Page 30 of Paper Hearts

Parties happen nearly every night in the summers on Lake Lanier. Tonight’s the first one I’ve been to, and unfortunately, Becca’s there too. I hate it because all the attention is on my eighteen-year-old sister who’s wearing barely anything and flaunting her ass in all the guys’ faces.

“I hope she falls face first into the mud and suffocates,” I mumble to Arya who’s staring at a joint in Roman’s hand. She’s not going to smoke it, but he offered it to her a minute ago and she declined it.

“She’s got a nice ass,” Roman notes, pocketing the joint. “I’d lick it.”

“Gross.” Arya shoves his shoulder. “Don’t be nasty.”

Ender’s distant tonight, his mood off and I think he’s been smoking the weed Roman has because his eyes are hooded and he’s barely talking. To anyone.

I make my way over to him, my hood pulled up over my head, shielding myself from the smoke in my eyes. “Hey.”

He keeps his eyes on the fire but leans my way to bump my shoulder with his. I notice there’s a cut on his cheek and lip, bruising near his right eyebrow. “Hey, kid.”

Kid? I hate when he calls me kid, but I force a smile. “What’s wrong? What happened to your eye?”

He shrugs one shoulder and pulls his own hood up over his head. “Nothing.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

He bumps my shoulder again but no smile. “No, Hads. You didn’t.”

But why isn’t he flirting with me like he did earlier? Why is he acting strange? What happened to his face?

His gaze lifts to Walker who’s across from us, smiling wickedly and Ender shakes his head, as if he’s annoyed by him. I’ve heard enough from Arya to know Ender and Walker—while they’re cousins—rarely get along. I want to pry and ask why he’s acting strange tonight, but I’m afraid if I do, he’ll leave. So I remain quiet and awkwardly stand next to him like I belong there.

Harper comes up to me and yanks on my hand. “Dad’s on his way. We gotta go.”

I know what that means. We have to get home.

I touch my hand to Ender’s forearm. He doesn’t pull away from me, but his eyes find mine. “Sorry, I have to go.”

Ender doesn’t say anything and Harper and I leave to find Becca.

Harper throws her curly mess of hair into a ponytail as we search for Becca. “What the fuck is taking her so long? If Daddy catches us, we’re screwed.”

It takes us twenty minutes to find her. Frantically looking around for her, my eyes catch hers in the distance, and I see that she’s in front of Ender, kissing him with her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Though he doesn’t look completely into it, he’s not stopping it either. In fact, she’s up against the boathouse and Ender’s in front of her, his body in line with hers and leaning in.

Heart shattered. Having no claim to him, I don’t understand the jealousy surfacing, but it’s there, rearing its ugly head. “She’s over there,” I snap, glaring at my two-faced sister and wanting so badly to be in her place.

Harper groans. “Jesus. Becca!” she yells. “Get over here.”

Ender immediately steps away from her and turns away from my view before walking away from her. Becca wipes her hand over her mouth and jogs over to us. “What?”

“We have to go,” Harper tells her. “Dad’s coming.”

“I’ll be out late,” Becca says, cheeks flushed and lips bright red. “Don’t tell Daddy where I’m at.”

“Where are you going?”

She points to Ender walking up the path the leads back to his house. “With him.”

The air ceases behind me, and I wish, pray, he saw me the way he sees Becca, or Kamila, but he doesn’t.

“Becca, Dad is on his way home,” Harper tries to reason with her. “He’s going to ask where you’re at.”

“I don’t care.” Becca rolls her eyes. “Tell him I’m staying at Arya’s house. What’s the big deal?” She’s such a snob. Arya is my friend, not hers.

“Arya’s my friend, not yours, Becca,” I snap, scowling at her. “Dad will never believe you.”

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