Page 24 of Under the Influence

I turn around, my breath escaping from my lungs.

Her.

She turns toward me, our eyes connecting for only a second before she rips them away.

“What is she doing here?” I ask Carson, my voice louder than usual.

He yanks me away from the crowd, “What is your deal with her? She’s pretty and Jovie’s cousin. Not the type of girl you usually treat like a doormat, so what is the problem?”

I ignore him because she’s not pretty... she’s devastatingly beautiful. Just being in her presence is killing me.

“Is this about Jovie then? Did she do something?”

Jovie’s mom, Lauren, cuts between us, dragging Corinne by the arm, “Guys, I want you to meet Corinne. She’s going to be staying with us for a while. Will you guys help her settle in at school?”

Cori rolls her eyes, yanking her arm away from her aunt, “It’s Cori, and how many times do I have to tell you I am fine at school. It’s been one day.”

“Nice to meet you, Corinne.” I say endearingly, but it’s more of a warning.

“It’s Co-ri, C-O-R-I,” she spells.

“I’m Nash,” I mock. “N-A-S-H.”

Carson’s watching us in confusion before laughing, “I’m Carson, C-A-R-S⁠—”

She busts out laughing, shoving his shoulder, sending a feeling deep into my core. A feeling I know all too well when it comes to Carson… jealousy.

I shake it quickly. There’s no need to feel jealous when I don’t want anything to do with her.

“I’m gonna go get another crab cake before they’re gone,” Carson laughs, stepping away. Corinne hesitates before turning on her heels.

I try to shove the words down, but they come out anyway. “You don’t remember, do you?”

She turns back, “Remember what? That I struck you out or that you kissed me?”

Her attitude ignites something inside of me, but it also makes me feel some type of way that she hasn’t forgotten me either.

She continues, “Well, judging by the blonde I saw between your legs at lunch on Friday, I assume you held up your end of the bargain and dumped Jovie. Good for you.”

I scoff, “That day ruined everything. You ruined everything.”

Her face twists, “No, your inability to hit the ball did.”

I step closer to her, my jaw tightening, “The only mistake I made that day was kissing you, Princess.”

Her eyes glisten with sadness, and she tries to keep the tears from falling, “Yeah, well, you know the best thing about making mistakes?”

She pauses, giving me a chance to answer before finishing her sentence, “You learn from them, so you don’t ever make them again.”

I watch intently as she storms away, earning stares from everyone in the vicinity. She’s right. You are supposed to learn from your mistakes, but why do I feel like I want to make the same mistake again?

CHAPTER

TEN

LAINEY

"Alaina?"