Chapter 40
CHAPTER
FORTY
CORI
“Remind me again why I agreed to this?” Lainey asks, using a makeup brush to apply bronzer.
“Because Madden needs us there for moral support,” I remind her, pulling my costume over my head. A pink dress and a baseball cap from A League of Their Own.
She groans, “Madden is a damn wizard behind any instrument he picks up. He doesn’t need us.”
I walk over to where she’s sitting at her white vanity, “Why are you so worried? Nash won’t be there.”
“I know, I just hate the drama! And mark my words, there will be drama. There always is.”
I put a barrier of lipgloss on my lips, “Speaking of drama…”
“Oh God,” she tosses her eyeliner back into the clear organizer. “What now?”
“Nash came to my house last night.”
Her eyes widen, “Like came inside?”
“Yeah, and Jovie was pissed. She thinks he’s taking her to Homecoming, and I could practically see the steam shooting from her ears.”
“What did he want?”
I sigh, “I’m not really sure. He basically said he loved me but in Nash form. In fact, everything he said was pretty confusing.”
“You think he meant anything he said, or do you think he just wants people to forgive him for what he did to Drayton? A lot of people are still pissed over that video.”
I shrug, “I don’t know why. Everyone knows what he is capable of.”
She squints, “Did you forget that he’s the most popular guy at school? Everything he did up until that was petty bullshit. Have you ever watched any of Carson’s YouTube videos?”
I tilt my eyebrows inward, “No.”
“Maybe start there. That is the Nash everyone thinks he is. Just a reckless kid with a bad boy reputation. The guys want to fight him, and the girls fight over him.”
I mull over my response but blurt it out anyway, “What does he know? He told you to break up with Drayton, so what is it that he has on you?”
She looks at me, hesitating, so I push her. “You can trust me.”
“He claims that Drayton’s dad was having an affair. He threatened to tell everyone.”
Sheesh. What is it with this stupid town?
“He can’t find out,” she begs. “You have to promise me that you won’t say anything. I really like his mom, and I don’t want her to get hurt, or Drayton.”
I turn to face her, “Do you think it’s true?”
She takes a deep breath. “I don’t know. I want to say no, but then I think about my dad and…” she trails off.
“Let’s just forget about Nash tonight and enjoy ourselves.” I push. “You and Drayton can just be normal.”
She blushes, obviously thinking about something specific, and by the way her face lights up it’s totally readable.
“Did you guys…?” I question, but the grin she’s trying to hide makes it obvious. “Oh my God!”
“I know!” she squeals. “He was so sweet. It was perfect.”
“You know,” I nudge her with my elbow. “I thought you looked different.”
She laughs, “I do not!”
We finish our makeup and climb into Drayton’s Jeep. I watch how they interact with each other and the way he holds her hand. It’s sweet.
The street is lined with cars, and by the time we get inside Carson’s house, Madden, Grady, and the guys have already started playing.
I grab one of my pigtail braids and twirl it around my finger.
Nervously, I search the room for Carson, but I don’t see him.
Jovie stands in the corner dressed like a devil—fitting I know—and stares me down, so I give her a nice little middle finger to look at.
About that time, a tap on my shoulder steals my attention. I turn around and can’t contain my laughter, “My my, what do we have here?”
He lifts his mask, “Just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.”
Oh, my heart. If only I could control its beating. My eyes scan his entire body and how every part is defined in the tight suit.
“You were right,” I tease. “You are way better looking than Tobey McGuire.”
His eyes light up, his bright smile tugging at my heart. “I like your costume. There’s no crying in baseball,” he jokes.
I think about how I wish I would’ve dressed as Mary Jane but shrug it off, flirting back when I know I shouldn’t.
“Absolutely no crying,” I laugh.
“Can I get you a drink?” he asks, throwing his thumb over his shoulder toward the kitchen.
“Sure,” I smile.
Madden starts playing acoustic guitar, and when his voice cuts through the room, everyone looks a little shocked that he sings so well.
The ballad is emotional, and Avery watches him intently from the second-floor balcony in a dress made of white feathers, with a matching halo, of course.
With the way he looks at her, anyone in this room can tell there is something there.
Suddenly, the lyrics in this song make sense now. He wrote it about her.
“Here ya go,” Carson grins, thrusting a drink in my direction.
“Thank you,” I smile.
“No, thank you,” he sighs. “It was nice of you to convince Madden to play tonight. Especially since the DJ dropped out last minute.”
“Yeah, of course.”
