Page 2 of Kiss Collector

When Jade’s eyes nervously flick to the hallway again, I turn and head that way, ignoring when he calls out.

“Aw, c’mon, Zae, be cool. Have one drink with me!”

I stop at a door in the hall where light shines from the crack at the bottom, probably a bathroom. I put my ear to the door and hear shuffling noises, so I knock.

“Occupied.” The sound of Wylie’s voice sends an excited and nervous jolt through me. If he’s high, we are going to throw down.

I knock again, harder.

“Dude, fuck off!” he says now, a hint of amusement framing his words.

“Wy, it’s me.” I try not to sound annoyed.

I hear him whisper “Oh, shit!” and my heart drops. “Hold on! I’m just... talkin’ to someone.”

More whispers and shuffling. My heart is pounding too hard. I cross my arms and wait as the door opens a couple of inches. My stomach spins like it always does when I see his creamy brown skin and wavy black hair.

“Hey, baby, what are you doing here?” He smiles. His eyes aren’t red, and there’s no smoke. I suddenly feel sick, knowing he’s doing something more hard-core than weed.

“Surprise,” I say, holding up my palms innocently. He still only peeks at me through the crack of the doorway.

“I’m almost finished talking to someone about this thing I need to take care of—”

Okay, enough BS. “What are you doing in there, Wylie?”

“Nothin’. For real.” That big smile again. “Just dealing with some drama from school, but we’re getting it figured out.Can you get me a drink real quick?” he asks, giving me his cute, pouty look. “Pretty please? I’ll be done by the time you get back, and we can hang.”

I hold back a sarcastic snort. “Sure. Be right back.” I move to the side and he closes the door. I’m sweating now as I wait in the darkened hall, not moving.

After ten seconds the door cracks open and a girl slips out backward, giggling and whispering. She looks maybe fourteen or fifteen. Wavy hair and big cocoa eyes.

What the hell? He’s getting high with some freshman?

Time slows as the girl smiles at Wylie, reaching for his hands. He steps out with a finger to his lips, and with his other hand gives her a gentle push away. Then they both catch sight of my steely face in the dim hall and freeze.

Not drugs. Another girl.

Inside my chest, my heart begins to rattle, quaking, then it explodes, landing in my stomach with a flame that claws up my throat. Acid. Realization. Jealousy.

Wylie is a bad boy as far as following the law’s concerned, but cheating has never been an issue. Has it?

The girl stumbles back like she’s scared, and her eyes dart between us. She’s at the end of a dead-end hall, trapped. I glare at Wylie, who wears the crap-eating grin he always does when he’s in trouble. This cannot be happening.

“Did you... ? What’s going on, Wy?”

He reaches for my hand, and I let him, because I’m his girl. I’m the one heshouldbe touching. “I told you, we were talking.” His words are quick and jittery.

I want to believe him. It’s possible they were just talking, right? But the look of horror and guilt on the girl’s face is toomuch to ignore. I wrench my hand from his and push away, moving into the girl’s face. I don’t usually resort to intimidation tactics, but she is obviously scared, and I need answers.

“Zae...” Wylie warns.

“Did you kiss my boyfriend?” I ask her. I might puke.

If possible, her face becomes more terrified. Ashen. Instead of answering, she whimpers and looks past my shoulder at Wylie. My stomach is wrung tight. The hall behind us is starting to fill with people.

“What did y’all do?”

“I—I d-didn’t know he had a girlfriend.” She glances past me again to Wylie.