Truly, Madly, Deadly

Chloe stood in the driveway, hands on hips, illuminated by the headlights from her mother’s car. “Finally!”

 

 

“Why didn’t you call me instead of throwing”—Sawyer picked a pink blob from the windowsill—“jelly beans at my window?”

 

Chloe’s exasperated sigh was loud enough to reach Sawyer’s second-story perch. “Because I was trying to be romantic.”

 

“Aw!”

 

“And your choice of habitat lacks essentials, like cellular service.” She wagged her phone.

 

“Sorry. I’ll be right down.”

 

Sawyer pulled open the front door, pinching the collar of her robe against the late autumn chill. “What are you doing here?”

 

Chloe grinned. “Rescuing you. Put some clothes on. We’re going out.”

 

Sawyer began to shake her head. “No, no, I’m in for the night. My dad and stepmom are already in bed.”

 

“All the better. There’s a party at Evan Rutger’s house and you’re going.”

 

“Definitely not in the party mood.”

 

Chloe cocked her head, hands on hips. “Didn’t your shrink say that you needed to get back into doing regular, teenager-y things? What’s more teenager-y than red party cups?”

 

“Somehow I don’t think Dr. Johnson was referencing underage drinking when he said I should engage in common teen activities.”

 

“You don’t think that’s what he meant. You don’t know for sure. Come on,” Chloe snapped Sawyer on the butt. “Upstairs. Get dressed.”

 

“Fine,” Sawyer said. “One hour.”

 

“Whatever. Just be my date so I don’t look like a loner.”

 

***

 

Cars, red party cups, and the errant student littered Evan Rutger’s family’s well-manicured lawn.

 

“Where are Evan’s parents?” Sawyer asked as Chloe nudged her car in between two others.

 

“Don’t know. I just heard they were gone.”

 

“Word travels fast around here.”

 

“You bet. Ready to party?”

 

Sawyer sighed. “Not really. Hey, Chloe—”

 

Chloe paused, her blue eyes catching the streetlight. “What?”

 

Sawyer thought about Mr. Hanson, thought about his hands trailing over her bare skin. A shiver rippled over her skin. “Never mind.” She linked arms with her best friend. “Let’s go get our party on.”

 

The din inside the Rutger house was deafening—a thudding bass combined with shrieking laughter and the general cacophony of students shouting over one another, over the cranked up stereo. A couple sped between Chloe and Sawyer—she was screaming and laughing; he was yanking at the bottom of her skirt. Someone shoved a cup into Sawyer’s hand and beer sloshed out of it, the cold liquid washing over Sawyer’s wrist and soaking the bottom of her jeans.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Cooper’s eyes were wide and fixed on Sawyer’s dripping wrist.

 

Suddenly, Sawyer was happy to be there, happy to be a part of the throbbing mass of students swaying in the packed living room. She sucked some beer from her wrist and grinned at Cooper. “All better.”

 

“Well you’re a good sport, aren’t you?”

 

Sawyer sipped at her beer; once the icy liquid passed her lips, she tipped the cup and gulped the whole thing down.

 

“Rough day?” Cooper asked.

 

Sawyer held up her cup. “You don’t know the half of it. Do you know where this came from?”

 

Cooper took Sawyer’s empty cup in one hand and slid his other hand into hers. His touch sent something electric up Sawyer’s arm, and a warmth started low in her belly. She liked it.

 

Cooper and Sawyer looped through the crowd, coming to a stop at the edge of the kitchen, where a throng of students clogged the doorway. “Should be just a sec,” Cooper said over his shoulder. He didn’t let go of Sawyer’s hand, and she wasn’t sure she wanted him to.

 

“Here you go.” Cooper handed her a full cup.

 

“And I thought you didn’t want to party!” Chloe appeared in front of Sawyer, clinking her plastic cup. She had one arm slung around the neck of a guy Sawyer recognized from her Spanish class.

 

“Hey, Ryan,” she said quickly. And then, to Chloe, “How much have you had? We’ve only been here like five minutes.”

 

Chloe cocked her head, a lock of blond hair falling across her collarbone. “I’ve had enough to make him interesting.” She grinned, nuzzling the ear of the guy who was all but holding her up, sipping from his own red party cup. “Hey,” she untangled herself and leaned into Sawyer, grabbing both her wrists. “We should dance.”

 

Sawyer swayed with Chloe. “You’re so drunk.”

 

Chloe giggled. “I’m not; it’s just more fun this way. What’s going on with you and Cooper?”

 

Sawyer looked over her shoulder to where Cooper was leaning in the doorway, a slight grin on his face as he eyed her. “I don’t know. Nothing. He’s really nice, though.”

 

“I think he loves you.”

 

“Shut up.” Even as she protested, a delighted spark raced through her. “You think?”

 

Chloe held Sawyer at arm’s length. “You are interested!”