Page 26 of Replay

“Alright, I'll walk you back,” Bell says. “Let me just tell the guys I'm leaving.”

“You don’t have to?—”

She cuts me off. “I will not let you walk home by yourself after a day full of drinking.”

“Please, stay. Honestly, it’s okay. You’re having fun, no need to leave.”

She levels me with a stare before turning away from me.

Bellamy disappears out the back door to where some of the guys are as I stay in place, still stewing from that interaction with Carter. When she returns a few minutes later, Nate trails behind her.

I try my best not to drool at how good he looks. And after the game he played today, too, I swear he catches me staring.

Well, at least he didn’t witness what just went down with Carter and me. But instead of joining the party, he continues to follow Bell to where I’m standing.

At just his nearness, my body tenses like it’s preparing for his touch. Like it hasn’t been without him for years now.

But I school my features, cross my arms over my chest, and brace for what happens next.

Nate

The back door opens, and like every other time tonight, I glance from where I’m sitting beside Cash to see if it's Berkley.

Instead, it's Bellamy who appears to be upset.

“What’s wrong, Bella?” Cash asks, immediately standing up.

Bella, huh?

She waves him off. “I’m good.” Rolling her eyes, she huffs, “I should have just told y’all to ban Carter from the house. Now he’s ruined our night, so I’m going to walk Berk home.”

That has me out of my chair. “What did he do?”

“Chill, stalker boy. She’s fine. They just got into an argument. Probably over you.”

Over me?

“Stalker?” Cash asks with a pinched brow.

“Your friend likes to leave little letters onmy friend’sdoorstep. AKAmydoorstep,” she chides.

I wish I knew what Berkley truly thought of my letters…

She keeps talking to Cash. “I just wanted to tell y’all bye. You’re picking me up in the morning, right?”

“Like always,” he responds, his eyes lingering on hers.

“Okay, come at eight instead of nine, so we can be back for the pool party.”

“I’ll be there,” Cash mumbles, all while my mind is coming up with an idea that has my feet following the fiery redhead.

“Hold up. If you want to stay, I can walk her home.”

When she pauses, I think she’s considering it, but she opens our back door. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” she says over her shoulder, continuing into the house.

“Let’s go, lady,” Bellamy says to my beautifully pissed-off girl.

“Bellamy wants to stay. I’ll walk you home,” I rush out.

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