All The Wild Ones | Wildfire Series

Dissonance

NESSA

"Leave me alone."

"Oh, come on." Jack inched toward me, and I took a step back, running into the kitchen counter. "Thought we could head upstairs. Maybe watch some more Game of Thrones?"

"You thought we could go upstairs? Why would you ever think that?" I looked him up and down, noticing how the buttons on his flannel weren't lined up correctly. One side of his shirt was way shorter than the other. "Do you remember the last time you saw me? You called me a bitch, Jack."

He'd gotten a nose piercing some time in the last few months since I talked with him outside of Julian's house. It looked infected and crusty as he scrunched up his face, trying to remember.

"Yeah," he scoffed, "because you blew me off and shoved your tongue down some football player's throat."

I swallowed, trying to push away the pain that came whenever I thought about kissing Grayson.

"Where's he at now?"

Like hell if I knew.

Jack did a quick search around the room. Part of me wanted to tell him not to bother. Grayson wasn't here.

Grayson wasn't anywhere.

I looked around as well, trying to find my friends. We finished our finals this morning, and tonight was our celebration. The last day of freshman year. Bren was here again, planning to take Madie back to Fresno with him tomorrow. We were all heading out tomorrow. Parting ways for the summer.

"He must be out of the picture, huh?" Jack persisted when I didn't answer him. He shifted closer to me, and I moved my hand away when I felt his fingers graze my arm. This was what I got for wandering into the kitchen to get a refill before all the booze ran out. I should have stayed in the living room, where it was safer. Less secluded.

Looking back at Jack, I took a swig of my drink and let the whiskey burn in my throat. "You could say that."

When Jack opened his mouth to respond, I cut him off.

"But no, I don't want to go up to your room. Excuse me."

He rolled his eyes, and I could tell he wasn't going to get out of my way. His lips parted to say something. Luckily, though, he was quickly cut off a second time when Beau sidled up next to me. I breathed out in relief.

"There you are, baby girl," he said, throwing an arm around my shoulders with his usual giant smile. He winked.

I grinned back at him. Batted my eyelashes a bit for effect. Ignored the pesky reminder in the back of my mind that Beau wasn't the first guy I'd pretended to flirt with. Goddamnit. All I wanted was to go one day without thinking of Grayson. But he was everywhere. At every party and every class and dorm room. It was almost a relief to be leaving campus soon.

"Ready to get out of here?" I managed to ask Beau.

He nodded. "Yep, that's why I was coming to get you."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack's mouth thin in irritation. But he stepped aside anyway, and I followed Beau to where Madie and Bren were waiting. And by waiting, I meant that they were making out against the side of the house.

Beau threw his hat at them, and they broke apart, ridiculous smiles on their faces. "You're gonna be back in your room in like five minutes," Beau scolded, bending down to swipe his hat up off the ground. "Just hold your goddamn horses."

Laughing, Bren knocked Beau's shoulder. "Been holding my horses all week long, man."

I could see the happiness on Bren's face tonight. This past week was the last one he'd have to spend apart from Madie in a long time.