“I’ll think about it.” That was the most I would give her even though it was a lie. If Beck had taught me anything, it was that a guy during my senior year in Clermont Bay wasn’t a good idea.
It didn’t matter how good of eye candy he was.
But Cami didn’t need to know all that. She didn’t need to know that her boyfriend/non-boyfriend would be my first and last hook up in this town. I felt bad enough about it on my own.
“What else did you bring?” She nodded toward my jeans, and I winced as I brought out a black band t-shirt. “I can work with this.”
I didn’t have a clue what she meant until she pulled out a pair of scissors and ran them along the knee of my jeans. I reached out to stop her before I remembered that to girls like her, clothing was nothing. It didn’t matter that I had worked for about four hours to be able to pay for those jeans.
It was nothing but fabric to her. Just like I was just another girl to her boyfriend.
By the time Cami got finished restyling my jeans and me, I looked almost unrecognizable in the mirror.
If Cami didn’t like me, she wasn’t showing it. She had made me look the best I had ever looked. She had ripped my jeans in a way that made them look like they were meant to be that way, my band t-shirt was knotted at my waist, and the smallest sliver of my stomach was showing. She had lined my eyes with a slick black eyeliner that winged out at the sides, and she had left my lips perfectly nude.
I felt good. Even if none of these people liked me except for Allie. I still wanted to impress them.
And even though I shouldn’t, I wanted Beck to see me too. I wanted him to see me and regret the things he had done. I wanted him to regret lying to me about Cami and everything else that had ever passed his lips.
Cami, who looked like she was bred for this life. She was in a skin-tight dress that I would never be able to pull off. It was barely longer than my t-shirt had been before she tied it up.
But she looked incredible. Her blonde hair was piled on her head in a large bun and her makeup was flawless.
I understood why Beck would want her. I was sure the entire school did too. Cami was gorgeous, and she knew it. She was confident and didn’t seem to care what anyone thought of her.
She was so vastly different from me.
Her friends were the same. I knew that their names were Becca and Ashley, but I couldn’t remember which one was which. They hadn’t really spoken to me much since we had been here. They were clearly comfortable in Cami’s house, but they didn’t seem comfortable with me.
I tried to not let that bother me.
These girls were temporary in my life. They didn’t matter.
By the time we left her room for the party, there were already a dozen or more people hanging around. I had a feeling that Cami’s must have been a normal party spot because no one seemed to feel out of place. They were pouring drinks from her makeshift bar on the dining room table and laughing as the music beat through speakers.
I had no idea how Cami wasn’t worried about her house. The place was massive and covered in decor that I knew had to cost a fortune, but she didn’t seem concerned at all as she poured us both vodka and soda into cups.
I accepted the drink without a complaint and took a quick sip as I checked my phone. Allie was on her way, but I needed her here now.
I may have had to suffer school without her, but I refused to suffer this party.
“Josie, this is Chad.” I was leaning against the wall as Cami walked up to me with a guy I had never seen before. If he went to Clermont Bay Prep, I didn’t recognize him.
“Chad. This is Josie.” I pushed off the wall and reached out my hand to him when he pushed his in my direction.
“It’s nice to meet you, Chad.”
“Likewise.” He was handsome and his smile was kind.
“Do you go to Prep?” I took another sip of the drink and tried to calm my nerves.
“I did.” He nodded. “I graduated last year.”
“Oh, cool.” I scanned the growing crowd. It felt a little weird that he would still want to be partying with a bunch of high schoolers, but I guess these were his friends.
“You going to Prep? I swear I would have remembered you.” He grinned and his eyes sparked with mischief.
I nodded at his question and smiled. “It’s my first year there.”
“The new girl?” He chuckled. “That can be a bit rough.”
“Yeah. They aren’t gentle.”
He laughed at that, truly laughed, and his smile revealed the smallest dimple on his cheek. Chad was more than just handsome. Something about him seemed charming, even.
But I couldn’t stop myself from comparing him to Beck.
His eyes seemed dull compared to Beck’s hazel ones that held so much emotion. His smile almost fake.
I knew that was harsh. I knew that the way he smiled at me had nothing to do with Beck, but my stomach didn’t tighten when he grinned. My heart rate didn’t kick up.
“Hey, girl.” Allie walked up, and I couldn’t stop smiling as I looked at her outfit. She was the only other girl I had seen so far who was also wearing jeans. She still looked amazing, but she somehow made me feel more at ease.
She made me feel like I wasn’t a complete outsider.
“Hi.” I hugged her, and she whispered in my ear.
“Who’s this tool?”
I couldn’t stop my small laugh as I turned her toward Chad. “Allie, this is Chad. Chad,
