Hearts We Mend To Break (Book I)

.34.

💫ANGEL💫

THE DAY FOLLOWING OUR HALLOWEEN OUTING, the last weekend of the month, we were preparing for the second beach party of the year. Once again, it was the number one topic in every conversation. You could hear the room whispering of the festivities in class, outside on campus, in the café, even at Hanigan's.

"Going to the beach party?" Zoe placed my lemonade down in front of me, waiting on my response.

"Yeah." A dry tone with no eye-contact, you can say I was embarrassed to look her in the eye. I had been avoiding her ever since I violated her at Loki's party.

"You can stop with all of that and just say sorry, Angel."

"What?" My head jerked back quickly as I snarled at the thought of apologizing to her.

"Or not." Before I could say anything else, she quickly disappeared behind the door that all of the waitresses came in and out of.

"Well, she's pissed." V laughed, having a seat in the chair across from me.

"She'll live."

"What did you do, steal her virtue?"

"Her virtue?"

"Oh...ok." V grabbed my lemonade and took a sip. "Guess you haven't gotten that far." Just as quickly as she came to intrude on my solitude, she was making her grand escape.

"Wait." I grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving. "What time do you get off?"

"An hour." She grinned.

"Hmph." A smirk was all I needed to display for her to know where my head was.

"I'm on a fifteen-minute break." She grinned. "I've got five minutes left."

"I can work with that."

"Bathroom, lover boy." V picked up my lemonade and the plate and napkins from my table, tossing them in the back, while I made my way to the restroom.

She and I came quickly, in under five minutes. Breathlessly dressing, we both cleaned up and made our exit from the restroom. When I opened the door, wanting to leave first, I as greeted by a displeased gaze.

"Oh!" Her eyes fell to V then back to me. "Am I interrupting—"

"Nope. We're done." Vanessa grinned, shouldering past Zoe as if she had some kind of vendetta against her.

"Tuh!" Zoe eyed me once more. Then, she turned to walk in the opposite direction.

What the hell was that about?

LATER THAT NIGHT AT THE BEACH PARTY, I noticed the crowd was three times as large as it was the last time. Instead of glow in the dark volleyball, they had a blacklight put-put setup along the sand. I remembered thinking how on earth you play put-put in sand? I knew I'd be terrible at it just by watching everyone else struggle. There were several drinking games spread throughout the perimeter. All the partygoers made it their job to try each one. I managed to avoid the games to avoid the alcohol. Loki and the others were completely intoxicated two hours in.

"Okay. You have to play this game with us. We're not taking no for an answer!" Loki shouted over the loud music.

"Beer pong." V barged in, pulling on my wrist as she dragged me from the spot on the bench that I was keeping warm.