Drake ✔️

Chapter 17

Drake

It doesn't take me long to spot him. This ain't a wild party, and there aren't that many bleached blonde white boys dancing around with cheerleaders in my living room. 

"River, yo!" I call out to him as I push my way past some people loitering at the foot of the stairs. 

He turns his head to look at me, smiling at whatever that girl was just saying to him. His smile remains in tact as I approach him. 

"Where's Macauley?" I ask him seriously. "Shay's up in her room, she practically passed out when Tristan laid her down."

"Wait, what?" His smile disappears immediately, and he flips the switch from party boy mode to business mode. I straighten my spine on instinct, inexplicably threatened by how protective he is over her. "Mac's asleep. Who's Tristan?"

His eyes harden on me as he says Tristan's name. Very protective indeed. 

"My housemate, he's cool. He was just helping her." I explain, turning towards the stairs as River charges ahead, abandoning his disappointed posse of cheerleaders to go check on Shay. Against my better judgement, I follow him. But my foot's barely on the first step when I'm intercepted by Jace. 

"What's going on?" He asks me, his eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"Nothing, man. It's fine. Shay had a little too much to drink, just thought I should tell her boy."

"He seems awfully worried." Jace remarks, curiously watching as River takes the stairs two steps at a time in his hurry to get to Shay. "He's been working those girls pretty hard, and he's just left them like that."

Jace snaps his fingers and I nod my head. Loyalty, right there. 

"He's looking out for her, that's all." I explain, trying to shrug this off. But I get where Jace is coming from. There's something more going on here. 

"Penn and I moved Shay out here back in October. She's been running around on her own for over two months and these dudes haven't dropped everything to come look out for her." Jace points out, raising his eyebrows on me. I turn and run up the stairs real quick, needing to know what's going on. 

I barge into her room, almost hitting Tristan with the door as I go. Brent's sitting at the foot of the bed and River is crouched over Shay, gently brushing her hair out of her face. 

"You're okay, Lavender. I'm here." He croons as she moans something I can't make out. Lavender? She was asleep, he's just busted in here and woken her up. I cut a curious look to Brent and he shrugs his shoulders. Tristan looks just as confused. 

"Too many cooks, guys. You can take off now." I say to my boys. Tristan smirks at me as he steps out the door, and Brent eyes me in clear suspicion. Of the three of us, I care about Shay the least. Why should I be the one to stay with her and her old friend? It's weird, I know. But something about River's reaction just now has me too damn curious. 

I close the door behind Brent and turn to see River whispering down to Shay as he smooths her hair over. Her eyes are fluttering, and she groans as she rolls over to face the wall. River stands, sighing as he shoves his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, then he turns to talk to me. 

"She's fine, too much tequila." He says with a half-assed attempt at a bright smile. Yeah, I'm not buying it. 

"I know she had one too many. It happens. Why'd you freak out just now when I told you?" I ask him, moving to lean back against Shay's dresser. He bites the inside of his cheek, looking away from me for a second before pinning me with serious eyes.