Page 29 of Surviving Slater

"I'm looking forward to this," I said as we walked to the house, dodging a couple of drunken people as we drew closer.

"I'm glad one of us is," he muttered beside me. "I feel like I'm going to the dentist. I can hear the drill already."

"Don't say that," I chided him with a poke of my elbow. "You'll have fun."

He gave me a disbelieving look.

"I promise."

"Okay," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

Inside, the party was going strong. We found a few of our other friends from class.

"What are you drinking?" one of them asked me, but after Taylor's drink being spiked, I was extra careful.

I followed him to the kitchen and got my own drink. While he went back to our group in the living room, I stood on the sidelines, scanning the room.

As I sipped my drink, my eyes met familiar light blue ones and I nearly spluttered. Not again. Across the room, leaning against the wall, stood Slater looking sexier than ever.

Instead of the usual cocky smirk I was used to receiving from him, I got still features devoid of any emotion. I swallowed as I realized why I was getting the cool look. He was probably still angry I had turned down his offer and as far as he knew I had slept with someone else.

I had the urge to tell him the truth, that I hadn't let it go that far with Steven, but then my self-preservation set in. If I did, he would know he still affected me and I couldn't let that happen. The last time I had shown him vulnerability he had stomped all over it and I was still trying to recover from it.

With all the willpower I possessed, I broke my eyes from his and continued to scan past him. I wouldn't allow him to see that the sight of him had quickened my pulse and sent my heart hammering in my chest.

I slowly scanned the rest of the room, not allowing my gaze to find him again once I was finished. Levi saw me and waved. I walked toward him, needing someone to hide beside.

"You having fun?" he asked before taking a swig of his beer.

"Yes," I lied. "And you?"

He smiled. "A little better than a dentist appointment."

My smile widened. "See? I told you."

He bumped my shoulder slightly with his and I giggled.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," he relented.

On the outside I was at ease but on the inside my thoughts were concentrated on Slater. I hadn't seen him with someone. Was he here with the girl who he'd taken out before?

It didn't matter, I told myself. His dating—no, correct that, because he didn't date—hisscrewingstatus had nothing to do with me. But I couldn't mistake the fact that, despite all my attempts, I did care.

Chapter Eight

Itriedbut there was no ignoring Slater. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate on what Levi was telling me, I kept thinking of the tattooed boy who was somewhere at the party.

By my second drink I was feeling mellow, the alcohol taking effect and warming my blood.

Levi was enjoying himself. A couple of drinks were all it had taken to loosen him up and he dragged me onto the dance floor. We were bumping and grinding together, laughing as one song soon became another. There were a few girls who had their eyes on Levi and I knew it wouldn't be long before they started to circle him.

After I finished my second drink, I went to the bathroom. I checked my makeup and washed my hands before I left.

I smiled to myself when I spotted Levi talking to a pretty girl. Inside the kitchen, I bumped into Steven.

"Hi," I greeted him.

"Hey," he greeted back as he got himself a beer.