and then she seems extra pissed at me for some reason.”
Feeling my pockets, I made sure I had my cell and wallet and then headed out the door. Jaden was right behind me. “She’s a girl. They’re always weird. And no offense, bro, but she’s always a little pissy with you.”
“True. What’s up with that?”
I shrugged because really, I had no clue. All I wanted to focus on tonight was having a good time. I felt pumped, my pulse break dancing beneath the surface of my skin. I needed a night out to get my head straight. It was strange—the way I felt so off my game lately. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I planned on rectifying it tonight. “You sure we shouldn’t take the beatermobile? You know, just in case. That way we don’t have to depend on the girls?” I asked Jaden, halfway hoping he’d say yes while the other half wanted him to say no.
His eyes diverted away from mine. “It’s not really runnin’ too well. Might be smarter just to ride with them.”
I didn’t know why Jaden was embarrassed about his car. I gave him crap about it, but he was right, at least he had one. “K. We’ll look at it on my next day off. See if we can figure out what’s up.” I would too. Even though I didn’t do the whole car-work thing, I would help Jaden if push came to shove. I tried to pull the door open, but he stopped me.
“Yeah, right. We all know you don’t like to get dirty.” He laughed, but then turned serious. “Can I stay here tonight though? My dad’s being a prick.”
I had a feeling there was a lot more going on at Jaden’s than he let on, but I didn’t dare ask him. It was some kind of guy code or something. He knew I was there for him and if he wanted to talk to me, he would, just like if I ever felt like spilling my guts about my mom, I knew Jaden would listen. It wasn’t something we did and I knew it would only embarrass him if I brought it up. “Yeah. Anytime. Stay as long as you want. I was going to ask, but I forgot.” It would make him feel better if he thought it was my idea. I threw my arm over his shoulder. “Come on, man. We’re going to make sure this night is epic.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Then we were out the door to Aspen’s house. No matter what it took, I was going to make sure this was a night we didn’t forget.
Chapter Seven
The living room was crowded with bodies almost as tightly as the sea of people at the Green Day concert I went to the year before. I pushed my way through the crowd, Aspen holding on to my shirt from behind, Pris holding her and Jaden bringing up the rear. My stomach was a little uneasy for some reason, so I wanted to find a quiet place for our little pow-wow. The kitchen was much less crowded than the living room, but still not quite what I was looking for, so I slipped out the back door and waited for them to join me.
“Um, party’s inside, bro,” Jaden said.
“I know, I just wanted to figure out the night.” I looked at my cell phone. “It’s 9:30 now so we have to be out of here in three hours to make curfew. We still doing the three drink max for the rest of us and Pris is the designated driver?”
They all nodded “Bet. Text if you need us, k?” I said to Pris and Aspen. I knew how guys thought—especially when there was alcohol involved. I knew what was always on my mind, so Jaden and I were always sure we kept an eye on the girls when we were out. There was this one time a guy got a little too touchy feely with Pris, but luckily she’d been smart enough to give him a right hook and find Jaden and me. After that we always came up with a pre-party plan, also known as the PPP just to be on the safe side. “Don’t do anything I would do.” I smiled at the girls, my eyes lingering a little longer on Aspen. My stomach flipped.
“You’re so funny, Bastian. It’s okay for you mess around, but not us.” Aspen put her hands on her
Feeling my pockets, I made sure I had my cell and wallet and then headed out the door. Jaden was right behind me. “She’s a girl. They’re always weird. And no offense, bro, but she’s always a little pissy with you.”
“True. What’s up with that?”
I shrugged because really, I had no clue. All I wanted to focus on tonight was having a good time. I felt pumped, my pulse break dancing beneath the surface of my skin. I needed a night out to get my head straight. It was strange—the way I felt so off my game lately. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I planned on rectifying it tonight. “You sure we shouldn’t take the beatermobile? You know, just in case. That way we don’t have to depend on the girls?” I asked Jaden, halfway hoping he’d say yes while the other half wanted him to say no.
His eyes diverted away from mine. “It’s not really runnin’ too well. Might be smarter just to ride with them.”
I didn’t know why Jaden was embarrassed about his car. I gave him crap about it, but he was right, at least he had one. “K. We’ll look at it on my next day off. See if we can figure out what’s up.” I would too. Even though I didn’t do the whole car-work thing, I would help Jaden if push came to shove. I tried to pull the door open, but he stopped me.
“Yeah, right. We all know you don’t like to get dirty.” He laughed, but then turned serious. “Can I stay here tonight though? My dad’s being a prick.”
I had a feeling there was a lot more going on at Jaden’s than he let on, but I didn’t dare ask him. It was some kind of guy code or something. He knew I was there for him and if he wanted to talk to me, he would, just like if I ever felt like spilling my guts about my mom, I knew Jaden would listen. It wasn’t something we did and I knew it would only embarrass him if I brought it up. “Yeah. Anytime. Stay as long as you want. I was going to ask, but I forgot.” It would make him feel better if he thought it was my idea. I threw my arm over his shoulder. “Come on, man. We’re going to make sure this night is epic.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Then we were out the door to Aspen’s house. No matter what it took, I was going to make sure this was a night we didn’t forget.
Chapter Seven
The living room was crowded with bodies almost as tightly as the sea of people at the Green Day concert I went to the year before. I pushed my way through the crowd, Aspen holding on to my shirt from behind, Pris holding her and Jaden bringing up the rear. My stomach was a little uneasy for some reason, so I wanted to find a quiet place for our little pow-wow. The kitchen was much less crowded than the living room, but still not quite what I was looking for, so I slipped out the back door and waited for them to join me.
“Um, party’s inside, bro,” Jaden said.
“I know, I just wanted to figure out the night.” I looked at my cell phone. “It’s 9:30 now so we have to be out of here in three hours to make curfew. We still doing the three drink max for the rest of us and Pris is the designated driver?”
They all nodded “Bet. Text if you need us, k?” I said to Pris and Aspen. I knew how guys thought—especially when there was alcohol involved. I knew what was always on my mind, so Jaden and I were always sure we kept an eye on the girls when we were out. There was this one time a guy got a little too touchy feely with Pris, but luckily she’d been smart enough to give him a right hook and find Jaden and me. After that we always came up with a pre-party plan, also known as the PPP just to be on the safe side. “Don’t do anything I would do.” I smiled at the girls, my eyes lingering a little longer on Aspen. My stomach flipped.
“You’re so funny, Bastian. It’s okay for you mess around, but not us.” Aspen put her hands on her
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