When we emerge from the trailer, there’s no one hanging around outside this time. That doesn’t stop the three of us from looking around for him though. I have no idea who he is, but just with one look, he sent a shudder of fear racing down my spine that I remember all too well.
We all say goodbye to Rob, Zayn thanks him once again for his gift and we climb into the car.
“So... thoughts?” Harley asks, leaning forward in her seat.
“It was nice?”
“Nice?”
“Yeah. From what the two of you had said, I thought it was going to be awful.”
“It is.”
“Well, on the surface it seemed fine. Apart from that guy, who was he?”
“No one,” Zayn spits, his grip on the wheel tightening the second I so much as mention him. “And if you ever see him in Rosewood, run the other way.”
His eyes meet Harley’s in the rearview mirror, and she sinks back into her seat. The weird vibe going on between them doesn’t make me any less suspicious about this guy.
The ride back is quieter than the journey to Harrow Creek, but it doesn’t bother me. I’m more than happy to curl up on the seat and get lost in my own head. After spending a few hours with Marley, the counselor Jada set up for me, this week, things are beginning to get easier to think about.
I think I’ll probably always feel to blame for what happened with Preston, I’m not sure that will ever go away, but already it’s getting easier to bear. We’ve talked about my parents at length and although I already knew that what had happened was probably for the best, I’m really starting to understand it now.
Zayn and I spent last Saturday with Auntie Trish and the kids, and we had the best day. Seeing them so happy, the wide smiles on their faces made my entire year. They’ve had too much to deal with in their short lives and to see them lose the responsibility and just be kids for once meant everything to me. And just to be able to be their sister and not worry about also being a parent felt incredible.
“I can’t believe Mom is letting you do this,” Harley mutters as we pull up outside the house to already find her gone.
“You should be thanking me, Har. I’m leading the way to ensure you also get a party next year. You won’t even have your style cramped by me or Letty, seeing as we’ll be at college.”
The mention of him not being here in just a few months makes my stomach twist uncomfortably. But I plaster a smile on my face when he turns to look at me after killing the engine because I don’t want to dampen his excitement about college. I know through Harley that he’s talked about UCLA for years. I don’t want to be the one to ruin that for him.
“Ready to do this?”
“Hell yes,” Harley barks. “But I’m stealing your girl to get ready.”
“But—”
“I don’t give a shit,” she snaps, cutting off whatever argument that was about to fall from his lips. “Anyway, you’ll probably be thanking me later. She’s my birthday present to you.”
Zayn’s eyes narrow at his sister. “You can’t give me my own girlfriend for my birthday.” The way he says girlfriend sends a tingle racing through my body just like it did when he introduced me to his dad as such.
“I can, I am, and you will enjoy it. Come on, girl. We’ve got work to do,” Harley says, shouldering open the door.
“Wish me luck,” I say, turning to Zayn right as another car pulls up beside him.
Reaching out, he wraps the back of his hand around my neck and pulls me closer.
“You’ll be fine. But if you can escape, come find me. I’ve just about forgotten the gift you gave me this morning?” he murmurs against my lips.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” Taking control of my hand, he presses my palm against his crotch and I gasp when I find him hard and ready.
“Zayn,” I moan, my own body heating up knowing just how turned on he is.
“Do you know how badly I want to pull you over the console and fuck you right here in my truck?”
“Oh God,” I whimper. His tongue takes advantage of the opening and sweeps past my lips, searching out my own.
I lose myself in his kiss, leaning forward and wrapping my own hand around the nape of his neck to try to close the space between us.
That is until a fist rains down hell on the window beside my head and I shriek in fear jumping back from Zayn as if I’ve been burned.
Turning to the window, I find Harley staring daggers at the two of us with her hands on her hips.
“I should probably...” I point over my shoulder.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” he says, sitting back in his seat and making a show of rearranging himself.
“Down boy,” Harley shouts into the car the second I push the door open.
“Fucking cockblock.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Come on, time to get sexed up... just not in that way.”
Harley and Ruby each take one of my arms and physically drag me toward the house as if I’m about to run back to Zayn and finish what we started any second.
“Damn, that was hot,” Ruby mutters. “I need a guy.”
“Weren’t you sucking face with Jamie last weekend?” Harley helpfully points out. Zayn and I might not have been at last weekend’s party, but I sure heard all about it.
“Yeah, but that was as far as it got. He ended up so drunk he passed out on me.”
I snort a laugh while Harley announces, “Wow, you must be one hell of a lay, Rubes.”
“Wouldn’t know. Talking about getting laid.” Both of them turn their eyes on me.
“I’m not telling you shit.”
“Ow, come on. Is he as good as everyone claims?”
“I’ve got no complaints.”
“My ear, my ears,” Harley cries dramatically as we climb the stairs.
“Chill out I’m not going to tell you just how big he is.” I hold my hands out, totally exaggerating, much to Ruby’s amusement and Harley’s horror. Releasing me, she darts up the stairs and toward her room.
“She’s going to kill you.”
“She’ll get used to it,” I mutter, following behind where she ran like her ass was on fire.
“You’ve got two choices,” Harley says the second we step into the room.
My stomach drops the second I look up and lock eyes on the two dresses she’s holding up in front of me. Both contain hardly any fabric and don’t look like anywhere near covering any part of me up.
“Um... I hope you’re not expecting me to wear one of those.”
“Sure am. Now pick. Red or purple?”
“Or my jeans and a tank?”
“Nope. It’s Zayn’s birthday. Don’t you want him to enjoy himself?” She winks at me.
“I thought you wanted to keep us apart.”
“Yeah, well, I might kind of like seeing him all happy and shit,” she whispers, averting her eyes.
“I’m sorry, what was that?”
“I like seeing him happy, okay. You too. You both deserve it.”
“Aw, Har. Are you going all soft?”
“Whatever. Red or purple?”
I run my eyes over the lack of fabric on each and after noticing that the actual sides of the red dress are missing, I opt for purple.