Page 47 of Run For Me (Until You’re Mine Duet #1)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Sailor

Amelia walks into my bedroom with a grin on her face.

“What?” I ask with a groan.

“I’m just so glad you’re coming with me to this party!”

She looks adorable in a short black pleated skirt and white tank top, showing off her lower belly and new belly button ring.

“Well, it’s college, and this is what we are supposed to do, right?”

“Right!” She bounces up and down before running back into the bathroom.

I shake my head as I look myself over in the mirror.

Yes, I am going because Amelia asked me to.

But also… I’m going because JT wants me to.

He told me exactly what to wear and gave me zero information on what he’s wearing.

Each day that passes, the need to know who he is gets stronger.

But this is all too good to let go of. It’s not that finding out who he is will destroy any of this.

We can keep doing what we’re doing, but something about not knowing makes it so much more exciting.

I like that he’s watching me, and I don’t know who he is.

I like that I could be looking right at him and not know it’s him.

Maybe I’d know… but that’s the thing. Everyone I talk to with a similar body type and height will be him.

Or won’t be him. He’s like Schrodinger’s cat.

My skirt matches Amelia’s. It’s short, black and pleated. But my shirt is also black. A tiny tank with tan buttons up the center. My combat boots are what make the outfit, where Amelia has flats, giving her a cuter, more innocent look.

“Are you sure your boyfriend can’t come?”

I look up, seeing Amelia’s pouty face.

I didn’t tell her that JT will be there because how would I explain that I don’t know which guy he is? How do I explain not talking to him?

“Yeah, he’s working.”

“Laaame!”

I quickly finish up my hair and put on some makeup, and then we’re ready to go.

We take my car because I don’t plan on drinking—at least not a lot.

I’m nervous all the way there and hardly remember the conversation we have.

Amelia is talking away, and I’m nodding and smiling and agreeing, but don’t ask me what she’s saying.

When we get to the house, the long driveway is full of cars, along with the street. It’s a large house with at least three floors, music pounding all the way out here. Some people stand outside on the lawn, while the front door is wide open and I can make out more people inside.

“Go around the block. Down here,” Amelia says. “You can probably find a spot.”

I follow her directions and get an open spot a couple of blocks down.

My nerves are at an all-time high as I get out of the car.

Not only because of JT, but because of going to a party.

Something I’ve never done. Going to school was hard enough because of all the people.

And now I’m going to be at a party, where a ton of people are stuffed into a small room like a sardine can.

I can totally do this.

Because he’s going to be there.

I have a small cross body bag that I put my keys in and pull out my phone to send JT a text letting him know I’m here. I watch the screen as we walk, waiting for his response.

JT: Good. I’m already inside.

My stomach gets all warm, and knowing he’s already here gives me the little bit of confidence I need to walk through the door.

“Come on,” Amelia urges, hooking her arm in mine.

She’s been to this house for a party already, a few times.

She leads us right to the kitchen, where the counter and island are covered in different bottles of alcohol.

Red coolers are along one wall, and someone opening it to pull out a beer tells me it’s filled with cans and bottles.

I spot a seltzer and go for that instead of making something with stronger alcohol.

Plus, this is safer because it hasn’t been tampered with.

I pop the can open and take a sip of the pineapple lemonade flavored drink. It’s not bad.

“I am so excited that you’re here,” Amelia says, bouncing on her feet as she pours vodka into a see-through purple cup about halfway. She tops it off with Sprite, then adds a splash of cranberry juice.

“You’re like a pro,” I say before taking a sip of my drink.

She stirs hers with a straw, then sips.

“Kinda. Come on.”

We make our way back into the large living room where people are dancing in the middle and others are sitting on the couches against the walls.

I look over the people in here, and each guy I see that has a similar body to JT, I linger for a moment longer.

We end up in another room that looks like a study.

“Amelia!” someone shouts, and she squeals, putting her arms up as a guy walks over to her and dwarfs her in his arms.

He’s much taller than JT, so I already know it isn’t him. Plus, his arms are bare.

He’d be smart enough to have covered his tattoos, since he knows I know what they look like. So, short-sleeved guys aren’t him.

“Who’s your friend?” he asks.

“This is Sailor,” she says, pulling me closer to her. “Sailor, this is Donny.”

