co-captain on the football team, and Dorothy and some of her friends are trying to join the conversation. I try to ignore the glances Lisa and Dorothy keep throwing in my direction.
Ryan runs his fingers up and down my arm. He leans forward to my ear and asks quietly, “Is this okay?” I lean my head back and smile at him.
“Yes. Thank you for bringing me.”
The quiet moment is broken when I hear Jace in the woods. “Where is she?” he asks, seemingly to no one in particular.
I stiffen, and Ryan stops moving his finger along my arm. Jace Wilder frightens people. I’ve never really understood it. Maybe it’s because I’ve known him since he was four years old and I can remember when he carried his stuffed giraffe, Jerry, everywhere with him, but he’s never frightened me.
When Jace bursts into the clearing across the campfire, green eyes blazing, I think I can actually see what frightens people. He looks volatile.
“Jace?” I sit up and I hate that my voice quivers.
I can see Jace’s chest rising and falling as he breathes deeply. His hands clench and unclench. It feels like minutes, although I know it’s only seconds, before he slowly makes his way around the campfire and crouches in front of me. “Jace, are you on drugs? You’re scaring me.”
His muscles around his shoulders tense and then relax. “No, Pepper, I don’t do drugs.”
“I wouldn’t know. There’s a lot about you I don’t know.” I don’t mean to sound accusing, but I can’t help my anger. He doesn’t even party with the high school kids anymore? I should have known this. He should have told me. I have no idea who his new college friends are.
Jace sighs. He takes the beer from my hand and places it on the ground. “Does Bunny know you’re here?”
“Of course. We did shots together before we left. Ryan came for dinner. She’s thrilled I’m going to a party.” I feel Ryan’s legs stiffen behind me. He hasn’t said anything.
“Are you drunk?” Jace asks. He still hasn’t looked at Ryan.
“Of course not,” I scoff. “Not that it’s your business.”
Jace’s jaw clenches. “Do you want me to take you home?” His green eyes are so intent, I feel like he could break glass with that gaze. But I won’t give in.
“Do you want me to leave that badly? Get over it, Jace. I’m not doing anything to embarrass you. I’m just sitting here. Ryan will take me home when I’m ready. You can go back to your college party, or wherever you were. You smell like chlorine.” I lean back against Ryan’s shins, pick up my drink, and look at the fire, avoiding Jace’s penetrating gaze. I take a sip of beer, defiantly. I know I’m acting like a child, and I hate that he’s making me feel this way. But seriously, what’s the big deal?
Jace runs his hand through his messy fauxhawk. He stands up and watches the fire, but doesn’t move. After a moment, he stalks off towards the table where people are playing beer pong. I turn back to Ryan. “Sorry about that.”
Ryan frowns. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Pepper. Although I can’t say I understand what just happened.”
“That makes two of us. Jace is just… intense. He likes things a certain way. I think he likes to keep his friendship with me separate from the rest of his social life.” I squirm slightly. “It’s kind of hurtful, to be honest. He doesn’t like me being here.”
“I caught that. It looks like he’s staying,” Ryan says, nodding toward where Jace is leaning against a tree.
People
Ryan runs his fingers up and down my arm. He leans forward to my ear and asks quietly, “Is this okay?” I lean my head back and smile at him.
“Yes. Thank you for bringing me.”
The quiet moment is broken when I hear Jace in the woods. “Where is she?” he asks, seemingly to no one in particular.
I stiffen, and Ryan stops moving his finger along my arm. Jace Wilder frightens people. I’ve never really understood it. Maybe it’s because I’ve known him since he was four years old and I can remember when he carried his stuffed giraffe, Jerry, everywhere with him, but he’s never frightened me.
When Jace bursts into the clearing across the campfire, green eyes blazing, I think I can actually see what frightens people. He looks volatile.
“Jace?” I sit up and I hate that my voice quivers.
I can see Jace’s chest rising and falling as he breathes deeply. His hands clench and unclench. It feels like minutes, although I know it’s only seconds, before he slowly makes his way around the campfire and crouches in front of me. “Jace, are you on drugs? You’re scaring me.”
His muscles around his shoulders tense and then relax. “No, Pepper, I don’t do drugs.”
“I wouldn’t know. There’s a lot about you I don’t know.” I don’t mean to sound accusing, but I can’t help my anger. He doesn’t even party with the high school kids anymore? I should have known this. He should have told me. I have no idea who his new college friends are.
Jace sighs. He takes the beer from my hand and places it on the ground. “Does Bunny know you’re here?”
“Of course. We did shots together before we left. Ryan came for dinner. She’s thrilled I’m going to a party.” I feel Ryan’s legs stiffen behind me. He hasn’t said anything.
“Are you drunk?” Jace asks. He still hasn’t looked at Ryan.
“Of course not,” I scoff. “Not that it’s your business.”
Jace’s jaw clenches. “Do you want me to take you home?” His green eyes are so intent, I feel like he could break glass with that gaze. But I won’t give in.
“Do you want me to leave that badly? Get over it, Jace. I’m not doing anything to embarrass you. I’m just sitting here. Ryan will take me home when I’m ready. You can go back to your college party, or wherever you were. You smell like chlorine.” I lean back against Ryan’s shins, pick up my drink, and look at the fire, avoiding Jace’s penetrating gaze. I take a sip of beer, defiantly. I know I’m acting like a child, and I hate that he’s making me feel this way. But seriously, what’s the big deal?
Jace runs his hand through his messy fauxhawk. He stands up and watches the fire, but doesn’t move. After a moment, he stalks off towards the table where people are playing beer pong. I turn back to Ryan. “Sorry about that.”
Ryan frowns. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Pepper. Although I can’t say I understand what just happened.”
“That makes two of us. Jace is just… intense. He likes things a certain way. I think he likes to keep his friendship with me separate from the rest of his social life.” I squirm slightly. “It’s kind of hurtful, to be honest. He doesn’t like me being here.”
“I caught that. It looks like he’s staying,” Ryan says, nodding toward where Jace is leaning against a tree.
People
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