Corrupt Me

Chapter 1

I swayed in time with the music, my arms over my head, and a red solo cup gripped in one hand. Sweat, beer, and hormones permeated the family room turned into a dance floor. House parties weren't my scene, but tonight I was someone else, anyone else but Everly Scott.

The clothes, the makeup, the music, the half-gone drink in my hand, none of it was me, but I wanted to prove to Preston—to myself that I wasn't boring and predictable. I could be fun and spontaneous. I could let my hair down, hike up my skirt, and not give a fuck about what anyone else thought about me.

Or so I told myself.

Actually, not caring was harder than it sounded in my head, despite the fact every girl here was dressed like me...worse to be honest. Even my best friend was scantily clothed in tight cranberry-colored shorts that had part of her butt cheeks hanging out, bouncing in time with her perky, perfect boobs barely contained in a black bra. The lace tank she wore was sheer and added to her sex-crazed kitten look she loved to portray.

"I fucking love this song!" Sam yelled over the bass. The ends of her dark hair dyed aqua spun in the air as she twisted her head from side to side. Sam was bold and bright like her choice of hair and wardrobe. She did and said whatever was on her mind, her mouth born without a filter. We often joked that she came out of her mother's womb flipping the bird to the world.

Opposites attract. A truer statement couldn't be said to describe my friendship with Sam, and until she had transferred to Seaside Prep during my sophomore year, I hadn't known how much I needed someone like her in my life.

"Who doesn't?" I countered with a smile and shook out my long blonde hair. The two glasses of spiked punch were already working their way into my system, loosening my muscles. I felt great, without a care in the world.

Sam was short for Samantha but calling her by her given name would earn you a black eye. My best friend had a thing for boy names...she had a thing for boys was more accurate—all boys...and girls, but never the same one in the same week. And her tight athletic little body got her the attention she craved from both sexes. It didn't matter which, they all loved her.

Sam was the life of the party everywhere she went, and I was the best friend living in her shadow, content to let her take the spotlight.

"Keg stand!" some jock screamed over the music, bumping his plastic cup against the dude next to him and spilling both of their drinks down their arms. Idiots. But the crowd got rowdy in response.

What was so fun about these parties again? Why had I let Sam talk me into coming out?

Right, because Preston was being an ass.

At the thought of my boyfriend, I lifted the cup to my lips and drained the remaining punch. "I need another," I yelled to Sam, who nodded and weaved her fingers with mine, leading us through the crowd toward the kitchen at the back of the beach house, all while swaying her hips.

I was drunk. Like the room was one drink away from spinning. I shouldn't have gotten so out of control tonight, but Preston and I had a fight and I let Sam convince me a party was what I needed to take my mind off him. Surprisingly, I was having fun...too much fun thanks to the booze.

Tomorrow I would regret every second of this night, but for now, I would suck every last drop of the concoction in my cup.

The kitchen was a disaster littered with red cups over the counter, empty bottles of liquor, and half-eaten boxes of pizza. Someone had spilled a bag of chips on the sticky tile floor and the broken pieces crunched under my wedges. Gross.

Filling up my glass, I took another long swig of the bright green drink that looked like it could have been toxic and refused to let myself think about perfect Preston.