Boarding with the Bad Boy [COMPLETE + BONUS published edition]

THE BOARDERS: 17

Sam

Salisbury's a small town, and our texts have spread quickly. A few hours into Ott's party, the place is packed. I cross through the crowded living room holding my beer over my head and scanning for the flash of dark hair I know belongs to my roommate. A twisted part of me hopes to spot her wearing my hat. Then again, the likelihood I'll see her at all is slim. Even if the invite made its way to Somers (and I doubt it did), she'd never be stupid enough to turn up at Brandon's.

I pull another beer out of the fridge, killing my previous one and dropping it in the sink. A tall girl with too-red lipstick eyes me up and down. Molly Jordan, Remington's queen bee. Or, at least, Remington's queen bee during the fourth form. (People are fickle in boarding school. High school in general, probably. Maybe even life.) I haven't seen her since my unceremonious removal from Remington back then, and she's only gotten better-looking in the intervening years. The girl is a total bombshell. Her lips tilt into a flirtatious grin as she notices me noticing.

"I'd heard you were back at RA, but I couldn't believe it," she announces, coming in for a hug. "After the whole situation with Carr..." She gives me a long look from behind thick lashes.

I shrug, stepping out of her embrace. "Yeah, well, I'm reformed now, so they let me back in." I'd known this conversation would come up eventually, and I'd figured that honesty (or some form of, anyway) would be my best bet.

"Reformed?" Molly looks confused. "Like...sober?"

I hold up my beer. "Not quite. But alcohol only, no girls, yadda yadda."

Her eyes narrow as she considers it. If she thinks I'm blowing her off, she's kind of right. Fact is, I've dived into the Molly Jordan pond before, more than once. But when I got kicked out of Remington, our "fling" ended in a lot of whiny texts and too much drama. Too much coke, too. As much as I want to get my hands on an ass that makes me forget Logan Somers even exists, I'm not sure I can go down that road again.

Luckily, I don't have to say so. Ott calls out to Molly from the patio, shouting that she and Yulia Mendez are up next for beer pong. Molly gives me a half-smile before moving in his direction.

"Good to see you, reformed Sam." She frames 'reformed' in air quotes. "Text me if you ever decide to fall off the wagon."

As she glides away, I pull my phone out of my pocket and tap into my text messages. I've already sent Ott's address to Annie, who responded with a smiley face. Good. Cute. And she should be here any minute. Which means I can probably get down one more beer before she shows up and I have to have my game face on...

I turn, about to head to the fridge, and almost slam into her.

"Oh!" she says, grabbing my arms to stop my momentum.

"Shit." I stumble back slightly. I'm really pretty hammered. "Sorry about that."

She looks up at me, her blue eyes curious. "Hey you," she says.

"Hey. You made it." I try not to sound disappointed.

"I did." She gives me a nice smile and I realize she's waiting on me to make some kind of move.

"What're you drinking?" I ask, cocking my head toward the kitchen to indicate that I'll get us something.

"You don't have vodka, do you?"

"Vodka. Yep. Stay here; I'll be right back."

In the kitchen I grab two beers for myself and make a vodka sprite for Annie. Annie Annie Annie my brain tells me. It's trying to get me off its previous track: Somers Somers Somers.

Forty-five minutes and two drinks later, Annie wraps her arm around me and leans in, her breath all liquor and mint.

"Should we take this party elsewhere?" She asks quietly.

It's the exact invitation I need, and I don't hesitate. I kiss her hard, wrapping my arm around her waist and practically carrying her upstairs to Ott's guest room.