Page 86 of For the Fans
“Isn’t Theo so fucking hot??” She spins in circles.
I try to scoff, but it comes out more like an actual laugh. “How would I know…”
“Avi, comeon,” she mumbles, waving away the excess smoke. “We both know you’re dabbling in dudes.”
I freeze. “Says who…?”
“Says me.” She grins, and I relax a little. “And you. Because you told me and Frankie you thought that guy in the movie we watched the other day wassexy.”
My brows zip together while I struggle to recall what she’s talking about.Man, I really need to stop talking to people when I’m drunk and high…
“Oh, you mean Tangerine fromBullet Train??” She giggles and nods. “Objectively. I saidobjectively… I liked his accent.” I swallow. “And his mustache…”
Bea pouts and pinches my cheeks. “You’re so stinkin’ cute.”
“Get off me.” I brush her away while she laughs.
“Hey, you know me.” She plucks the joint from between my fingers. “I don’t discriminate against genitalia.” She beams, and I cackle. “As long as someone’s hot, I’ll be a THOT!”
We’re both laughing like idiots as she twerks in front of me chanting,“THOT THOT THOT.”Until suddenly the door is swinging open, and we’re met with the perpetual scowl of my super-fun stepbrother.
“Can you not fucking fishbowl the bathroom??” he growls, only at me. Not Bea.
Just me. It’s always my fault.
“Don’t be a party pooper, bro.” I giggle while Bea covers her mouth to hold in the laughter. “Take a hit of this sweet gange.”I hold up the joint and he smacks it out of my hand, stomping it out on the floor. “Yo, not cool.” I frown. “Party foul.”
“What the fuck are you doing in here??” He keeps coming at me with his signature brand of hostility, and I back up.
“Partying.” I wink at Bea, who bites her lip.
Kyran’s angry eyes flit between the two of us. “Are you two hooking up?”
“What?!” I snort.
He steps into the room, crowding me with his fists clenched. “Well… are you? Because my friend likes this girl, and I think it would be pretty fucked up if you were in here trying to steal her.”
“Okay, you sound mucho loco right now.” I chuckle at him. “I mean,yes, we’ve hooked up a little before, but we’re not—”
“Bea, please back away,” Kyran seethes with his glare stuck on me. “I’m gonna waste this loser and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Kyran, nothing was happening,” Bea sighs, still laughing a little, although Kyran is clearly not amused, and I’m sort of starting to worry myself that he’s about to hit me.
“You need to leave,” Kyran says to me with his eyes narrowed and his jaw ticking. “I’ve had enough of your stoner bullshit.”
I peek at Bea, who’s finally starting to look a little concerned. And because I want zero drama, especially within the football player crowd, I shoot her a forced smirk.
“Bea, it’s okay.” I wave a hand at her. “Everything’s fine. Stepbro just needs a minute to cool off.”
She blinks at me while Kyran is backing me up against the sink. “Are you sure?”
I nod fast. “Totally. Go get us some drinks. I’ll be right there.”
Bea shrugs and flits away, closing the door behind her. Leaving me with the snarling beast of suffocatingly wound frustration also known as my stepbrother.
“I literally want to kill you,” he hisses in my face. I place a hand on his chest to keep him back, and he smacks it away. “Seriously… Just seeing your fucking face makes me want to bash it in.”
“Don’t do that,” I mumble with my heart pounding louder than the thumping bass of the music.
