Are you mine?

Chapter 9

I turn to face him, the tips of my ears burning hot with embarrassment, "Oh hey Noah," I say with an awkward smile, drawing out the 'hey'. "Funny seeing you here."

Really? I mentally facepalm myself.

He leans forward, crossing his arms over the table, "You know, when someone asks you a question, it's proper etiquette to provide them with an answer. You feel like doing that anytime soon?" he asks, smirking. He's enjoying this. And I hate him.

"Oh, that? I was just telling Syd about this show I'm watching. The male lead is a total smoke show," I lie and glance behind him at Syd who gives me a long wink and mouths 'good save'. I hate her too.

"He sounds like it," Noah replies with a cheeky grin before his tongue peeks out to draw his bottom lip between his teeth.

Luckily he seems to have had enough of seeing me squirm and abstains from teasing me farther, moving on to make conversation with Tyler. I lean back in my chair blowing out a breath, glad that our conversation is over. My cheeks still feel heated.

Finally, Syd stands up. "I need a drink," she announces. "Later losers." She's out of her chair and across the lawn before I can blink. Imagining she's probably gone looking for Jackson, I don't follow her, which leaves me alone with Tyler and Noah, short of a buffer. My hands start to sweat and I instinctually scoot my chair closer to Tyler. He shifts his foot so the tip of his shoe touches my boot.

"Do you want a drink, Mads?" Noah asks.

"I'm good, thanks."

"You sure?"

I spot Mason a few feet away from us near a small fire they've set up in the yard. He's got his arm around a girl, very obviously hitting on her, and even though I try I can't help but feel a sting of jealousy inside. "Actually," I correct myself, "I could use a drink."

"Lead the way," he says gesturing with his hand and I stand up.

"You coming?" I ask Tyler.

He hesitates but shakes his head a moment later. "Nah, you go ahead," he says. "I'll keep myself busy."

"You sure?" I press, not liking the idea of leaving him alone.

He stands and gives me a tight-lipped smile as he ruffles the hair at the top of my head. "Go."

I do as he says.

Noah and I head towards the kitchen and I look back before going in. I see that in the time it took us to cross the yard Tyler has blended seamlessly into the group sitting around the fire, so we head inside.

The kitchen counter is filled with a surprisingly wide assortment of alcohol and Noah heads for a squared glass bottle filled with an amber liquid, cracking it open as I hear the seal on the cap break off. "Have you ever done shots before?" he asks, grabbing two small glasses and setting them in front of him, pouring equal amounts into each one.

"Can't say I have. I'm a bit of a lightweight so I usually stay away from the stronger stuff, unless it's diluted with something else." I explain.

"Oh," he stops pouring, "Do you want to try?" he asks and I hesitate. "Totally fine if you don't want to, no pressure." he raises his hands.

"Okay, I'll do one." I concede. "But just the one. My dad's picking me up later and I don't want to be a mess when he gets here."

"Cool." It's the only thing he says as he sets one of the shot glasses in front of me and hands me a lime wedge he took from a nearby bowl. "Give me your hand," he says, reaching for it and I let him take it before my brain can even consider another option. He sprinkles a little salt on the back of it and proceeds to do the same with his.