Page 86 of Breakout
“I was already excited, but even more so now. I’m so happy you gave in willingly. We were coming up with ways to get you there,” Grace says right as a group of people comes outside, laughing and falling over each other.
“Let’s get out of the way,” I mutter as I stand.
“Should we head back inside?” Cora asks.
“We could head upstairs. Hang out in Clay’s and my room,” Grace offers.
“Sounds good.”
As soon as we step back inside, music assaults my ears.
I know the moment Cora spots Kellan because she lights up like a firework on the Fourth of July and beelines straight to him.
“Ladies, I was wondering where you ran off to,” Kellan says as he pulls Cora into his arms.
He leans down and kisses her. A small part of me is jealous watching them together.
What would it be like to be out in the open with Beckett like them? Would he pull me into his arms and kiss me the way Kellan kisses Cora?
“We escaped for a little peace and quiet for a minute,” she tells him when he pulls away.
“Do you girls need drinks?” he asks, looking between the three of us.
“Yes, please,” Grace and Cora say in unison.
“Why not?” I add.
“All right, I got you. Stay right here, I’ll be right back,” he says as he steps away.
“I hope she has someone watching out for her,” Grace says.
Cora and I turn to follow her line of sight. There is a girl leaning against the wall who looks like she’s about to go down.
“I don’t know if she’s a freshman, she doesn’t look familiar,” Cora says.
“I’ve never seen her either,” I add.
I go to take a step toward her when I hear my name.
“Peyton!”
I look over and see Gabe walking toward me and can’t help but frown. What is he doing here? I remember him specificallybringing up how he hates parties because they are overcrowded, and people act like children.
I look back to the girl, relief filling me when I see two girls helping her toward the front door.
Turning back to Gabe, I force a smile.“Hi?”
“I thought I’d find you here.” He smiles as he comes to a stop next to me.
“You did?”
“Yeah, you’re friends with all these guys, right?”
“I am.”
An awkward silence falls over us, and I look back at the girls. Cora looks like she’s about to burst out laughing, and Grace’s eyes couldn’t possibly get any wider.
“So, how have you been?” he asks.
