Page 33 of Scoring the Player
“You look perfect.”
“Liar. But thank you.”
That makes me chuckle. I pocket my phone and scan the party. I spot my sisters heading our way and the huge grins on their faces make me groan. “I’m sorry for anything that happens in the next thirty seconds,” I say, just before Stella and Holly step up in front of us.
“What?” Dahlia asks at the same time Stella says, “Hi, big brother. Are you going to introduce us to your new girl?”
Like I have a choice.
“Hi. I’m Stella. This is Holly. We’re Felix’s sisters.” The more outgoing of my sisters jumps right into the introductions. “You must be Dahlia. We’re so excited to finally meet you.”
Dahlia stares at them wide-eyed, a hesitant smile that’s almost a grimace. “Hi. It’s really nice to meet you both.”
“We were just about to go inside and play Ring of Fire. You have to come with us.”
“Yes!” Lucas calls. “I am so in.”
“Stell, she doesn’t like cards.”
“It’s okay,” Dahlia says quickly. “I’d love to play.”
I watch helplessly as Stella links her arm through Dahlia’s and takes her away from me. My sisters and I are close. I love them, but I also don’t really want them in the middle of this thing with me and Dahlia. Looks like they’re not giving me a choice though.
Stella continues to commandeer Dahlia’s attention while we play cards. As annoyed as I am, it gives me a chance to sit back and watch her. Like when playing flip cup, she’s competitive. Still quiet, but she sits forward, taking everything in. She’s never the last person to do something. She’s too observant for that. She is, however, terrible at rhyming. Twice she fails at that and has to drink.
It’s all fun and games until some douchebag soccer player draws a queen and becomes the Question Master and starts asking people really cringe-worthy and inappropriate questions.
“Okay. I think I need to walk around,” Teddy says, standing and waiting for Holly to do the same.
“I’m gonna head out.” Stella checks her phone. “I have to be up early tomorrow for swim, and I want to call Beau.”
“She means phone sex, right?” Lucas asks.
I groan. “Not something I want to think about.”
“Bye, Felix.” Stella hugs me, then smiles at Dahlia. “Nice to meet you.”
“Yeah, you too.”
“Do you have a ride?” I ask Stella. She and Holly live in the dorms, which aren’t too far, but she shouldn’t be walking by herself this late.
“Uber is pulling up now.” She starts for the door. “Bye!”
Everyone disperses quickly after that.
“Sorry about that.” I hang back as everyone heads out so I can have a minute with Dahlia.
“It’s fine. I had fun. Your sisters seem nice.”
“Nice,” I try out the word. “Maybe to other people.”
The backyard is still packed. We lose Jane and Lucas to the dance floor. I can’t tell if they’re into each other or not, but they seem to be having a good time.
Dahlia and I stand with Holly and Teddy on the patio next to some guys setting up a new game of beer pong, including the douche from inside. He’s loud and obnoxious, and at a party filled with people being loud and obnoxious, that’s saying something. I glare at him, but he’s not paying attention to me. He’s looking at Dahlia in a way I don’t like. To be fair, I don’t want him looking at her, period, but I know that’s some caveman bullshit she doesn’t need from the guy she’s only pretending to date.
“You’re that girl!” The guy elbows his friend. “That’s her. I knew it. I’ve been wracking my brain to figure it out.” He mocks Dahlia’s voice as he says, “Felix Walters is stupid hot. I want to lick him all over. That was funny shit.”
He starts in, repeating things from the video again, in that high-pitched voice that sounds nothing like Dahlia, and she’s gone white next to me.
