Page 12 of Under the Influence

“You coming?” Madden asks, walking back inside the party.

“Yeah,” I nod, following him into the house. I’m not sure whose house it is, but the faces are familiar, and we’ve been hanging at a bunch of Oak Valley parties lately.

I refill my solo cup and turn back around, noticing the slew of popular kids all huddled around a beer pong table in the main living space.

Madden is the—date me to make your daddy mad—type, so the girls flock to him. He’s a good guy, just gives off the bad boy vibe. His dark hair, tattoos, and piercings make it easy to judge him. Looks can be deceiving, though, because he’s the best guy I know. He’d give the shirt off his back to anyone that needed it, and he writes lyrics that are so good they should be on the radio. They look at him and see the bad boy, the Shark. I see my best friend.

One of the guys walks my way from the beer pong table, his hair a dark sandy blonde, his arms thick and muscular.

Athlete.

I try to turn away nonchalantly. I don’t want to get involved with these people, not really.

“Haven’t seen you around before,” He smiles, stepping in a bit closer. I place my hand over the top of my solo cup instinctively.

His eyes shoot down, “Smart girl.”

I laugh, “I’m not stupid.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” He flirts, “I’m not stupid either. I’m Drayton.”

I blush, but I know this type. I’m not interested in the popular boy, the big man on campus. Even if he is gorgeous.

I flip my silver hair over my shoulder, “So?”

“So… what’s your name Ms. Not Stupid.”

I contemplate a fake identity, but my big mouth doesn’t agree, “Lainey.”

“Well, Lainey… Do I get to see you at school on Monday?”

“Only if you are enrolling at Legacy.”

He steps back defensively, “A shark?”

Yeah, buddy, your sworn enemy.

I’m a little surprised with how much distance he just put between us, so I make sure one thing is clear. “Not. A. Shark.”

His hand lifts from his side, his eyes closely following it as it reaches my hair that he pushes back behind my ear, sending cold chills down my spine, “That’s the best news I’ve gotten all day.”

I swat his hand away, “Well, good for you.”

I see Madden shrug a girl off of him, and he instantly appears at my side, like always, ready to rescue me if I need it.

“Lewis,” he grits. “What do you want?”

Do they know each other?

“Just talking to my new friend, Lainey.”

Madden’s grip on his cup tightens, busting the plastic, “Don’t say her name. Don’t ever come near her again.”

Drayton steps back, his eyes falling to me, “I thought you said you weren’t a shark.”

I look at Madden, who is still very visibly upset, “Uh, I’m not. We’re not.”

I brush my hand down Madden’s arm to calm him, “Let’s go.”