Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 80969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I know his words are meant to wound and hurt. He’s lashing out because he’s pushing me away. But I won’t be spoken to like this. I deserve better.
I lift my chin even though, inside, I feel gutted. “I get it,” I say in a steady voice.
“Fucking finally.”
“Okay”—I take a step back—“I guess I’ll go. Have a nice life or not …”
Biting my trembling lip, I ignore the sting of tears I feel and turn and walk back out of the trees and into the light of people, leaving River standing there, alone in the darkness.
River
Sixteen Years Old
“What the fuck am I doing here?”
This is stupid. I shouldn’t be here.
I don’t do this. I don’t come to parties.
Because you’ve never been invited to one before.
Standing outside the front door of the house, I can hear the music pumping loud behind it.
I’m at a party.
Well, almost.
Who would’ve thought it?
But, when Chloe Nelson, cheerleading stunner, invites you with the promise of something more—meaning sex—you turn up.
Chloe was dating Brad Thurlow, superstar football player. And the nephew of—
Nope. Not going there tonight.
I’m finally going to get laid. Pop my cherry.
With Chloe fucking Nelson.
And the bonus is getting back at Brad in the process.
I fucking hate that guy.
He’s a dick of the highest order.
He is always doing shit to get at me at school. Fucking pranks, spreading rumors about me.
I mostly just ignore him. But it’s still annoying.
And, as of four days ago, his girl—or ex-girl—and him broke up.
I checked around school to make sure it was true, not that I have actual friends to ask, but I listened around, and apparently, he dumped her. And, now, she’s been texting me. Her parents are away, and she asked me to come to the party she’s having at the big-ass mansion she lives in.
It’s highly likely that she is using me to get back at Brad.
Do I give a fuck? Nope.
I’m about to stamp my V card with the hottest girl in school.
Not that I’ll be telling her I’m still a virgin.
Chloe Nelson is gorgeous. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, with a fan-fucking-tastic rack.
I’ve seen her in gym and at cheerleading practice, jumping around in those tight tops she wears, her tits bouncing around.
Shit. I’m getting hard, just thinking about it.
I rearrange my dick in my pants.
Okay, this is it. Get your ass inside, River.
But I don’t move.
Because I’m a chickenshit.
I’m fucking nervous, okay?
I’ve never been to a party before. All the kids in school hate me. I honestly don’t know why Chloe wants to be with me.
But I do want to lose my virginity, and she’s the first girl who’s shown a keen interest in making that happen.
Of course, I’ve hit first and second base with other girls.
We get a lot of tourists around here. Girls who know nothing about my past. Girls who wanna mess around with a local to pass the time.
But this is Chloe, and she knows who I am, yet she still seems to want me.
Come on, River. Man the fuck up and get yourself in there. You look like the freak they accuse you of being, standing out here on the doorstep.
I take hold of the door handle, turn it, and push open the door. The music is even louder in here. The party is in full swing. The house is packed with bodies.
No one even registers my appearance.
I’ve barely gotten three steps inside when Chloe appears in front of me. Her eyes are bright, cheeks flushed.
“You came!” She smiles up at me.
“Yep,” I say. Full of words tonight I am.
“You want to mingle or,” she reaches up on her tiptoes and speaks into my ear, “go upstairs for some privacy?”
I turn my eyes to hers. “Upstairs.”
She grabs my hand and leads me past people and up the winding staircase to the second floor. I follow her down the hall and into what I’m guessing is her room. It’s pink with a big four-poster bed, and there are pictures tacked to the walls—of her and her friends and still some of Brad.
She goes and sits on the edge of her bed. Then, she pats the spot beside her.
That’s her bed.
Her bed.
My insides start to tremble. Queasiness eddies in my stomach.
Not now. For fuck’s sake.
Pull yourself together, River.
Clenching my hands, I go over and sit down beside her.
“Your house is nice,” I say, just for something to say.
“Yeah, it’s okay, I guess.”
I’m staring ahead at the wall in front of me like it has the answer to the meaning of life. My leg starts to jig with nerves.
“River?”
“Yeah?”
“Look at me.”
I turn my face to hers. God, she’s so pretty.
“Do you like me?”
“Sure I do.”
Her tongue darts out to lick her bottom lip. I can’t stop staring at it.
“I like you, too.”
“You do?”
She laughs. It sounds awkward. I bring my eyes up to hers.
“Of course I do, silly. You wouldn’t be here right now if I didn’t.”