To Shelter & Save

[19]

"What are you doing out here all on your own?" a voice suddenly says from her right.

Devyn jumps, startled, and stands up from leaning against the hood of Hayes' car. She stumbled slightly in her heels and braced against the Camaro to stabilize herself. Brian stood a little ways away from her, his hands in his pants pockets.

"Um," she stuttered, "just getting some fresh air."

He nods and takes a single step closer to her. He rolls his lips into his mouth before he says, "Uh, listen. This might be a little overdue, but I want to apologize for trying to push you into the pool at my party. I was trashed but that's still no excuse."

She was amazed at how he was willingly apologizing to her. It was the last thing she was expecting from him. Devyn was fully prepared to deal with his flirting, but him apologizing? She wasn't prepared for that in the slightest.

"Uh, thanks, Brian," she said tentatively, eyeing him carefully. He nodded and started to walk away. "Um," he stopped and turned towards her, "why'd you lie about seeing me in the library the night of Autumn's party?"

Brian inhaled sharply and bounced on his heels. "One too many bottles of vodka at my party had my head in a fog. I guess I didn't really process what you asked me but I remember now—you said you were meeting Olive and Claire and I left you alone."

Devyn nodded, still eyeing him with caution. Brian offered a small smile and turned around and walked off. She watched him venture off, wondering why he suddenly apologized now of all times. He disappeared back inside and she was left on her own in the comfort of the nighttime air.

She sat back against Hayes' car and let her mind wonder wherever it wanted to go. Unfortunately, her mind thought back to the new text message. Whoever is sending her these strange and haunting messages has seen her today. He's lingered around, hiding in the shadows and the thought alone is enough to frighten Devyn.

She tries to remember what else happened that night but it's futile. She wishes Hooper was here; he'd give her some words of encouragement and tell her everything was going to be okay...kind of like what Hayes is telling her. He's been telling her he'd help her no matter what she remembers, and he's been comforting her when she gets worked up.

A soft smile tugs at the corner of her lips at the thought of Hayes. Devyn thinks back to moments ago on the dance floor and the words he whispered in her ear. She hears his voice in her head, the husky tone he spoke in sending goosebumps up and down her arms again despite him being absent currently.

She hates what he can do to her even when he isn't near.

She hates the affect he has on her at just a mere thought.

"Well, you and Hayes certainly looked quite cozy with each other."

Alex appears in her line of sight, her arms folded together with a teasing grin on her face. Devyn feels her cheeks heating up and looks at her feet in an effort to avoid her sister's gaze.

"Do you have something you want to tell me?" she asks, stepping closer until she's directly in front of Devyn.

Devyn shrugs. "There's nothing to tell."

"Bull. Shit," Alex argues, exasperated, her eyebrows reaching her hairline as she shoots Devyn with an unbelieving expression. "What I saw on the dance floor—what everybody saw—was not nothing, Devyn. There's something going on between you two and I'm all for it."

"What?" Devyn breathes out.

"You heard me." Alex steps to her right and sits next to her. "That boy is smitten by you, and you with him."