The pulse of music vibrates through me as we make our way through the crowds. We stop at the punch table. “Is this safe?” I ask Luna.
She tilts her head from side to side and pulls a flask out of her purse. Olivia pulls another flask out of her purse. “We’ll use their Solo cups.”
“If I knew we were bringing our own alcohol, I would have come prepared,” I say.
“It’s fine. We got about a fifth of vodka between the two of us,” Luna explains.
She takes some of the red Solo cups and pours some alcohol into three cups. Then she takes a bottle of Coke that is clearly still sealed and adds some inside. Not my drink of choice but beggars can’t be choosers. We drink the first one fast and then for the second we do a straight shot of vodka that’s on the larger side. I still can’t believe I’m at a frat party on Valentine’s Day. Back in Boston, my friends’ definition of party was get together with a few friends, drink some wine, and eat takeout.
“Now let’s go dance,” Luna says, taking Olivia and me by the hand. We head to the dance floor but only a few moments pass before guys are coming up to us and asking us to dance. Luna agrees first and when one guy comes up to me and the other to Olivia and she agrees. I don’t want to be on my own on the dance floor, so I agree to dance. The guy is thankfully not handsy and after two dances Luna and Olivia pull me back over to the alcohol table and we do another shot together. After the third shot I’m feeling warm. We walk around a bit and settle at a couch where Luna knows some people who are playing truth or dare.
“We’re just watching not playing,” Luna announces to the group.
“There’s no fun in that,” one of the guys says to her. “Does your friend want to play?” His gaze lands on me and I don’t know why, but I’m feeling bold. I also can’t get Logan out of my head, but I need to for all of our sakes.
“I’m in,” I say, and Luna watches me wide-eyed. I just shrug.
“Truth or dare,” the guy says to me.
“Truth,” I reply, thinking a dare can probably get risky with these guys.
“Name the most exotic place you’ve ever done it,” another guy says.
Damn. It doesn’t take long for memories of Hawaii to flood my mind. Logan and me in the shower. Making out on the North Shore. I thought this would help me get over him, but it doesn’t. It only makes me crave him more.
“In the shower,” I respond. It isn’t a straight-out lie. I don’t know which place was hotter.
Everyone breaks into a cheer. Olivia, Luna, and I do another shot. I look off to the side to see the guys from the team are here. They all clean up nicely. It gives me an idea for a PR stunt.
The group breaks out into a cheer and then a girl beside me chooses dare. “I dare you to make out with Kristin,” one of the guys beside her says. She shrugs and she starts full-on Frenching the girl who must be Kristin. I’ve never made out with a girl before and a part of me is happy I chose the safer option of truth.
After a while, Luna and Olivia whisper we should leave the game. We are also getting close to it being our turn again. Considering I’m not willing to make out with a random stranger, I take it as my cue to leave too. We head back to the dance floor. A big guy asks me to dance. He’s built like a wall.
Luna whispers he’s the quarterback on the football team. I nod and internally I’m giggling. Papa warned me and Alessa off of jocks since we began high school. I never so much as spoke to a jock until Logan. Even though I didn’t know he was a jock when we met.
I berate myself for allowing my mind to drift to Logan again. Especially when the guy dancing with me is good looking and seems interested in me. I should feel some spark but there’s nothing. I turn my head to see Logan. He’s wearing a blue suit with a white shirt. He looks hot as hell. He’s dancing with another girl. I can tell Logan isn’t being handsy at all, but the girl is definitely giving him a run for his money. Her hands are all over his chest, which I know is solid. She runs her fingers down his pectorals. Damn her. My dance partner whispers something in my ear and I jerk, suddenly remembering it’s him I’m dancing with. I didn’t hear what he said though. The girl dancing with Logan turns and begins rubbing her ass on his crotch. Although I think he looks uncomfortable, he isn’t running away from her, which makes me see green. I’m not the jealous type and I have no right to be jealous of my friend dancing with another girl, but I am to the point I excuse myself from my dance partner. Feeling parched, I make my way over to the drink table and grab a bottle of Sprite that hasn’t been opened yet. I take a sip and turn around, all the while eyeing Logan dancing with that girl.
“He’s hot, isn’t he?” a voice comes from beside me. I shrug and see a girl standing beside me. She must have been watching me stare at Logan. That’s embarrassing. Damn, Lili, put your tongue back in your mouth.
“Huh? Who?” I play it dumb.
The girl gives me a sheepish look. “That’s Logan Russo, he’s hot as hell and has the brains to match, but he’s never so much as touched a girl at this university as long as he’s been here.”
“You’re lying,” I say to her.
She shakes her head. “No, ma’am.” Her accent is Southern. “Every girl in this place has tried to hit on him and been shot down. This is the first time I’ve seen him at one of these parties. Maybe his dry streak is about to change. Our theory is he’s gay,” she says.
At her last words I choke on my sip of Sprite, and it sprays out of my mouth. Is this girl high? Logan is definitely not gay. I also don’t feel like it’s my place to correct her. Besides, if I do reveal what I know, then there’s a good chance the rumor will somehow find its way to my father.
I don’t want to stay beside this girl and hear her thoughts on Logan.
“I’m going back to dance,” I say to her.
“I didn’t catch your name,” she says to me.
“Lili,” I say. No way am I giving her my last name.
“Jamie,” she says.
“Nice to meet you. Ima head back to the dance floor,” I say and walk away. When I head back, I stand off to the side. Logan’s eyes land on me and his gaze eats me up as he takes me in from top to bottom.
I wave lightly and turn away. The girl he’s with is having her fun with him.
I remind myself we are just friends. I have to repeat it three times in my head and when the quarterback guy from before comes up to me and asks me to dance again, I agree. Staying away from Logan is for the best.
THIRTY-ONE
Logan
Watching her dance with Jarod is making my eyes burn. I told myself I would try dancing with just anyone tonight because I’d never danced a day in my life before I went to Hawaii. I wanted to see if it was the alcohol and dancing that made me want Lili in the club that night or if it was something about Lili that drove me crazy. The girl I’m dancing with is pretty and I am definitely feeling my drink, but there is no way I’m attracted to her. I’m not blind either. The girl has a smoking hot body, but I don’t feel a thing. All I can do is watch Lili in that mini skirt moving. Her full breasts are pressed together in that shirt thing she’s wearing, giving her some major cleavage, and all I can think about is putting my head between her breasts.