Page 81 of The Cheerleader is Off Limits

I mean I do, because I chose tonight to getreallygood at beer pong, and I started playing with vodka mixed with Sprite instead of beer. And after playing for about two hours, I decided to take a break. But then there were shots, and then I had one of my gummies, which only increased the intensity of my intoxication. Now, I’m sitting on the stairs of Sam’s house by myself, contemplating calling an Uber home because I was about 50 percent sure I'd be sick at some point tonight, and I wanted that to happen in the privacy of my own bathroom. Delaney was inside somewhere dancing with Cole, and I’m sure she’d leave with me if I wanted to, but… a part of me wanted to be alone.

Or be alone with someone I shouldn’t.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Dangerous.

Before I tell myself that this was a terrible idea, my phone is already pressed to my ear. I’d checked this morning, and he hadn’t blocked theHuntersIntheWildaccount, so I knew I could still call him. It was only twelve thirty, so it wasn’t that late, and I imagine he is still awake.

Hopefully, not just stewing in his hatred for me.

I hear the call connect, and then his rich voice comes through the line, so deep and sexy and growly with a hint of an edge. “Yes, Sloane?”

CHAPTER 19

RIVER

So the thing about breaking up?Or whatever it was that happened between me and Sloane.Most people aren’t then forced to see that person every day. They aren’t forced to see them laugh and smile and sometimes even… flirt?Okay, maybe she wasn’t flirting, but even if she was, did it matter?They certainly weren’t forced to see the other person get asked out by another man while also being in front of my family.

Besides the obvious, if this wasn’t a cautionary tale about getting involved with a student, I don’t know what the fuck was.

Because now I was being forced to witness her date people she actually could.

I know I ended whatever it was we were doing, and I know it’s for the best, but I’m still pissed about it.

The thought of Mack kissing her or messing around with her after homecoming… fucking her.

Dammit. I hate this.

This is why I don’t get involved. Why I was perfectly fine just having casual sex.

It was supposed to just be casual sex with Sloane!

It’s like somewhere between the conversations with Ellie and Rowan about wanting to settle down and meeting Sloane, I got confused because why am I so tied up in knots over her?

Even when I thought she was going to college, did I really see a future with her?

I mean, you were open to it.

She’s funny.

And charming.

And gorgeous.

And the best sex I’ve had in years, maybe ever.

She’s interesting.

And her experiences make her seem older and more mature.

She lied straight to my face about her age and being in HIGH SCHOOL, how is that mature?

Well, besides that.

I’m on my couch watching highlights from a team we're playing later on in the season just to take my mind off everything after I’d made up some excuse as to why I couldn’t go to Rowan’s after the game tonight that I am pretty sure he actually bought.

Because of course, why wouldn’t his fuckboy of a brother be going out to get over this bullshit with Sloane?

But the truth was, Isla was hyper-fixating on Sloane’s homecoming proposal, and I didn’t want to spend the night fielding questions about that.