Page 5 of Habits

Andrew turns to the girl closest to him. Her blonde hair is curled, and she’s wearing a bunny costume with a plush tail and everything. No kidding.

Just looking at her makes me want to puke in my mouth and roll my eyes all at the same time.

I’m not sure if it’s that Diamond girl that messed with Lia and Derek or one of her minions. They all look like clones, so it’s hard to guess.

Whoever she is, she curls her hand around Andrew’s and whispers something in his ear. He gives her one of his lazy I-am-gonna-bang-you-and-you-are-gonna-beg-for-more smiles, but the easiness that was there when it was just the guys is gone. In its place, a dark shadow looms over him.

The girl takes the drink out of his hand and sips from the red Solo cup. She flirts with him shamelessly, batting her eyelashes and giggling as she twirls a strand of her hair around her finger.

I feel my jaw tense, but I don’t make a move. My eyes stay glued to them.

As if he can feel my stare, Andrew lifts his head and his eyes find mine through the crowd.

We are fixed on each other.

Not breathing.

Not blinking.

His smile widens.

Without breaking our eye contact, he lowers so that his lips touch the girl’s ear. Goosebumps rise on my skin. It almost feels like he’s doing it to me, like I can feel his lips on my earlobe and his hot breath touch my skin.

Silly, silly girl.

She giggles. I know because it’s obnoxiously loud and fake, even in the crowded room with music blasting.

Whatever he said to her, she agreed to because I can see her locks bounce as she nods her head. Grinning, he pushes her out of the room.

Toward the stairs.

To his room.

Suddenly, I feel sick, the need to puke real. And at the same time, I feel ridiculous. Ridiculous and stupid. Why did I let him get to me? He knew I was watching, so he must have done it on purpose.

Andrew Hill isn’t the hearts and flowers kind of guy. He doesn’t do romance or relationships. He’s a dick. Asshole with a capital A, and I don’t understand why I let his behavior affect me. It’s not like I haven’t seen this same thing before.

Trust me, I know all about fake friendships, lying assholes and the disaster that is high school. Different school, different names, same personalities. But this time, there is something else that’s different—me.

I look around the room, searching for my brother, but I don’t see him. He was just there. Where did he go?!

Brook, Lia and Derek are also nowhere in sight. Where the hell did everybody go? They have to be somewhere around here. We came in the same car and I’m the one with the keys in my purse, so there is no way they left.

I grab my phone and shoot a quick message to my brother:Where are you?

Then my eyes fall to the bottom of the list. The bright screen taunts me in the darkness. I nibble at my lip, debating what to do. I know I shouldn’t, but my fingers are faster than my brain, typing the message and hitting send before I can rethink my decision.

Collecting your BFs leftovers. How classy.

I read it again and again, my breathing uneven as panic, cold and unforgiving, runs through my veins. I already regret my decision, but there is no taking it back now.

One more look at the screen assures me I have no new messages, so I decide to go outside. Maybe the cool night air will ease the pressure off my chest and let me breathe more easily.

Moving through the haze of kids, all in different costumes and states of drunk and undress, I find the door leading to the back terrace. It’s wide open, but there is nobody outside, for which I’m grateful.

It’s freezing out, and my Wonder Woman costume doesn’t help much in keeping me warm, but I prefer it that way. At least in this moment. November coldness helps keep me grounded.

The terrace is illuminated with the dim light of the lamps and moon trying to shine through the dark clouds.

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