25. Ashley
CHAPTER 25
ASHLEY
K enzie’s birthday dinner with our parents was stress-free, mainly because I didn’t sit next to Sean. He also behaved as if he could barely tolerate my presence, to keep up the ruse. Now we’re heading to the party at Ken Kudo’s house. He’s the new starting quarterback at All Saints High, and apparently, the reason Sean invaded my bathroom and broke our rules.
Silly boy. As if he’d have to worry about a high-school guy. Why would I have a hamburger when I can have fillet mignon? Not that I’d ever tell Sean that. He doesn’t need me boosting his ego even more. Besides, it’s good for him to know that he’s not the only one with a list of potential suitors. I haven’t forgotten him teasing me about it earlier.
I’m not sure yet how I feel about partying with the All Saints crowd again. I can hardly believe it’s been only a few months since this was my life. I was so involved in the whole cheerleading squad scene, plus stressing about my grades, but that wasn’t me. I’m finally beginning to discover who I am.
And it seems who you are is a harlot who wants to screw her stepbrother anytime, anywhere.
Hell. Where did that thought come from?
I ride in the back because it’s Kenzie’s birthday, and I’d rather not sit next to Sean. We arrive at the party late, and it’s already busy. Ken’s house is one of the bigger ones in the neighborhood, and there are cars lined up on both sides of the street.
“Where am I supposed to park?” Sean muses.
“Oh, Ken said we could park in the garage,” Kenzie pipes up.
“He did? Why?” I ask.
Kenzie turns in her seat and glances at me. “Because I’m the birthday girl, and truth be told... because he wants to bone you.”
“Ken sounds like an ass,” Sean mutters.
I shake my head. “It’d take more than premium parking to convince me to fuck someone.”
“Oh God. Of course. Besides, I don’t think he’s all that, even though most of the girls at All Saints think he’s the king.”
“He was already pretty popular last year.”
“Can we stop talking about this douche canoe?” Sean grumbles.
Kenzie looks at him. “Geez, relax. You’d better not be a grump all night.”
“Can’t make any promises.”
I’m highly amused by Sean’s sour mood. He’s jealous, and I love knowing that. It’s another sign that I threw the no-attachment rule out the window. Possessive Sean is giving me the damn feels, butterflies in the stomach and all.
Sean drives all the way up to the garage. “The door is closed. Now what?”
“Ken gave met the code. One sec.” Kenzie gets out of the car and, while she’s busy putting in the passcode, Sean turns to me.
“If this Ken person tries anything with you, I’ll make him look like the doll... junkless.”
My brows arch. “Savage. You’d better control your caveman impulses, Sean. You’re not my boyfriend.”
Sean clenches his jaw hard enough that his muscles twitch. My pulse speeds up as anticipation grows. I find myself wanting him to say that I’m wrong. He is my boyfriend.
It’s a fucking stupid desire.
The garage door opens, and Sean pulls in and parks. I sag against the seat, feeling gloomy. But I have only a few seconds to wallow before Kenzie opens the door for me. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah.” I force a smile to my lips. She doesn’t deserve Sean and me to be sourpusses. It’s her eighteenth birthday, after all.
I get out of the car, and Kenzie links her arm with mine. We lead and Sean follows us. I purposefully don’t look at his face, but I bet he’s sulking.
Entering the house through the garage door means we’re right in the thick of the party. The kitchen is always one of the busiest rooms. There’s a mixed group of guys and girls taking Jell-O shots.
“Look who’s here, bitches!” Kenzie lifts one arm.
“Kenzie! You made it!” a girl with purple hair and a nose ring shouts.
People crowding the kitchen lift their cups and greet us, but I don’t recognize any of them.
“Guys, this is my brother Sean and my sister Ashley,” Kenzie introduces us.
Purple-hair girl arches a brow. “Oh, I know you. You were a cheerleader last year, right?”
“Yeah, head cheerleader,” I reply, and cringe. It sounds like I’m bragging.
“I’m Lola, and this is Patrick, Trevor, Mina, and Cora.”
“And we’re the Elevensies ,” Kenzie adds.
“Uh... what?” Sean chimes in.
“It’s the name of our band. Didn’t Kenzie tell you we’re playing tonight?”
I look at Kenzie with my jaw hanging low. “You’re in a band and didn’t tell us?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“What kind of music do you play?” I ask.
