SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL, J.HUGHES

THIRTY NINE

JACK'S POV

When I get back inside, leaving Riley out there, her words keep echoing in my head. She called me awful, and honestly, she's not wrong. It's not like I want to be this way; it's because I'm scared. Scared of screwing everything up.

I'm hit with the warm, sweaty air of the club. The music's pounding in my chest, making me a little dizzy, and I haven't even had a drink yet. The flashing lights make it hard to see, and I start to freak out a bit because I can't spot her—the girl I love. But then I remember she's with the boys, and I'm pretty sure she's in good hands with them.

I push through the crowd, not giving a damn about anything except finding her. My head's all over the place. Part of me wants to drown it all out with shots, but I know that's not gonna fix anything. I just need to see her, hold her, remind myself why I'm trying to be better.

I finally spot her with the guys, laughing and having a good time. Relief washes over me, but so does a wave of guilt. I don't deserve her. Not after everything. But damn if I'm not gonna try to be the guy she thinks I am. I shove my hands in my pockets, take a deep breath, and walk over.

"Hey, pretty girl," I say, my hand sliding down her back. She leans in closer, and even in the dim light, I can perfectly see her smile and her glowing cheeks. She's seriously the prettiest girl ever, and I've thought that since the first time I saw her in high school. The world had stopped, just like in a movie, and I knew she would be the one.

"Hey, you," she says softly, her eyes sparkling. She leans in closer to my ear and asks about that discussion with Riley I just had.

"It went great," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "Riley totally understands the situation."

We can say that's how it went, even though it's not totally true since she just insulted me for fifteen minutes straight, but anyway. No need to drag her into that mess.

She looks at me, her eyes full of trust, and I feel a pang of guilt. "I'm glad," she says, smiling again. "I was worried it might get messy."

"Nah, it's all good," I say, pulling her closer.

She kisses my cheek, and I feel a bit more of that tension melt away. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"I try," I say, grinning. "Now, let's get some more drinks and enjoy the night, yeah?"

We head back to the bar, and I order us a couple more shots. As we clink glasses, I can't help but feel lucky. Despite all the bullshit, here I am with the girl of my dreams.

We make our way back to the boys, weaving through the crowd. Mercer and Nico finally showed up, fashionably late as always.

"About time you guys made it!" I shout over the music, giving Nico a playful shove.

"Shut up, man," Nico laughs, shaking his head. Mercer grins, nodding in agreement.

Then Nico gasps, looking towards the bar. "I'm coming back with that girl," he says, nodding to a tall brunette. I shake my head, laughing a little.

"Nico, man, you say that every time," I chuckle, taking another sip of my drink.

"Yeah, but this time I mean it," Nico insists, straightening his shirt and running a hand through his hair.

Nico's never been the smoothest with girls. People say he's got charm, but his dates usually end up awkward. He's just not great with the whole talking-to-girls thing. I mean, girls think he has a certain charm—we always tell him that. He's missing the confidence, or the ease. He's really clumsy when it comes to talking to girls.