Page 46 of Only Ever You
“Who needs fresh air when we’re surrounded by such stunning girls?” He pulls both girls closer, making them giggle. “Just dance. Have fun.”
“Dance with us.” The blonde holds her hand out to me, stepping away from Ash.
I hesitate, my mind whirling.
Asher opens his mouth, but he snaps it shut again quickly, his focus flying to something behind my back. He lets out a whistle. “Wow. She finally showed up.”
I turn on my heel, and the sight knocks me back a step. Isla stands at the threshold of the gym with Turner by her side. Even from here, under this shitty light and in my not-so-sober state, her little red dress stands out. It fits her perfectly, as if it were made for her. Her hair is down, streaming over her bare shoulders. So petite and so girly, but with every step she takes, her muscles flex, a reminder of how strong she is. A homing beacon drawing me in. In that short skirt and those shoes, her legs look endless.
Without a doubt, she’s the most beautiful girl in our school. This is her first dance, and yet, I’m not the one at her side.
Regret and shame and anger and jealousy all rush through me, making my head spin more.
“I’m gonna say hi,” Asher announces, making a beeline toward Isla and Turner.
I shift my weight from one foot to the other. What the hell am I supposed to do now? The urge to go talk to her is ripping me apart from the inside, but so are the hurt and jealousy.
She hasn’t said a word to me since I confronted her about Turner, since she told me she knew about that stupid kiss with Sienna. She hasn’t replied to my texts, hasn’t tried to find me. It’s as if I don’t exist to her anymore.
“I didn’t know she was coming.” Sienna’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. She steps up to my side like she belongs there. “She never comes, so I figured she’d skip this one too.”
“Yeah.” My tone is flat.
Across the room, Ash lifts Isla off the ground, spinning her like she weighs nothing. She laughs, her head tipped back. Turner is smiling too, relaxed, not tense like he gets around me.
That stupid, soft smile on his face makes my stomach twist so violently, I worry I’ll throw up. Why him?
“Do you want to say hi?” Sienna brushes my arm with hers. “She’s your best friend, after all.”
Best friend. The term sounds funny now.
“Yeah,” I manage, my throat tight. “Why not?”
Truth is, my brain isn’t working. The room is too loud, the lights and decorations and people around me too vivid. It’s all too much. Sienna’s presence kind of provides normalcy. A distraction. A person to talk to while I try not to fall apart watching Isla with someone else.
So when Sienna falls into step beside me, I don’t have the energy to tell her to leave. And maybe I don’t want to walk over there alone, looking desperate and pathetic.
But as we cross the dance floor, every step feels wrong. My stomach twists. My hands shake a little. What am I going to say to her? The closer I get, the harder the words forming at the back of my throat pound, needing to escape.
You should’ve been here with me.
You should’ve been here with me.
“I’m so happy you’re here!” Sienna exclaims, throwing herself at Isla. “And you look so good.”
I stop and stuff my hands into my pockets, balling my fists. Turner locks eyes with me, his jaw clenching. “Hey, Thompson.”
“Turner.” I lift my chin.
He looks me up and down, brows lifting like he’s assessing damage. “How much have you had to drink?”
“Are you my mom?” I snap before I can stop myself. The words come out slurred. Even I hate how I sound.
He doesn’t take the bait. Instead, he exhales through his nose and mutters, “Whatever, man,” like I’m a problem he’s tired of dealing with.
He shifts closer to Isla and places his hand on the small of her back. The touch is easy, familiar. Like he has the right to do it. Like he knows exactly what he’s doing. I swear, a bomb detonates inside my chest.
The room spins. My heartbeat spikes, the vein in my temple throbbing hard enough to make my vision pulse. I can’t tell if it’s the booze or the jealousy. Either way, my body goes blistering hot.
