Chapter 23 Dylan
Dylan
Scott wraps his arms around Cecily before I can get to her. She looks like she might cry. And as I stand across the room, I’m unsure how to handle this. Cecily is always a light. She’s witty, smooth, yet simple, but right now, her edges are cracking.
I saw her kiss Dane. I knew she must’ve done it to shut him up or prove a point because when she pulled away, her eyes said things that words never could.
Scott pulls her through the backyard towards Rocky’s room in the back.
“Hey,” Viv says, taking a sip of her drink. “What’s going on?”
“I need to talk to Scott,” I mutter. “I’ll be right back.”
She nods. “Okay.”
I walk past the boys and follow Scott and Cecily into Rocky’s bedroom.
I hear Scott say, “Hey! Whoa! I think the alcohol’s hitting you. No, give that back to me! You’ve had too much already.”
When I round the corner, she’s chugging the rest of his drink.
“Ce?” I say, walking over.
“There you are,” Scott says. “Where the fuck have you been?”
“Remember when you invited Viv?” I remind him.
Scott tilts his head back and laughs. And then he stands. “Turns out you’re a really good liar, dildo.”
“What’re you talking about?”
Cecily throws the cup on the ground and bubbles up a laugh. “He knows, Dylan. He knows.”
“Knows what?” I ask.
Scott shakes his head. “Why can’t you just admit it?”
“Admit what!”
“That you’re fucking her!”
When I look at Cecily, she sways. “Yeah, and why haven’t you called?” She squints her eyes at me. “Hmm?”
I look at Scott. “How much has she had to drink?”
Cecily says, “Whatever Alix gave me. Whatever Alix had. Whatever Scott had.” She lies back on the bed and laughs.
“Jesus Christ.” I tug at the back of my mullet.
“Dylan,” Scott says, pointing at me. I take a few steps back as he pushes me around the corner. “What the fuck are you thinking, man?”
“What?”
“You know what?”
I shake my head. “No, I actually don’t, so fucking spit it out or get out.”
“You’re screwing her? You said you were done screwing around. How many times does this have to happen for you to fucking understand what you’re doing, man?”
I scoff. “Like you’re one to talk, Scotty, you––”
“We’re not fucking talking about me.” He lays out his hand in front of me and starts counting. “Layla. Penelope. Viv. Now, Cecily?”
“You don’t––”
He puts his hands up. “You want to deny it?”
“Deny what?”
“That the same shit keeps happening. You pull them along, dangle the dildo in front of them, and when feelings get involved, you dip.”
“Same as you, right? Fuck’em and leave’em.”
He snorts. “I can tell you like this one, so stop fucking it up.”
My chest tightens. I hate that he’s right, that I keep playing the same games with these girls. I don’t want a girlfriend, though. I don’t want to talk about feelings. Having a puck buddy like Cecily is perfect. This is the ideal scenario, yet here she is, drunk, and asking why I didn’t call.
I sigh. It’s the same shit every time, and Scott’s right. I’m not learning from experience.
Then I hear chuckling around the corner. Cecily pops her head out with a big smile. Her face makes me forget everything Scott was saying. Whatever he was about to say, he’s wrong this time. I like her smile too much. Cecily innocently taps on Scott’s shoulder.
“Oh, dear, Scott,” she says, holding both his shoulders. “Dylan and I are just friends.”
Scott turns to me and says, “Hear that, dildo?”
She grabs his cheeks now and says, “It’s okay, Scotty.” Then she looks at me. “Do either of you have Skittles? Oh my god. Chocolate? I would love a Snickers right now.”
“How much did you have to drink, Ce?” I ask.
She pouts and gives me the most adorable expression. “Aww, Dilly.”
I look at Scott, who’s eyeing her.
“I’m taking you home,” I say.
She jumps out of my reach and shakes her head. “No! No, you cannot take me home. Alix and Dane will be there.”
I sigh. “I highly doubt they’re going to be there.”
She walks across the room. “No, I can’t go home tonight. Please don’t make me.”
“You can’t stay here,” I point out.
Scott adds, “Just take her back to our place.” His eyes meet mine like he’s telling me, You’re welcome.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she says, plopping on the bed.
“I’ll buy you Skittles.”
She points at me and says, “A snickers.”
“Okay.”
She walks over to us. Scott is watching her like a hawk.
She says, “What about that girl you were with? I don’t want to––”
“It was nothing.”
“Nothing?” she asks, and I hate that Scott is still standing here, watching us interact.
Scott says, “That was Viv. I put him up to it because I thought Dylan lost his game. I was trying to get this asshole laid, but apparently, you’ve been taking care of that.”
“As a friend,” she adds. “But it’s a secret, Scott, so shhh.”
Scott coughs. “It’s not now. Everybody heard Dane.”
Her face hardens, and then she looks at me. “I’m sorry, Dilly.”
