn’t that your mom?”
I turn around, fully expecting him to be mistaken, but low and behold, there she is, all dolled up, walking through the parking lot on some guy’s arm.
What the hell?
“Do you want to go say hi?” Aiden asks.
I shake my head. “No, that’s okay.”
The guy helps my mom into the back of a car before climbing in behind her, and then it takes off out of the parking lot. If this is a date, why go out of town? It’s not for the fine dining, that’s for sure. And why wouldn’t she mention it? Maybe it was a meeting, or a client? I roll my eyes at myself. Not likely. Not at this time of night.
Looks like I’m not the only one with secrets.
Shayne
I mouth the words, silently singing along to “Queen of the Night” by Hey Violet as I make my way toward the lunchroom when a hand darts out, jerking me into an empty classroom. I squeal, surprised, and yank my earbuds from my ears.
“Happy birthday,” Thayer says, pushing me up against the wall next to the door. I slap at his shoulder, craning my neck to look out the rectangular window in the door.
“Someone could’ve seen you.”
Thayer shrugs, bending down to grab my thighs and lifts me to his height. My legs automatically wrap around him, my hands gripping his shoulders, and then his lips are on mine, hungry and demanding. I open for him and his tongue pushes inside. I moan, feeling his length twitch between my legs, and shamelessly grind against him, seeking the friction that I need.
He pulls away, breaking the kiss far too soon. “So, birthday girl, what do you want for your present?” he asks, his voice gravelly.
“Anything?” I bite down on my lip.
“Anything.”
I lean forward, bringing my mouth to his ear. My heart is pounding, but I’m going to say it anyway. “I want you to touch me again,” I whisper.
“Shayne,” he groans. “You can’t say shit like that.”
“Why?” I pout. He touched me once, and I’ve been dying to feel it ever since.
“Because now I have to walk around with this all day,” he says, pushing into me to demonstrate his point.
“I guess I’ll just have to take care of it myself…”
“Fine. Meet me in the barn after we have cake and presents with our parents. Then I’ll give you your real present.”
“Ready?” Valen asks, jerking me from my memory. I tear my eyes away from the classroom that triggered it to find her frowning at me, probably wondering why I’m staring at the empty, dark room.
“As I’ll ever be.”
That was a year ago today, when things with Thayer and me first started to heat up. I did meet him in the barn that night, and he gave me exactly what he promised. Thayer wasn’t exactly known for his morality, but for some reason, he fought going any further with me. It was fun and exciting and reckless to sneak around at first. But eventually, as our feelings grew, having to hide got old. But we couldn’t stop it, no matter how many times we tried to end it.
We head out to the student lot, making our way through the crowded parking lot to Valen’s pearl white Mercedes. Since it’s my birthday and my mom had to fly out for a quick two-day trip, I’m celebrating with Valen. I wouldn’t have it any other way. It doesn’t feel like my birthday, anyway, without Grey and my mom around.