Because of that Night (Book 2)

Chapter 39: Lila

Michael couldn't seem to get Lila out of Hunter's graduation party fast enough. All he wanted was to be alone with her and being at this party had made him unbelievably fidgety. He wrapped his arm tightly around Lila's waist, leaning into her ear the way he always did. It always brought a shiver up Lila's spine, but she loved when he would do this. It felt like such an intimate thing to do in front of so many people even if it looked innocent.

"Come on, no one will even miss us," Michael whispered. The light breaths that fell on Lila's ear tickled.

"You just got home," Lila said, turning to face him. "I think a few people will miss you."

"Oh yeah?" he teased. He pulled her closer to him so that their noses were almost touching. "Like who?"

"Like your dad, and Hunter..." She swallowed, her stomach flipping strangely when saying Hunter's name.

He had told her she needed to recognize that better people were out there for her, people that would treat her better than Michael did. But the question resided in who he was referring to. Was this just a general statement he was making, or was he thinking of someone in particular who he believed was better suited for Lila? She just couldn't seem to stop thinking back to the way his eyes had flickered when she had asked him what he meant. They flickered in a way she had never seen before. He looked almost shameful, as though he had knowingly said something he shouldn't have.

She scanned the party goers, her eyes landing on where Hunter was seated with a group of friends from his graduating class again. Nothing seemed different from the outside looking in. He was listening attentively to whatever Carter Mason was talking about, smiling and laughing along with the group. It was like their conversation was already gone and dismissed in his mind from what Lila had observed, so why was she still thinking about it if he clearly wasn't? She was reading into things that simply weren't there. It was time to move on.

"Who cares," Michael groaned. "I live with them, it's not like I won't see them again."

"I know, but," Lila began to argue again, but Michael interrupted.

"Li," he said, urging her to meet his eyes again. They glinted that brilliant green. "I've already messed up this entire summer with you. I don't want to waste any more time."

They stared at each other a moment longer, and Michael added in a dragged out "please" for good measure. Lila rolled her eyes, but assented finally, and Michael squeezed her waist in excitement. He left her for a moment to inform his father that he was leaving again, and Lila once more was left alone with her wandering thoughts. She looked over at Hunter again, but this time, was surprised to find he was already looking at her. Clearly embarrassed to have been caught, his eyes darted back to focusing on whoever was talking within the group he was seated with. He didn't look up at her again.

"All good," Michael exclaimed as he came bounding back over to her. He smiled that big, kind smile again. "Just need to give Hunter a heads up I'm leaving my dad said, and then we're good to go."

Without another thought about it, Michael had begun pulling Lila over to Hunter and his group of friends. Lila tried to hold Michael's hand as casually as possible, but a part of her felt the need to hold on especially tight as they approached where Hunter sat.

"Hunt," Michael called over the dull roar of the group. Hunter glanced up to where Michael stood over them, his hand still entwined with Lila's. "We're gonna head out for a while, catch up a bit about how camps went and stuff. I'll catch up with you later?"