Chapter Twenty-Nine
Sailor
“I can’t believe you convinced me to go to another party.”
“Neither can I,” Amelia squeals. “Now sit and let me do your makeup.”
With a groan, I do as she asks. Arguing with her is futile. She always gets her way. She may be small and cute, but damn, this girl is feisty.
“So, uh… have you talked to Sam again?”
“No…” I say carefully, unsure why she’s asking… and in such a strange tone.
“Oh. Okay.”
I keep my eyes closed as she piles on the eyeshadow, but I really would love to open my eyes and look at her to see the expression on her face.
“Why?” I ask.
“No reason,” she says quickly.
“Have you talked to him?” I ask.
“What? Me? No. How would I talk to him?” She laughs nervously. “That’s crazy. He’s not my friend, Sailor. He’s yours. Actually, he’s your ex. So no, of course I haven’t talked to him.”
“Wow, okay,” I say with a small laugh.
“Hold still,” she grumbles.
I think maybe Amelia has a crush on Sam.
And honestly… I’m completely okay with that.
This party is smaller than the last we went to, but no less chaotic.
In fact, maybe even more so because there’s more room for it.
One room is taken up by a bunch of guys playing beer pong on billiard tables, which I can’t imagine being good for the felt.
It must cost a ton to get beer stains out of that.
They’re loud as fuck, blasting some kind of music that I can’t tell over the other music playing from a large sound system in the main living room.
Some guy is sitting in a recliner, playing on a phone that’s plugged into the system with thick headphones on… must be the DJ?
“Come on…” Amelia takes my hand and pulls me through the house.
“How do you always know where to go?”
She gives me a look but doesn’t answer. We end up in the kitchen a moment later, and thankfully, there are only two other people in here. A guy and girl standing in the corner who are having a hushed but heated argument.
I open the blue cooler on the floor by the oven and pull out a drink while Amelia makes a drink. Vodka, soda, and juice.
A group of guys walks into the kitchen, loud and rowdy. One of them has laser vision for Amelia, a bright smile lighting up his face when he sees her.
“Hey, you made it!”
She looks up just as the guy leans on the counter across from us. He’s a pretty boy, with longish blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He kind of reminds me of that guy from Saved by the Bell.
“Jace!” she says with a big smile. “How’s it going?”
“Much better now I’m talking to you.”
I have to fight back the gag.
Amelia rolls her eyes playfully before taking a sip of her drink.
“This is my friend Sailor.”
Jace glances at me, giving me one of those bro up nods. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
I sip my drink, and zone out while Amelia chats with this guy. His friends have left, and so it’s a little quieter, but this is weird. I think I prefer the crazy parties that keep me busy people watching, where I can get lost in the crowds. This is… boring.
“You’re that girl.”
I turn around to find a guy behind me. Tall. Skinny. Red hair and freckles.
“Excuse me?”
He gives me a crooked grin, then takes a sip of something in a glass that’s the color of apple juice. “That girl.”
I look from side to side, and the only other girl in here is Amelia… and she’s still talking with Jace.
“What girl?”
He points to my head. “Pink hair.”
“The girl with the pink hair?” I question.
This guy isn’t coming on to me or flirting with me… at least, that’s not how it feels. And he seems harmless. So I keep talking to him because what else do I have to do?
“Jaxon was looking for you.”
The can slips from my hand, but I grasp it at the last second before it tumbles to the ground.
I glance over my shoulder to find Amelia giving this Jace kid goo-goo eyes.
“Jaxon?” I ask. “When?”
“Uh, like, months ago. Last semester.”
My stomach turns sour. Why was I hoping he’d say recently?
“Who are you?” I ask.
“Orville. I’m kind of a big deal.”
“Oh?”
“Yep.” He finishes off his drink, then lets out a long breath like it burned going down. He pats his chest, puts the glass down, then leans against the counter. “I know everything.”
“Everything, huh?”
“You need someone found, you come to me.”
“Can you find Jaxon?”
“Can I find—ha! Don’t be silly. Of course I can find Jaxon. I know his information off the top of my head.” He pats it, then hiccups. “He’s crazy, you know. Kinda scary too. Our families are friends… or were. I don’t know. But he’s kind of mean.”
“He can be, yeah. So, where can I find him?” I push.
“I don’t think you want to find him.”
But I have this wonderful idea in my head…
“I most certainly do want to find him.”
He sighs heavily. “Okay then…” He mutters something under his breath, something about girls wanting assholes, but then he gives me an address. Rambles it off like he’s said it a thousand times before.
I take it down in my phone notes, as Orville rambles on about his schedule and what he likes to do and when his classes are.
Maybe this kid isn’t as innocent and harmless as I thought. But right now, this is benefiting me, so I take in everything he says, and the plan in my head grows.