When Andy said he’d message the guys, what he had really meant was that he’d message half his school. Soon after we’d arrived at the beach, car after car had pulled in until the lot was full.
We were a good four hours into this party, and it showed no signs of slowing down. I’d already had too much to drink, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to forget about my stupid fight with Emma and relax for a while. Things were always so complicated with her, and quite frankly, I was sick of it. I just wanted a normal relationship where I could go anywhere with her and not worry about someone seeing us.
“Having fun?” Ally asked as she sat down beside me in the sand.
“Tons.”
“Please contain your enthusiasm,” she replied sarcastically.
“Sorry. I’m not in that great of a mood.”
“There’s a shocker. What’s wrong?”
“Emma.”
“Trouble in paradise? Did she get mad because you couldn’t afford a 10,000 dollar purse or something?”
I shot her a glare. “I don’t need your mouth tonight, Ally.”
“Okay, gesh. What’s wrong?”
“Everything. I won’t ever measure up to the standards that she’s used to.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Look at my life, and then look at hers. We’re from totally different worlds. I can’t give her that kind of life. I’m the flat-ass broke kid from the trailer park.”
“Who gives a shit if you can’t give her a mansion and a Ferrari? If she loves you, what you have to offer should be enough. I know you’ve realized by now that I don’t like her. She’s a stuck-up twat who thinks she’s better than me. But I don’t like seeing you unhappy. If you really care about her, you can’t let the obstacles get in your way.”
“Of course I love her. But will she love me when she’s living in a trailer park?”
“If that’s what she’s worried about, then she’s a bigger bitch than I thought.”
“It’s not her who’s worried about it. It’s me.” I stared at the fire in front of me that someone had started earlier.
Ally reached over and pushed my hair away from my face. “You’re an amazing guy, Jesse. You just need to realize how lucky she is to have you.” “Thanks, kid. I mean it.”
“I’m not a kid. I’m the same age as you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” I grinned at her.
She threw her hands up in the air. “I’m tired of this moping shit. I’m going to go get a drink. You want another one?”
“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll be right back.”
I watched her as she walked away. I wished that Emma could be Ally.
Then, she would be a part of my life, and I wouldn’t have to feel the guilt that I was feeling now. Ally would never question the life that I could give her because she knew nothing else—unlike Emma, who was used to the finest of everything.
I spent the rest of the night drinking beer after beer until the fire in front of me started to spin. I cursed myself as I tried to focus. I had planned on driving back to my house in Andy’s car, but now, it looked like I would need to find a ride since both of us had been drinking way too much.
Lying down in the sand, I stared at a pair of feet that had come into my range of vision.
“You okay?” Ally asked as she bent down in front of me.
“Fine, but I need to find a ride home.”
“I can take you. I only had one beer, so I’m fine.”
“Thanks. Can you help me up?”
She laughed as she grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet. I leaned into her as she led us to the rocks.
“You’re really out of it.”
“I’m fine,” I mumbled as she helped me climb over the rocks. Damn, the girl is strong.
“Sure you are.”
She somehow managed to get me back down the trail and into her car. She closed my door, and before I even realized she wasn’t standing beside me, she was already in the driver’s seat.
“Holy fuck, you’re fast,” I slurred as the car started moving.
I must have dozed off because before I knew it, we were in front of my house, and Ally was trying to get me out of the car. I stumbled and nearly fell, but she caught me and continued dragging me to the door.
“Where are your keys?” she asked.
I tried to get them out of my pocket, but for some reason, I couldn’t get my hand inside my shorts.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, I’ll get them.” She moved my hand away and started digging for my keys. As soon as she had them, she unlocked the door and led me inside.
I didn’t know how she was getting me to my room with the way I was staggering, but somehow, she did. I fell down onto my bed and buried my head under my pillow, willing the world to stop spinning so fast.
“I think I drank too much.”
Ally snorted. “Ya think?”
I took the pillow off my head and tried to focus on her. “Thanks for bringing me home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’m not leaving just yet. I don’t want you to choke on your own vomit or something like that.”
“Gee, thanks,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes.
Everything went black.
Emma