Toe the Line

Chapter Twelve

"Wait, tell it again." I've heard this statement maybe 15 times already this weekend—and it's only Saturday.

Amanda's hazel eyes press into me, "Again, you bitch! Annie didn't hear it last time."

We're all splayed out across my room, getting ready for the party at Jake's tonight.

"His house is like, immaculate," I say, trying not to stab my eye out with my eyeliner. "Like so clean, beautifully decorated, monogrammed towels and stuff. I thought I had walked into an Arhaus or something."

"How's the bedroom look?" Annie asked suggestively, holding a skirt up to her waist. "Can I borrow this?"

"Yes, of course you can. And how would I know? Strictly PG encounter." I respond with a smile. "Sadly."

All the girls laugh.

"Wait, shit, I forgot to get my off-campus overnight form signed. What do I do?" Amanda says, panicking.

"Relax, just fake someone's signature," Lilly says, sighing.

"Dude, if you get caught doing that, you get suspended for, like, two weeks. I'm not missing fall formal for Jake Ludlow's party," Amanda throws back at her.

"I'll come back with you tonight, Mands. We can sleep here," I tell her. I don't really have any desire to sleep on some dirty basement floor with 40 other kids anyways.

"Really? Would you mind?" she responds.

"No! Not at all," I answer honestly. And this has nothing to do with the fact that the path from Jake's house to campus cuts right behind faculty housing, D block...

Forty minutes later, we walk into the Ludlow's packed living room, and the music is pounding. Of course Jake is playing fucking Schoolboy Q.

"Drinks!" Amanda yells, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to the makeshift bar.

I'm eyeing the hefty pour that Amanda is giving me when I feel a hand on the small of my back.

"Hello, ladies," Jake's voice thrums into my ear from behind. "I was hoping you guys would come." The whiskey breath is coming off of him in waves.

I turn around to dislodge his hand from above my ass. Normally, I like Jake. But drunk Jake cops one too many feels.

"Hey!" Amanda says, jumping on him with a bear hug. He stumbles a little bit before recovering.

"Hey." I smile at him, going in for a hug. "Thank you for having us!" I say.

"Of course. You look amazing," Jake responds, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"I'm gonna go find Lil!" Amanda says, mouthing sorry as I give her a death stare.

"The annual Jake Ludlow party is a hit this year, I see," I say looking around at the faces packed into the house.

"Yeah, well we had to go big for senior year, right?" He says smiling. We hear a big crash in the other room followed by some yelling.

"Fuck, maybe I should go deal with that, but come find me after, okay?" he says, grabbing my arm and squeezing it before running off to deal with the commotion. "Hey! What the fuck is going on..." I hear him yell.

Definitely will not be finding him later. I think Labor Day gave him the wrong idea. In the moment, I wanted it, but back here at Abbott's, it just feels wrong. I feel a pang of guilt for leading him on, but push it away.

I finally see Annie and Char's heads in the crowd, and I make my way over to them.

"Jakinator strikes again, huh?" Char asks with a laugh.