Page 50 of Reckless
When he was gone, I brought my stare back to Jaz, muttering, “Looks like Jacob’s not the only one stalking us tonight.”
She let out a faint laugh. “Yeah, they, uh…they worry about me. I have a habit of getting myself into trouble.” She bit her bottom lip, studying me in a way that made me want to take off my blazer. “Especially when it comes to you.”
Her words sounded so sincere, I almost didn’t know what to say back. “I knew you’d be trouble for me the first time I saw you.”
Jaz’s dark eyes narrowed, and she set a hand beneath her chin, leaning towards me as a tiny smile crept along her lips. “Did you?”
“I did. I had no idea this was where we’d be, but…even though we didn’t get here how I wished we did, I’m—” It hurt to say this next part, because it kind of felt like I was agreeing with everything that had happened lately, which I didn’t. “—I’m glad we’re here.”
“I am, too.”
We spent the next few minutes just talking. It was nice. Even though her stalkers were nearby, blending in and watching, it was enough for me to lose myself in her, to forget where we were, what our pasts were. I overlooked the fact everyone kept glancing at us, as if they couldn’t believe she and I were here together. All that mattered was her.
Why had I clung to my ignorance for so long? Why did I blame this girl for everything? She was new here. She didn’t play the games these other kids did. Jaz was unlike Brittany in every way, and to even think to blame her for what happened, for my family’s truth coming out and Brittany’s death…
I was so wrong, and I hated myself for it. I knew I’d never be able to make it up to her. She frankly deserved someone so much better than me.
After a while, we got up. We swore off alcohol, but we were both a little bit thirsty. We went inside the house, to the kitchen. There was alcohol aplenty, but there were also glasses in the cupboard and water from the sink we could drink. It was about the only way we could know for sure no one fucked with it.
I was in the process of filling up two glasses, Jaz right beside me, when a thin-framed girl appeared and pulled Jaz away. I set down the glasses, about to call out for her, but I saw that she and the girl were hugging.
Okay, they must be friends, then.
When she and the girl separated, I saw who it was. Bobbi Wilde. A pretty enough girl, super quiet when it came to school and classes. I thought it was a bit odd that she and Jaz were friends, but what did I know? I only had one class with Jaz, and that was first period.
“Bobbi,” Jaz spoke, grinning ear to ear. “I didn’t know you’d be here. I thought parties weren’t your scene?”
Bobbi shook her head. “They’re not, but I knew you were coming, and I had to make sure you were okay.” She threw a look at me, purposefully, I might add. “Bad things tend to happen when you’re around him.” She did not need to remind either of us of that fact; we were both well aware of it.
“You know, I can appreciate everyone’s concern, but come on,” Jaz said, sounding a bit exasperated, but still smiling. “I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.” She glanced at me, her grin turning into something else, a sly smirk that made me warm in my lower gut. “Besides, without Brittany, Archer’s not so bad.”
Bobbi wasn’t so sure, and her expression told me so as she looked at me. “All right. I guess I’ll go home, then. It’s getting late anyway. I just wanted to check in on you, since you weren’t answering your phone.”
“I put it on silent when we got here,” Jaz told her, reaching into her pocket to check her messages. And, glancing over her shoulder, I did see she missed a few from Bobbi. Huh. So they were that close? I didn’t know why I found it odd, but I did.
Lowering her voice, Bobbi said, “If you need me, call me. I can come pick you up if you need me to.”
“I’m surprised your dad let you come out,” Jaz said, “considering he still thinks I did it.”
“Well, I didn’t tell him I was coming to make sure you were all right. I’m not stupid.” Bobbi let out a laugh, and with one last hug between them, she wandered off, towards the front of the house, presumably to leave, now that she knew Jaz was okay.
After she was gone, I handed Jaz her glass of water, and we were slow to meander back outside. Someone had taken our seats, so we took to walking around the pool. The Taylors had a garden beyond it, a maze of sorts, and with her arm linked through mine, we wandered through it. When we were done with our water, we set the glasses down, telling each other we’d come back for them while knowing we wouldn’t.
“How do you know Bobbi?” I asked, suddenly so very aware that I didn’t know Jaz nearly as well as I thought I did. I knew she moved here, knew her mom was a maid to Oliver Fitzpatrick, but that was about it.
It didn’t feel like enough anymore. I wanted to know all there was to know about her, as much as she would tell me, and then some. I would never get my fill of Jaz.
“She’s in my choir class,” Jaz said, walking so close to me her arm kept brushing up against mine. Eventually she leaned in, linking us together. It was an oddly easy feeling, walking with her through the darkness in the maze, the loudness and brightness of the party a good ways away. “She’s been helping me a lot, since I’m pretty much a dying cat drowning when I sing.”
I chuckled. I had no idea she was in choir, but it sounded like she did not want to be.
“She also helped me throw a coup at the dance,” Jaz went on. “Not that I got to rub my victory in Brittany’s face much, but it was good, to finally be above her…even though it was only for a day, before—well, you know.”
Yes, I knew. Everyone did. What happened to Brittany was only spoken of behind closed doors.
I’d heard what happened at the dance, but it had never really been my focus, since my family had been falling apart. Even though it pained me to say it, I said, “Tell me about it.” Even though I knew the gist of it, hearing it from her would be different.
“Are you sure?”
