Page 6 of Sunshine

David shakes his head. “Connor’s just fucking around. Come on.” He nods toward the back of the house as he opens the gate, ignoring the sign. As if we should know who Connor is. I catch Regan’s eyes but she just shrugs and follows behind.

We take the narrow pathway into the full backyard to find a couple dozen people, all obviously juniors and seniors. My eyes skim across the congregation of faces—most don’t spare us a glance.

A tall dark-haired guy steps out of the house and immediatelyspots us, his face twisting into a wry grin as he makes his way over. “Never thought I’d see the day when you’d show up with chicks,” he quips.

David sighs. “I have no problem pulling chicks, Sanders. But these girls are cool—be nice, okay?”

The guy looks me up and down before his eyes flit to Regan. His grin grows wider. “Fresh meat? You dog.”

“Shut up, Connor. They’re friends.”

Connor throws his hands up. “All good here, bro. But keep an eye on them—some of the guys from the football team are already rowdy.”

“What else is new?” David chides under his breath.

Connor laughs before he looks back at us. “There’s some liquor in the kitchen—if anyone asks, tell ’em I said it was okay. Bathroom is down the hall to the right, but otherwise, everyone stays out here. My parents come home tomorrow morning, you know how it goes.”

Regan and I both nod, and Connor sets off into the crowd with a dip of his chin.

“Do either of you want a drink?” David asks.

I shake my head—no way in hell am I drinking anything when I have to be home in a little over two hours. I don’t trust myself to hide something like that without some experience.

“I’m okay too, thank you,” Regan says, and I feel my shoulders drop in relief.

“Layla?” someone calls out from my right, and I turn to find Jason Moore—the boy who sits next to me in photography class—walking toward me with a curious look on his face. His golden-brown hair is styled to wavy perfection, and a dimple blooms from the corner of his mouth when his smile widens.

Nerves squeeze at my chest. “Oh . . . you’re here,” I stammer. Regan sucks in a breath next to me.

“Yeah.” He nods. “I’m here. And you’re here, too.”

His smile is infectious, and I can’t help but return it. He’s been quiet in class this week, but his personality has cracked through his soft and shy exterior once or twice. I’ve learned he was on the varsity football team last year and he’s hoping to make it again. I also happen to know from cafeteria gossip that he and his year-long girlfriend recently broke up. Both of them have been really quiet about what happened, so naturally the rumors are running rampant.

David looks back and forth between us. “You two know each other?”

“We sit next to each other in photography,” Jason confirms. And then his eyes slide to David. “How do you know Layla?” There’s something in the way he asks that I can’t put my finger on.

David must hear it too because he hesitates before answering. “Uh . . . Layla and Regan were both in tryouts this week.”

Jason looks back at me, his dark blue eyes catching mine. “You’re a cheerleader?”

I nod. “Technically we don’t find out until Monday, but . . . yeah. I hope so.”

“Hm,” he hums, that hint of a smile still teasing. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been working up the courage all week to ask you something.”

Curiosity flares brightly inside of me. “You have?”

He nods, eyes pinned to mine. “I have. I—I was hoping I could maybe take you out sometime?”

Oh. I’m shocked. “You were?” I feel Regan look at me, and my cheeks burn hot.

Jason’s smile turns soft and warm. “Very much so.”

I stare at him for a long moment before answering, trying to understand how it’s possible that this gorgeous specimen is interested in me. “Okay,” I finally say. “That . . . would be nice.”

CHAPTER FOUR

NOW

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