an'

as a b

t. This was a

with Ava Sinclair, the one girl on this damn w

o be here. and she di

ry, after watching her hesitate before ultima

didn't look compl

oking for attention. No, Ava wore ripped jeans and a fitted sweater, her

beside her, my eyes

ger

s crossed as she surveyed the party like

shoulder, grinning when she immediately stiffene

ake it sound like a

ho said you needed a part-time jo

she gestured toward the chaos of the pa

ounter as I steered us further inside.

, irritated sigh bu

ty was

le were already trashed, and the football tea

lked in, my team

g a drink in each hand. "Finally, man.

aid, smirking as

d to Ava, and Aar

est?" he asked, looki

just realized what walking into

" she said quickly,

"Right. Not li

went back to their usual antics flirting with girls, tak

ffly, arms crossed like she was w

re planning an esca

look. "That's

me on, nerd. L

e muttered, but there was

g against the cou

saying her name f

lly liked sa

ger

way, turning my atten

t be focus

ammates were a

win. getting ava in my b

nk and my third round of messin

ouder. The ligh

omehow was

letting Sophie drag her to the make

posed to be

I

as my firs

shaking her head as she moved to the music,

have lo

found some girl to flirt w

rned and locked eyes wit

nly, I wa

as standing wit

I was in f

I mur

arly surprised.

let her

rty, in the heat of the moment

ssed

..she kiss

the h

d, nothing

tantly gripping my jacket, and I s

of kiss that mad

heart stutter in a w

ind t

o

o

the moment before it cou

me, eyes wide, lip

l was that?"

s in my pockets. "Relax, nerd. Ju

hing in her had just snapped and

," she muttered, disappearing throug

under m

ot part of

itely

y, I was in

use of t

it was supposed to mean nothing,

t it go. To act lik

tting at our usual library table, my bo

er, closer than usual, resting a

d. "What are

d morning to yo

early unimpres

I interrupted, just t

enched. "I

in just enough to see her pupils

looking anywhere but

ed. "So

That doesn't

ting my head. "But i

a voice

t of the guys standing nearby, watch

emi

arn

had a be

ack to her laptop. "A

d for half

irk, I leaned b

I said smoothly.

ending like last night hadn't changed ev

ger

I might just forget that th