“Hey, Donny,” I say, giving him an awkward wave.

“Nice to meet you, Sailor,” he says with a smile.

He’s cute, in a pretty boy type of way. Deep dimples, full lips, 90s blond hair. Looks like he’s a football player or something.

“Did you girls just get here?” he asks, leading us over to a couch, where we all sit. I take up the end, while Amelia is in the middle and Donny on the other end.

The music is loud in here, but not as bad as in the other room.

The floor and walls shake from the bass, but at least I can hear what they’re saying.

Though, I’m not really listening. I’m glancing around the room, peaking out the doorway, wondering if he’s found me already.

And almost as if he knows I’m wondering about him, I get a text.

JT: You look hot as fuck.

Me: I bet you do too, but I wouldn’t know.

JT: Just trust me; I do.

I huff out a laugh, put my phone down and turn back to Amelia, who is facing Donny and looking at him with little hearts in her eyes. Damn, she’s got it bad for him. It’s kind of adorable. Though, if I had to guess, he’s just looking to get laid. As most college guys are.

When my drink is empty, Amelia is just about finished with hers, so the three of us go to the kitchen to make another drink. I grab another from the cooler, while Amelia makes hers. She’s laughing so hard from whatever Donny is saying that she keeps spilling all over the table.

“Stop it,” she says through a giggle, pushing him away. He leans in, whispering something in her ear.

Well, I’m pretty sure I’ll be on my own soon if this keeps up. She’ll be swooped away to some random bedroom. I turn, bumping into someone with my shoulder.

“Oh, sorry,” they say, and their voice sounds way too familiar.

I jerk my head around, watching as they walk away.

Perfect height, perfect body… I think that’s him. It could be him.

I stare at his strong back, the way the white thermal shirt hugs every muscle. It’s long-sleeved. His dark hair is cut short in the back and longer on top.

“Hey, hello, Sailor. You have a boyfriend. Stop gawking,” Amelia says, waving a hand in front of my face.

“Right, sorry,” I say with a laugh, then take a drink. “Where’d your friend go?” I ask.

“He went outside to go smoke with his friend Colton.”

“Oh, okay. So… what are we supposed to do?” I ask, looking around at everyone talking.

I’m not a social person; I can’t just walk up to people and make friends. So, do we just stand around awkwardly? This is so weird.

“We just hang out,” she says with an eye roll. “Come on.” With a sigh, I walk with her into the other room. “Do you want to dance?” she asks.

“Not particularly.”

Even though JT is here, and he has seen me, it’s not quite fun enough to want to be here. I’d still rather be home.

I make the best of it for the next couple of hours, drinking a few more drinks that have me feeling buzzed, but definitely not drunk. Amelia and I met up with her friend again. We sat and talked, had drinks, went outside for a bit, then lingered some more inside.

The house is full of more people than should be allowed. It’s close to twelve and you can hardly move. I’m not sure how much time has passed since I checked my phone last, so I pull it out now and see I have a text from JT from sixteen minutes ago!

JT: Third floor, third room on the left.

“I, uh, have to go to the bathroom,” I say quickly, getting up from the couch.

“I’ll go with you,” Amelia says, trying to get to her feet. She’s had a lot to drink, and I consider not leaving her alone. But she does this all the time, right? She must be okay.

“No, it’s okay. I won’t be long,” I tell her. And I don’t plan to be.

“Okay,” she says with a shrug, settling back into the couch and sipping her drink. She’s so drunk. I look at Donny.

“I will be right back,” I say.

“Okay, cool.”

“Don’t let anything happen to her.”

“Of course not,” he says with a smile, but for the first time tonight, it looks fake.

I stare at him for a moment longer, but figure everything is fine.

Amelia didn’t just meet this guy tonight, she’s known him.

I’m sure she’ll be okay. So I finish my drink and toss my can on the way to find the stairs, and I head up to the third floor, then move to the room JT told me to go to.

The door is closed, and I wonder if I should knock or just go in.

He texted me twenty minutes ago, what if he left? What if someone else is in the room?

I glance down the hall, that’s quiet and free of people. It’s not like the second floor that was full of people and loud moans coming from behind the doors. I press my ear to this door and hear nothing, so I turn the knob and push my way inside.