Page 28

28

ANYA

TWO HANDS GRIP MY waist and yank me harshly backwards. I collide with a firm chest.

‘Anya,’ the voice rumbles, and I tense, quickly stepping out of the hold.

‘Hello, Kai.’

Some sort of techno song I’ve never heard blares out of a speaker not far from me, and I step further away from it, and from him. He moves in front of me, blocking my path. I grind my teeth, frustrated.

‘Can we talk?’ he asks.

‘No!’ Cami shouts at him, appearing out of nowhere. Reaching for my hand, she drags me off the dance floor and towards the bar. She screws her face up, throwing a shady look in his direction. ‘That boy really rubs me the wrong way,’ she grumbles, shaking her head. ‘You okay?’

‘Fine.’

‘Let me get you a drink.’

‘I’m not drinking tonight,’ I say for what feels like the hundredth time. I don’t feel like being here right now, surrounded by all this noise and all these bodies. I want to be home, watching a horror movie, in the arms of the boy I have loved all my life.

‘You’re not having fun,’ she states, frowning.

‘Sure I am.’

Her brows rise. ‘Not sure who you’re trying to convince there, but either way, you did a terrible job.’

‘Don’t worry about me. Go.’ I lightly shove her in the direction of a group of guys who keep looking over at us. ‘So many people want your attention right now.’

‘I don’t care,’ she protests. ‘I want to hang with you, and make sure you’re having a good time.’

‘I love you for that. I really do. But I want you to go mingle and have the best time. I’m going to get some water and chill for a bit.’ She opens her mouth, and I give her a look, nodding towards the group. ‘Go. Please.’

‘Fine,’ she relents, leaning in to plant a kiss on my cheek. ‘Call or text if you need me, okay?’

‘I will.’

She squeezes my hand, then shoots off in the direction of the group. Nora ended up bailing to study, and I don’t know how she managed to get out of it, but I didn’t want to leave Cami hanging when I knew she really wanted to come.

Pulling out my phone, I bring up Mason’s contact details.

Anya: I’m here at a party, surrounded by people.

Anya: But all I want is to be with you.

Raking my fingers through my hair, I chew my lip, waiting for his response.

Mason: Say the word, and I’ll come get you.

Anya: Please.

Anya: I want to see you.

Mason: Leaving now.

Anya: I’ll meet you out front.

Smiling, I look over my shoulder to see Cami being led to the dance floor by a guy who I swear must be almost seven feet tall. I shoot her a quick text, saying I’m heading out, but to call me if she needs a ride later. I pocket my phone, and finally the line at the bar moves. I reach the front, and a girl leans towards me.

‘Hi, can I get some water, please?’

‘The water station is over there!’ she shouts at me then turns, serving the person next to me.

Running my tongue across my teeth in irritation, I leave the line and stride over to the cart. Groaning, I stare down at the empty tray that is supposed to hold the glasses for me to fill up.

‘Sorry, gorgeous, I think I took the last one.’

Closing my eyes, I exhale noisily through my nose before turning to face Kai, who smiles down at me, holding a glass of water in his hand.

‘I don’t believe that you’re not drinking,’ I say a little hotly as I stare up at him. ‘I’ve never seen you pass up the chance to party.’

‘You never took the chance to know me, how can you even make that assumption?’ Kai retorts, his eyes flashing with anger briefly.

Pressing my lips together, I turn, planning to leave, when he reaches out for me.

‘Hey,’ he says, face softening. ‘I’m sorry. For the dumb shit I said at your house. I didn’t mean any of it. I really like you and I didn’t handle the fact that you don’t really like me back. It was rude. I’m really sorry.’

I blink at him in surprise. ‘Oh.’

‘Look, we have years of university left. Games, parties, classes. I don’t want you to feel like you have to avoid me all the time. I really am sorry. I hope we can just forget any of it happened.’

‘That sounds good to me,’ I admit, feeling my shoulders slump in defeat, not wanting to drag this out either. He makes a valid point. The campus is big, but not that big. With Mason and Zayden on the football team, too, we’re bound to run into each other often, whether we like it or not. ‘I’m sorry my brother punched you.’

‘I deserved it.’

I smile. ‘Okay. Well, thanks for that.’

‘Here,’ he says, thrusting the glass towards me. ‘You can have it. I’m going to get the staff to refill the glasses.’ He pushes the glass into my hand and swerves around me, stalking towards the bar, looking like he’s on a mission.

My throat is paper dry, begging me to relieve it. Sighing, I take a long sip, and end up draining the entire cup.