I pushed through the crowd, ignoring the few people who gave me side-glances, and the others who whispered about my return. I was glad that the majority of them were too drunk to notice me otherwise. That way I could slip in, get Jade and leave before anyone knew I was here. I was also on the lookout for Dane. A run-in with him had to be avoided at all costs, simply because I wasn’t sure how ready I was to see him again.
I still knew the inside of this house almost better than I did mine, so when I couldn’t find Jade in the living room, or on the deck outside, I ambled towards the kitchen. People huddled around the island in the middle, scattered with half empty liquor bottles ranging from Russian Bear and Patrone, to Johnny Walker Blue Label. It was an alcoholic’s wet dream. Or worst nightmare, depending on how you looked at it.
I spotted Jade’s midnight black hair, and slipped through the partygoers to get to her. She was surrounded by a group of guys – nothing new there – and I only recognized two of them. She looked to the side just as I reached her, and then spun around when she realized it was me.
“Kennedy!” She yelled, drawing all of the attention to me.
So much for being incognito. “You’re here!”
The guys all looked at me, but didn’t say anything.
“Yeah,” I replied, sidling up to her. “Let’s get you home.”
I slipped her arm over my shoulders, and wrapped my arm around her waist. She’d obviously continued drinking after she called me, because her head lulled to the side, and her brown eyes were glazed over. Her mouth tipped into a silly smile, and she mumbled incoherent nothings in my face. Luckily we were the same height, both at five feet and six inches, so her body wasn’t too heavy. But when she was drunk, an anvil might have been easier to carry.
A hand wrapped around Jade’s free arm, and pulled, nearly sending us both tumbling to the floor.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I looked at the guy holding onto Jade, and noted that he wasn’t someone I recognized. His black hair was long, touching his shoulders, and he was dressed in swim trunks, and one of those Hawaiian shirts with the hideous palm tree print. It screamed “creep”.
Who the hell dresses like that nowadays?
“I’m taking my friend home,” I replied, trying not to sneer.
“I don’t think so. Your friend here said she was staying with me tonight.”
I looked at him incredulously. “Sorry buddy, not happening. Go find another girl, my friend’s not interested.”
With that I pushed past him, and moved towards the exit of the kitchen that led into the living room. The guy stepped in front of us, blocking my way out.
“How about you leave your friend here, and you and me go upstairs. You look like a whole lot more fun, baby.”
Ew.
I shuddered. “Not in this life time, or the next. Now move, before I render your,” I looked down at his crotch, and then back up, “appendage out of commission.”
He was about to say something, when we were interrupted.
“Leave her the fuck alone, Mark. Now.”
I pinched my eyes closed. I knew that voice. I used to be terrified of hearing it. And after more than a year, I had to admit that it still did funny things to me, turning my insides into a knot.
At least I was right about one thing. I wasn’t ready to see him.
The twatwaffle in front of me – Mark – lifted his hands up, and stepped to the side. “Sorry, Winters. I didn’t know she was with you.”
“She isn’t.” Dane’s voice was grave, and hard. The deep rumble with which he spoke made me shiver. I stood still, not entirely sure what to do, when I felt his presence at my back. He moved around, and then stood in front of me. His dark brown hair was cut short on the sides, and a little longer on top. Dressed in a blue polo shirt, and khaki’s, he looked every bit of the self-righteous, entitled douchebag he was. Only now, he looked bigger. His arms were thick with chorded muscle, his chest broader and more defined, and even his legs seemed longer. The boy who had made my life miserable for most of my teen years wasn’t there anymore. He was all man, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit that he grew up nicely. It was a good look for him, asshole or not.
My natural instinct was to cower away from him, but that was the old me. I wasn’t that girl anymore. I straightened my stance, refusing to back down.
The room – actually no, the house – had grown quiet, nothing but soft murmurs mixed with the loud music. I could feel everyone watching us. The sudden shift in temperature made those little hairs below my hairline stand at attention. Dane was glaring at me, his ice blue eyes cold, intense, and unwavering. We locked gazes, and the room and its occupants fell away.
He stared. I stared right back. He smirked. I smirked too. And when his mouth dipped into that sinister grin, I clenched my fist to stop myself from dropping Jade to the floor and slapping it right off his face.
I broke the stare-off first, hating that so many eyes were on us. It was bad enough that people knew we hated each other; they didn’t need to witness it too.
“Excuse me,” I said. “I need to get Jade home.”
Dane didn’t move. He hadn’t even acknowledged that I’d spoken. I was starting to feel uncomfortable, and Jades’ body seemed to get heavier as the seconds passed by. She’d obviously passed out on me. Awesome.
Dane’s chest moved up and down in a steady rhythm, and to anyone else it would appear that he was just looking at me. But what I saw, what I felt, was something entirely different, and more real. His nostrils flared, and his eyes flashed with a potent mixture of hatred and an emotion I couldn’t quite place. It was different, and not the way he used to look at me when we were still in school.
“Dane.” My voice came out in a snarl. “Move.”
I was tired, and this silly little stare off was starting to piss me off.
Nothing in his stance gave him away, but I saw the reaction in his eyes. He was surprised.
Just then, another body stepped up to my side.
“Kennedy?”
It was Reid.
He was Dane’s best friend, and one of the nicer guys I’d attended school with. “Hi Reid.”
“You need a little help here?” He looked between Dane and me and then down at Jade who was blissfully unaware of what was going on.
“Please.”
He frowned, and then took her from me. Cradling her to his chest, he turned to face Dane. “Stop being a pussy, Dane. She’s just here to fetch Jade.”
They glowered at each other, a silent message passing between them. Reid was the only guy who could take Dane on, and he was also the only guy Dane would ever listen to. In that moment, he was my proverbial Knight in Shining Armor.
Dane finally stepped aside, and let us through. I followed Reid through the crowd, and back outside towards my Jeep. He carefully placed Jade in the passenger seat, and after making sure her seatbelt was secure, he shut the door, and faced me.
“It’s good to see you,” he said. Reid was a tall guy, and built like a football player. His shoulders were broad, his arms muscular, his waist trim, and his legs strong. His unkempt blond hair was a little longer, brushing his ears, and he had a little scruff on his face. With his arms folded across his chest, he looked intimidating, but I knew he was a little softer beneath the surface. Especially when it came to Jade.