Chapter 18| Dakota Anderson [REWRITTEN]

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"somewhere in between who I used to be, and who I'll be tomorrow when the champagne blows my mind, thrills don't come for free, the price you pay for dreams, in a sea of strangers, I can't find me anymore"

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"somewhere in between who I used to be, and who I'll be tomorrow when the champagne blows my mind, thrills don't come for free, the price you pay for dreams, in a sea of strangers, I can't find me anymore"

life of the party • all time low

***

    It was late when I left the library that evening. Tired and mentally drained, I packed my books into my bag and headed outside to my car. The rain still hadn't let up from the afternoon and an icy chill whipped across my skin. Tugging my coat harder around me, I dashed down the steps and toward the car park.

    The late hour meant the drive back to town would be at least twenty-five minutes. An ongoing downpour didn't make the journey any faster and even with the heater at full blast, I could still smell the wet earth wafting through the vents like Mother Nature's personal vengeance on the loose.

    I'd only just reached the first intersection on the town's main strip when I looked over to see a black Mercedes parked at the curb about twenty feet away. It was the only car on the street, making the tall figure standing outside of it all the more recognisable.

    Even through the thick rain and blur of window wipers, there was no denying that familiar soft brown hair and muscular build. Not even at dusk.

    "Connor?" I asked out loud, unable to believe what I was seeing.

    There was no way to tell from this angle who he was speaking to but the back window of the Mercedes was cracked. No one in Connor's family had such a car and I'd never seen his friends drive anything fancier than a Subaru. This wasn't someone he knew well.

    That apparently wasn't stopping him. Through the rain, I watched Connor nod once, smile, and make his way around to the other side of the car and climb in.

    The light turned green but I remained stationary, waiting as the Mercedes pulled away from the curb and started toward me. No other cars had appeared behind me in the meantime.

    I didn't recognise the licence plates but it turned out I didn't need to. The Mercedes passed just as the back window rolled up, but not before I caught a glimpse of dark curls and that same champagne-coloured bow clip I'd only ever seen on one person here before.

    Esme.

    Completely dumbfounded, I watched stupidly as the car passed by me through the intersection and disappeared around a corner. Questions immediately filled my head.

    What was Connor doing with Esme Mortensen? How did they even know each other? Why did Connor get into her car? Were they hooking up?

    My blood ran cold at the last thought. Connor was gay but people experimented all the time. Especially at our age. What if our conversation last week had turned him onto a different path?

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