His eyes shift to Avery, and I stare as he watches her watch Madden.
“Guess those weren’t rumors,” he states.
“Guess not.”
“The model and the rockstar,” he shakes his head in disbelief. “It’s basically the main plotline in every single early 2000’s movie ever made, I should’ve known.”
I take a sip of my drink, choosing to ignore him. It’s almost like he’s hurt by it or even jealous. Does he still want her? I shake the thought because it doesn’t matter. We’re just friends.
“I’ll be back in a few. I need to make sure the guys haven’t broken anything in the kitchen.”
I offer him a reassuring smile and turn to walk toward the bathroom.
Jovie stands in my way, blocking the entrance with her hip popped out and her arms crossed over her red bralette.
“What do you want, Satan?” I laugh. “Great costume, by the way. It’s like you’re not even wearing one.”
“Why are you even here?”
“I was invited,” I snap. “Now move so I can pee.”
“By Carson, right?” she laughs.
I don’t bother answering her, annoyed as hell at this point.
“It’s funny how he feels sorry for you. A pity invite. It’s sad, really.”
She pulls her phone from the pocket of her black leather miniskirt, showing me Carson’s Instagram story. His lips against Avery’s cheek.
“That’s who he belongs with,” she spits. “You’re crazy if you think you stand a chance, and as far as Nash is concerned, he told me all about Chicago. He told me every pathetic thing you said to him.”
I feel the tears puddle in the bottom of my eyes and push Jovie’s tiny body out of my way.
Slamming the door, I lock it and sob in front of the mirror.
My hands shake as I unroll toilet paper to make sure I catch the mascara.
Collecting myself, I let out a huff of air.
I don’t know which part of what she said hurts the most. Maybe it’s the realization that I like them both.
A realization I’ve been avoiding since the day I saw Nash storm from the cafeteria and Carson stare at me through the window.
The problem here is that I don’t think I can choose between them.
I don’t want to. I want them both in my life.
Despite feeling like I want to crawl under a rock, I leave the bathroom with my head held high. I refuse to let Jovie know that her words got to me. Giving her that satisfaction just isn’t happening.
I don’t feel like I was in the bathroom long, but when I come out, the entire atmosphere has changed. Whispers basically echo through the house, and I feel like everyone’s eyes are on me.
A familiar feeling that I hate.
I know I’m probably overreacting, especially after what Jovie said. She’s just in my head. I shake it off and turn in the opposite direction of the party, heading toward Carson’s room. I can go in there and get away for a minute, then I’ll be fine.
Just as I’m about to enter the room, Carson comes out.
“Hey,” I smile. “I was just going to hide out in here for a bit. This party kind of feels like being thrown to the sharks. Plus, I haven’t done the party scene in a while.”
He steps back, letting me by. I toss my hat onto his bed and watch as he shuts us inside. It’s darker than usual and I fall back onto his bed dramatically. I feel the bed dip next to me as he sits and turns to meet my gaze.
“You are cracking me up in that costume,” I laugh, sitting up to take his mask off, but he catches my hand. His touch is possessive beneath the gloves, not at all like Carson.
He pushes me back down to his bed, still gripping my hand, pinning it above my head. Immediately, I’m turned on. Not only is he dressed like freakin’ Spider-Man, but he’s playing the part well. This is a side of Carson I’ve never seen.
It feels like getting Carson and Nash at the same time. As crazy as that sounds, it makes sense to me.
Carson is everything Nash isn’t.
Nash is everything Carson isn’t.
My thighs part, and he settles between them.
I need this and it’s become clear that Nash is only interested in mind games.
His hands move to my hips, lifting me until the thickness beneath the suit is grazing my panties. My hands roam against him until they are on his neck.
He stops, grabbing my wrists and pulling them down.
“Carson, please.”
He grips my wrist tighter when hears me beg and reaches up with his other hand to lift his mask, just enough to expose his lips. I can’t really see them because it’s so dark. I stare at his silhouette, before I cave and take his lips against mine.
At first, it’s gentle but quickly replaced with possessiveness as he lifts both hands to the back of my neck and pulls me forcefully against his mouth.
Greedily, I pull the suit off him, and shove his boxers down.
He kicks them off and tilts my chin up to meet his face with his finger.
I slip my hand around the hard length of his dick.
Still he doesn’t speak, but I shrug it off as part of the character, taking it as a challenge.
His hand grabs my wrist and the grip is tighter than expected.
I freeze.
It feels too comfortable and not at all how I’d expect Carson to act. He’s usually shy and this is surprising.