PROLOGUE
Jacob -18yrs old
“Booyah!” I shout triumphantly to my friends. “And that, ladies, is how it's done.”
My best friend, Campbell, rolls his eyes that are almost hidden by his too-long black hair as I nudge him with my shoulder and toss the controller onto the table. There are varying degrees of snickers and grumbles from the other guys in the room, and I take a moment to gloat.
Instead of being at one of the crazy parties that have been going on every weekend this month, my four closest friends and I have been playing video games at Campbell's house all night. Most popular guys in the school, we are not.
I just turned eighteen two days ago, and graduation is in two weeks' time, so really, we shouldbe out there living it up with the rest of them.
After see-sawing back and forth about it for most of today, I think I've finally built up the nerve to try and change it up by doing something a little different tonight.
“I could probably beat you, Jakey,” Mase says from where he's splayed out on the floor.
Jason pretends to cough into his hand, “Bullshit.” Causing my smirk to grow.
“No, it's my turn next.” Neil swipes the controller off the table, and Campbell hands his over to Mase.
“I gotta get going now anyway,” I reply as I get to my feet.
“Where are you off to at midnight?” Campbell asks after checking his watch. “I thought you were staying the night?”
I busy myself with collecting my shit, so I don't have to look at him, or any of them. “Nah, I've got an early start at the store.”
Technically I really dohave to work at my parent's furniture store in the morning, but not nearly as early as I'm implying.
“Hm, you wouldn't happen to be ditching us to head over to Seth's party a few blocks away now, would you?”
My fucking cheeks get hot at being caught out, and Mase happens to glance my way before turning back to their game on the TV.
“Aw, shit, he totally is.” He chuckles. “He totally fuckin' is.”
I feign an exasperated sigh. “I'm not goingthere. It's on the way home. Can't help passing by it.”
“Mhmm, and are you hoping to maybe run into someone outside the house on your way past, Jacob?”
Uh, only the girl I've had a crush on for forever. Which they all happen to know about. Four pairs of eyes land on me, watching, waiting for me to squirm even more than I have been.
“Jennifer Lapman didmention she was going to be there,” Campbell says, raising a brow at me.
“She actually talked to you guys?” Neil asks, sounding more surprised than anything else.
I spin around, chewing on my nail, and try to find my phone. The sooner I get out of here, the sooner the shit-talking will end.
“No.” Campbell laughs like it's the funniest thing. “I doubt she even knew we were behind her when she was talking to her friends.”
Mase snickers. “Now thatsounds more like it.”
I finally find my phone buried in the couch cushions and turn to face Mase.
“For your information, she talks to me all the time.”
“Probably asking why you're staring at her.”
“No,” I huff out.
She's asked me for a pencil, asked me what time it was, and said 'sorry' when she knocked a book out of my hand.