Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
HOLLIS
BEFORE…
“Man, I thought you said you were gonna dump Sienna Turner last week?” I groan as we pull up to the curb and glance up. The house is ridiculous—modern and sleek, with floor-to-ceiling windows and lush landscaping.
I don’t even know why I’m surprised anymore.
“I was,” Hendrix says as we start to get out of the car. I walk around the front and meet him at the curb. “But then she suggested we go skinny dipping in her parents’ pool, and I kind of forgot.”
We head toward the front door. I try not to stare, but it’s difficult. The sheer size of the place is intimidating, especially since the last place my mom and I lived was smaller than the driveway we just passed. “And now we’re stuck going to her best friend’s lame birthday party.”
“Might not be lame.” Hendrix shrugs.
An hour later, my best friend is eating his words as we’re both forced into a circle on the floor of Bethany’s—that’s the birthday girl—gigantic living room.
“Time for spin the bottle!” She claps her hands with glee.
“Ah, what the fuck?” Hendrix groans.
“Told you,” I mutter, just as his eyes widen. I glance across the circle to see what has him so rattled and then laugh.
“Nope.” His head shakes back and forth with force. “I will not play spin the bottle with my sister sitting across from me. That’s way too hillbilly for me.”
Bethany rolls her eyes as Sienna comes to sit next to Hendrix.
Apparently, she has no qualms with the idea of her boyfriend kissing other girls.
“If it lands on Presley, you will obviously spin again, Hendrix. Duh.” She plops down beside me, and I get hit with the overwhelming scent of her fancy ass perfume.
It reminds me of the flowery one my mom always wears.
I try not to gag. “Now, if there aren’t any other dumb questions, let’s begin. ”
She then announces she gets the first turn because it’s her birthday. She even points to the giant crown on her head as if we didn’t all know.
She spins the bottle, and we all watch as it lands on some football jock across from her. They both grin, and she jumps up, smoothing the skirt of her dress as if she’s about to walk down the aisle.
“Later, losers,” the jock says.
“Wait. Where are you going?” Presley asks. My eyes jerk toward her. It’s involuntary. Whenever I hear her voice, I can’t help but look at her.
“To my bedroom. Set the timer,” she says to Sienna. “Seven minutes.”
My brow furrows. “You realize those are two different games, right?”
Her perfectly powdered nose scrunches. “What?”
“Spin the bottle and seven minutes in heaven? Two different games.”
She rolls her eyes. “Whatever. It’s my birthday. I get to do whatever I want.”
“Yeah, cock block. Let her do whatever she wants,” the jock hollers over her shoulder.
He’s right. I don’t even know why I’m arguing. It’s seven minutes without those two. I should be celebrating. Instead, I awkwardly sit around and wait while Hendrix goes off to play his own version of the game with Sierra. Everyone else drifts off to grab snacks or beer.
“Hey, Hollis,” Presley joins me. The scent of vanilla follows her. Unlike Bethany, it’s not overpowering or pretentious. It’s just…her.
“Hey, Pres. Didn’t expect to see you here.”
She shrugs. Our shoulders bump. She doesn’t pull away. “Alex asked me to come.”
“Alex Carpenter?” I fucking hate that guy, and I know Hendrix has warned him to stay away from his sister more than once.
She nods as both of our heads turn to see him talking to one of Bethany’s friends across the room. He’s clearly flirting with her, and although I have no idea what pretense he gave Presley tonight about bringing her, I do know ignoring her is beyond douchey.
“Want me to get Hendrix to take you home?” I ask, giving her a meaningful look.
She bites her lip, clearly torn, because we both know Hendrix is otherwise occupied. Before she can answer, Bethany barrels down the stairs, still fixing her top, and shouts, “Gather up, everyone! It’s time for round two!”
I raise a questioning eyebrow at her, but she just shakes her head. When Hendrix returns, I’m going to tell him he owes his sister coffee for sticking it out.
Especially when, a moment later, Bethany’s eyes land on Presley, and she grins. “Since your brother bailed, you’re up, Presley.”
Presley is popular by association. She’s Hendrix’s little sister, and everyone knows well enough not to mess with her. However, when it comes down to it, much like me, Presley doesn’t fit in with the popular crowd.
And it couldn’t be more blatantly obvious than now.
She looks like she’d rather have the earth swallow her up than reach for that bottle. But she does it anyway. She uncrosses her long legs, gets on her hands and knees, and fucking crawls to the damn bottle.
God, kill me now.
Because try as I might, I am failing miserably at not checking out my best friend’s little sister right now.
I’ve gotten better at looking away.
Over the last eight months, I’ve managed to put Presley firmly in the hell no category and not look at her in any sort of way that’s sexual in nature.
But tonight, I appear to be slipping. And she is so fucking pretty…
She twists the bottle clockwise and then gives it a strong spin. It spins repeatedly, and with each turn, I can feel my heart race faster.
I do not want her kissing any of these guys.
The bottle begins to slow and comes to a stop, causing everyone in the circle to erupt. Because it doesn’t land on someone. It lands between two someones.
Alex Carpenter and…me.
We all look to Bethany for guidance. After all, she’s the one who decided to create this hybrid disaster. She looks around and realizes she’s supposed to say something. Rolling her eyes, she shrugs like she couldn’t give two shits. “Ladies’ choice, I guess.”
“Wait,” Alex suddenly interjects. “Doesn’t Hollis live with her? Isn’t that, like, incestuous or something?”
Is he fucking for real? I turn to him. “We’re not related.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Hollis,” Presley says, interrupting us and rising to her feet. “I choose Hollis.”
“What the fuck, Presley?” Alex looks stunned, like he can’t believe she’d ever pick the gutter rat over him. “You’re my date.”
She walks across the circle, holds out her hand, and I take it just in time for her to say, “Probably should have thought of that earlier. Come on, Hollis. Heaven awaits.”
I take her hand, giving Alex a smug grin. “Later, losers.”