I shrug. “It’s whatever.”
“You’re not embarrassed?” she asks.
Scott laughs, covering his mouth. “She’s funny.” He points at her. “You’re hilarious, Ce. Dylan? Be embarrassed? Why would he be embarrassed?”
She blushes, so I grab Scott’s shoulders to end the conversation there. “I’m gonna get her out of here. You good?”
Scott nods. “I’ll catch a ride with Westley.”
“Ce?” I say, extending a hand to her. “Ready?”
She grabs my bicep, so naturally my hand lands on her body. I run my fingertips where my hand lands, and then she intertwines her fingers with mine. We leave Rocky’s room and walk across the lawn. Scott follows behind.
When we step onto the patio, Rocky says, “Are you two a thing finally?”
Ce releases my hand and leans over Rocky, placing both her hands on either side of him with her tits in his face. I catch him looking and bite my tongue.
She starts saying something to him, and he laughs.
“She’s not my type,” Rocky says, looking into Cecily’s eyes. I can tell he likes her.
“That’s a lie,” she teases.
He shakes his head. “Rich and snobby? I’ll pass.”
“Hey!” she shouts. “That’s my best friend!”
Rocky smirks, so I grab her by the waist, pulling her away. She starts flailing in the air until I set her on her feet.
“Dylan!” she scolds.
I hold her close, looking down at her. Then I whisper in her ear, “Can we leave? Please?”
I’m being nice, but I want so badly to rewind the last hour and stop her from drinking whatever the fuck she drank because I don’t like when she’s like this. I know she doesn’t like it either. I can see it in her eyes when she looks up at me. She’s embarrassed.
“Hey, Dylan,” a small voice says. When I turn, I see Marina. Fuck. This girl’s everywhere, I swear.
Cecily sees her and lights up. “Marina!”
Marina’s eyes bulge out of their socket when Cecily throws her arms around her.
I grab Cecily and say, “We’re leaving.”
Cecily says, “Wait––”
Scott intercepts, talking to Marina and her friends, as I walk Cecily out the front door.
We leave the party, and when I buckle her in the passenger seat of my truck, I tighten it and ask, “Why did you drink tonight?”
“What?” she asks, even though she heard me.
I lift a brow.
She shrugs. “Because I promised Alix I would.”
“Peer pressure?” I scoff, closing the door, and then I walk around to get in the driver’s seat.
She sucks in her cheeks. “You can’t be mad at me. You drink.”
“Yeah, but you don’t.”
“That’s not fair, Dilly.” She leans comfortably into the seat and lets out a soft sigh. The noise travels straight through me. “Are you mad?”
“I’m not mad, Moo.”
She smiles as I start the drive home.
We drive in silence, letting the music fill the tension between us. I catch her looking at me a few times.
When we get to my place, she says, “I thought you were taking me home.”
“I thought you didn’t want to go home because of Alix and Dane.”
She lifts her phone. “Alix texted me that I ruined her night.”
I read the text messages and say, “Looks like you blew your shot with Dane.”
She pulls back her phone and says, “Yeah.”
I grab my steering wheel and say, “Well, we’re here at my place, so why don’t you come in and sober up. I can take you home after.”
“What happened to my chocolate?” she whines.
“Shit. I forgot,” I admit. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
She offers a smile, and it takes every fiber of my being not to reach over and touch her face. I want so badly to run my fingers over her lips, run my hands through her hair, and kiss her. Then she starts laughing. I watch her face light with humor as she looks at me.
“What’s so funny, Ce?” I murmur.
She takes off my hat, puts it on her head, and runs her fingers through my hair. “Your mullet always makes me laugh.”I observe her face, glad that my haircut could light her up. “Has it always made you laugh?” I ask, enjoying her fingertips on my scalp. I lean into it for a moment.
She nods, resting her elbows on the center console, staring at it.
I run my fingers through it, self-conscious. “Should I cut it?”
She shakes her head. “No. No, definitely don’t.”
I open my truck door and get out. When I reach her side, she’s opening her door, falling out. I grab her arm to steady her, and then I pull her into my arms. She yelps when I use her legs to shut the truck door.
She starts laughing as I carry her inside. I open the door and kick it closed behind me. She forces her body out of my hold and walks around sloppily.
I chuckle. “You’re wasted.”
She walks to the TV and grabs the game controller. “Can I play?”
“You play Call of Duty?” I question.
She shakes her head. “Do you have Mario Kart?” She bats her eyes at me.
I shrug. “I don’t know what games Scott has.” I grab the controller and sit on the couch. It turns the TV on, and I scroll through trying to find Mario Kart. “Out of luck, buttercup.”
But she’s not focused on the TV anymore. She found a duffel bag filled with Scott’s hockey gear in the corner of the living room. Asshole never puts his shit away. She’s already wearing his gloves, holding a puck.
“What’re you doing?” I laugh.