“Punk rock, right?” Sean replies.
She nods. “Yep. I can’t wait to play for you tonight. We’ve been rehearsing nonstop!”
“We’re gonna rock,” Lola chimes in, then turns to us. “Jell-O shots?”
“Sure. Why not?” I say.
Lola gives us one shot each, and then Sean goes after a beer. I decide that I’ll refrain from drinking more tonight so I can drive home. I’m not in the mood to get drunk.
“I’m gonna walk around the party,” I tell Kenzie.
“I’ll come with you.”
Sean has his back to us, so I can’t make eye contact. I don’t know if he heard us over the loud music. I can’t ask him to join us though. That would be strange to Kenzie. He almost gave it away today when he winked at me in front of her.
Now that I’m alone with Kenzie, I can try to get the truth from her. She’s been evading me since her return to the States. “So, are you going to tell me why you moved back to Boston?”
“You’re not going to give up, are you?”
“Nope.”
She drags me to a corner and turns to me. “Fine. I’ll tell, you but you can’t say a word to Sean.”
“I promise.”
“Do you remember Tori, my closest friend in London?”
“Of course. You were inseparable.”
Kenzie takes a deep breath. “I did something bad. I hooked up with her boyfriend.”
My eyes bug out. “Nooo. When?”
“When I got back from summer break. Tori was still visiting her family in Australia. I bumped into her boyfriend at a party, we got hammered, and then… well.”
“Did you tell her?”
She shakes her head. “No. I took the coward’s way out and moved back to Boston. I feel horrible.”
“People make mistakes.”
“You don’t think I’m a bad person, do you?”
I throw an arm around her shoulders. “No. I wouldn’t think you were a bad person even if you had been screwing her boyfriend behind her back for months. You’re my sister, Kenzie. I’ll always be on your side.”
“Stop it. You’re gonna make me cry.”
“You can cry if you want to,” I joke.
“Damn it, Ash. Now I have that stupid song in my head.”
I laugh. “You should add that to your setlist.”
“That’s a quick fuck no.”
W e continue our exploration of the party. In the living room, we bump into some members of my old squad. Annie Cox, the new head cheerleader, is the first to see us.
“Ash, you’re here!” She stumbles forward and gives me a sloppy embrace. Hell, she smells flammable.
“Hi Annie.”
Once she steps back, her gaze travels over my shoulder. “Holy hotness. Who’s the Greek god behind you?”
My stomach tightens. Fuck. Did Sean follow Kenzie and me? I turn and, sure as shit, there he is. I didn’t bank on the fact that he’d be the main attraction at a high school party. A mistake on my part, and now I can’t do anything besides smile tightly and pretend I’m unbothered that all the girls are ogling him.
“That’s my brother,” Kenzie replies when I don’t. “Sean, come here and meet Ash’s former squad members.”
He steps forward and waves at everyone. “Hello.”
Annie nudges me out of the way so she can invade Sean’s personal space. “Hello there. I’m Annie.”
“Uh, hi.”
I tense. I’m about to drag her away from him, but I stop at the last second. I can’t act like a jealous girlfriend.
“Don’t waste your time with this one,” I say. “He hates cheerleaders.”
Annie whips her face to me. “What? You’re joking. No one hates cheerleaders.”
“He does. Tell her, Sean. Am I lying?” I arch a brow.
“No. You aren’t lying.” He steps away from Annie. “I’m gonna get a drink.”
“You have a beer in your hand,” Kenzie points out.
He tosses his cup back and inhales the rest of his drink. Then, looking at me, he says, “Correction. I had a beer in my hand.”
I should feel smug that my lie worked, but I feel kind of down. Sean seems annoyed with me.
“Oh, now I see why you hate him so much,” Pippa Montana, a junior who’s the best flyer I’ve ever seen, pipes up.
“Sean isn’t so bad, guys,” Kenzie butts in.
Annie shrugs. “I’d still do him. Hate fucking is the best.”
I narrow my eyes. If she keeps talking like that, she’ll get hate fucked, but not in the way she’s hoping. I’ll fuck you up, bitch.
“Can we please stop talking about screwing that bonehead?” I say. “I wanna hear all about the squad.”
They all start talking over each other, but I’m barely paying attention. I keep glancing over my shoulder, searching for Sean.