“Just once?” Christian gibes.
Taylor rolls her eyes. “Pretending to be lesbians for attention. How original.”
Holden cuts her a warning glare and she throws up her manicured hands in mock surrender. “Sorry.” She shrugs in a way that says she’s not sorry at all. “Old habits die hard.”
“It’s called a joke. You should try it sometime,” I say. She’s always so busy trying to be the prettiest, the richest, the smartest, the most athletic, that I don’t think she’d know what fun was if it bit her in the ass.
She gives me a bratty smile and then averts her eyes, effectively ending the conversation. I don’t know how I was ever friends with her. I mean, we were frenemies at best, but even being friendly with Taylor seems impossible at this point.
“I think summer is officially over.” I shiver, glad for the fire. I should’ve brought a jacket.
“Drink more. It’ll warm you up,” Valen teases, guiding my cup to my mouth with the palm of her hand. Usually when we go out, one of us will limit ourselves to a drink or two if the other plans on getting drunk, but since I live right across the woods, we can both partake.
The guys fall into some conversation about basketball, and Valen rolls her eyes, completely uninterested. At first, I’m tense, still not completely at ease here, but then we all fall into conversation, and I start to loosen up. Taylor still looks put out, as if my mere presence offends her, but she doesn’t make any additional snide comments. The more I drink, the more I relax. I’m feeling warm from both the fire and the alcohol, leaning back on Valen, with my feet perched on the edge of the brick fire pit.
“Up,” Valen says, smacking the tops of my thighs. “We need more beer.”
I stand too fast and stumble a little, feeling tipsier than I thought I was. Aiden stands and his hands steady me at my waist.
“You good?” he asks quietly.
“I’m so good.” I laugh. I haven’t let my guard down like this in over a year, and it feels like a weight has started to lift from my chest. Not fully, but enough to notice. Enough to breathe a little easier.
A giggle rings out into the night air, and I look up to see Thayer standing on the balcony above us, hands braced on the ledge, staring daggers at me. A small group of people are up there with him, and a girl named Lissa whispers something into his ear, pressing her tits into the side of his arm. Lissa graduated last year, but it seems she still hasn’t given up on getting Thayer to notice her. I frown, looking away.
“Take care of her,” Valen says, pointing a threatening finger at Aiden. “I’ll be right back.”
“I need a re-up, too.” Holden stands, and the two of them walk inside together. Once they’re gone, Taylor takes the opportunity to sidle up to me, and I can tell by the look on her face that she’s way too excited about whatever bomb she’s about to drop on me.
“Since you like jokes so much, want to hear a funny one?” she asks, tilting her head to the side with a fake-innocent expression on her face.
“Let’s hear it,” I deadpan. She’s going to say it either way.
“Okay, it’s a good one.” She claps her hands under her chin. “Are you ready?”
When I don’t respond, she continues, cupping her hands around her mouth in a mock whisper. “It’s you. You’re the joke.”
I poke out my bottom lip, patting the top of her head. “We’ll work on it. You’ll get better with practice.”
“Oh, that’s not all,” she says when I start to turn around. I pause, waiting for her to finish. “The only reason you’re here right now is because Thayer told Holden to get close to you. But it’s super cute that you actually thought they were your friends.”
What? I falter, not expecting that.
“What the fuck, Taylor? Chill,” Aiden chimes in.
“What? You don’t believe me? Just ask him.”
“Tay!” Christian snaps, and the look on his face is all I need to know it’s true. The way Holden flip-flopped so suddenly and basically forced me to be his friend again. The way he’s always there, whether it be at lunch, in between classes, or picking me up from practice.
My stomach churns, feeling stupid, but not exactly surprised.
“Enjoy it while it lasts, because your time here,” she lowers her voice, moving close enough to tower over me, “is almost up.”
“Thanks for the warning,” I manage to force sarcasm into my tone.
“Anytime.” She smiles.
I turn to the side yard, knowing there’s a gate over there I can leave through so I don’t have to walk back through the house.