Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
“Some things are for good people, and some things are for not-so-good people. House parties aren’t for you, Penguin,” he’d swear.
“Is that because I’m a good person or a not-so-good person?” I replied.
He’d smile and roll his eyes. “Don’t play dumb. You’re a good one.”
Rosie, however, didn’t think like Gabriel. Her thoughts were the complete opposite of his, if I was honest. She was so determined to get me to a house party that one would think her life depended on it. She stood on the firm foundation that everyone deserved to go to parties.
“Yes, Kierra. A party at Brett’s house. Just imagine how great it would be. Booze. Boys. Boys and booze.” She clapped her hands together as if that combination was the highest level of life’s success. “We have to go.”
“Or,” I offered, “we could not go.”
Rosie pouted as she sipped her chocolate milk and gave me puppy-dog eyes. “Kierra. Please.”
“Don’t you normally go to these things with Monica?”
“She’s in Florida visiting her grandparents. Besides, I want to go with you.”
“Why?”
“So you can stop being antisocial and actually talk to Brett Stevens.”
My cheeks flushed. “Why would I want to talk to Brett Stevens?”
“Because you’ve been in love with the guy for years, and he doesn’t even know you exist.”
“Exactly. Crushes should never know that a person exists. It ruins the mystery of it all.” Gabriel thought I was crazy for having a crush on Brett. Then again, Gabriel hated every guy that I ended up having a crush on. To be fair, I hated every girl he’d ever fallen for, too.
“Kierra.” Rosie pouted. “Please. It’s my birthday weekend, and I really want to go with you! It would be the best birthday ever.”
I grumbled, feeling guilty. If that was her main birthday wish, I could make it come true. Besides, how bad could a party at Brett’s be? “If we go—”
“We’re going!”
“If we go,” I continued, “we only stay for a while, and we leave together. No matter what.”
“And you’ll kiss Brett Stevens.”
“I’m not kissing Brett Stevens.”
“Why not? You’ve been crazy about him for years!”
“I know,” I agreed. “That’s exactly why I don’t want to kiss him. You don’t kiss the person you’re crazy about. Then there’s always room for a letdown. I’ve never even spoken to the guy. I prefer to keep my distance from him.”
“Like a creeper lurker in the bushes.”
“Exactly. Then he can’t crush my crush on him due to not being interested.”
“Why wouldn’t he be interested in you? News flash, Kierra—you’re hot. Yeah, sure you went through your weird brace-face phrase, but you came out stronger for it.”
“I…don’t know if that’s a compliment.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll pick you up at eight. This is going to be so much fun.”
Why did I not have the heart to tell her I didn’t want to go? Oh, because I was a sucker for wanting to please other people before myself. If I had it my way, I’d be home each night reading about fictional people who felt more alive than most real humans.
Later that night when Rosie showed up, I dreaded dragging myself over to the party. I felt a mixture of nerves, panic, and excitement. What if I officially talked to Brett that night? What if we were able to interact with each other? What if he had a crush on me the same way I had a crush on him?
Clearly, I was in a full-blown delusional state as I walked up his front steps. The party was blasting with music, and a ton of people I knew but didn’t really know were all over the place laughing and drinking.
It was funny how you could be around people all the time and realize not a single person knew anything about you.
“Drinks, drinks, we need drinks!” Rosie cheered. She placed her hands on my shoulders and locked her eyes with mine. “Don’t move, okay? I’ll grab drinks. Vodka or tequila?”
“Water.”
Rosie smiled. “Vodka it is!”
She hurried away, and I leaned backward against the staircase. As my eyes darted around the room, I felt more and more out of place. The things we did for friends.
“Penguin, what the hell are you doing here?” was heard from my left.
I looked over to meet Gabriel’s brown eyes and felt a wave of comfort. Someone I actually knew and loved. My eyes moved to the person Gabriel had his arm wrapped around. Ali Thomas.
Ugh.
They’d been dating for over a year, and I was almost certain I was her sworn enemy. I’d never even done anything to her, but I knew it was because Gabriel was my best friend. It wasn’t shocking that the girls Gabriel dated had something against me. I probably would feel weird, too, if my boyfriend’s best friend was another girl.
But there was nothing between Gabriel and me except the greatest of friendships. Ali had nothing to worry about. Still, I got her cold, harsh stares whenever we crossed paths.