Don't give up on me ✓

[44] Piña Coladas

Accept what is, let go of what was, have faith in what will be - Sonia Ricotti

Chapter 44: Piña Coladas

[Recap]

"My sister Holly is dating him. She came home last night and she was over the moon happy. It hasn't the hit the rumor mill yet, but it will. We wanted you to know first."

"Who is she dating?" I asked.

I never in my wildest dreams imagined the word that came out of her mouth next. Never in a million years. 

"It's Jesper."

[End of Recap]

It's actually funny.

Ha.

You can handle so much when you're numb.

My mind had separated from my body. It was somewhere tropical; on a beach drinking a piña colada. Checked out.

"Jesper and Holly?" I repeated, shrugging, "Imagine that."

I took my books out of my locker, folded them under my arm and headed on to my next class. Life goes on.

The news hit the school like a tidal wave. Everyone thought Holly and Nate were destined for each other: the two hottest seniors in school. Freshmen modeled themselves off of those two. 

And out of nowhere, Jesper, the new kid sweeps Holly right from under Nate's nose. That was the narrative anyway.

Poor Nate. He was under some serious scrutiny right now. A sneeze in the wrong direction and people would say he's sick out of grief.

I was the first one by the convertible after school. I hadn't bumped into the new lovebirds and I hadn't seen Nate. 

Someone from my physics class handed me a beer. The after-school parking lot party vibes had begun. 

I hung around, waiting for the boys, and texted Sid, Cleo and Isla about the parking lot party. I figured at least one of them would be interested in joining.

Sure enough, they all rocked up twenty minutes later. "I guess we technically have a right to be here, right?" Cleo asked nervously.

"It's pretty much reserved for cool seniors only," Sid explained, "But thanks to Nate, you're included in that right? His car, your car... same car."

"Sure," I shrugged. I didn't care what the unwritten rules said. It's all school property. "Besides, Sid, you're the queen b's sister."

"Speaking of royalty..." Isla pointed and we saw Nate walking towards us. 

He was looking calm and cool as always. Nothing about him seemed impacted. Same hot look.

"First one here?" he asked me, before nodding in the direction of the girls, "Hey."

"Hiii," they waved back like kids in a candy store.

He raised his eyebrows at them and chucked his books into the back seat of his convertible. Rough day, I imagine.

Then he turned around and declined drinks from the many people that were offering it to him. He took mine, since I didn't want to drink it.

Zander arrived shortly after, knocking into Nate in a playful but rough greeting. 

He then opened the car door and sat facing us, while we waited for the others.  Zane still hadn't recovered 100% from his injuries, so long days at school exhausted him.