After (After 1) - Chapter 134

“I can get some,” Jace says and disappears into the house before anyone can protest.

“Go back upstairs, please,” Hardin says quietly so only I can hear.

“If you come with me,” I respond.

“Okay, let’s go.”

But as we stand up, a groan goes up from the circle. “Where you going, Scott?” one of the guys asks.

“Upstairs,” he answers.

“Come on, we haven’t seen you in months. Hang out for a little while longer.”

Hardin looks at me and I shrug. “All right, fine,” Hardin says and guides me back to the large stone. “I’ll be right back. Stay here this time. I mean it,” he tells me and I roll my eyes, finding it pretty ironic that he’s leaving me alone with what is supposedly the worst group of people here.

“Where are you going?” I ask him before he walks away.

“To get a drink. You may need one, too.” He smiles and goes inside.

I stare at the sky and the fire pit alternately to avoid any awkward conversation. It doesn’t work.

“So how long have you and Hardin known each other?” Ronnie asks and takes a swig of liquor.

“A few months,” I answer politely. Something about Ronnie is comforting; my senses aren’t on high alert with him like they are with Jace.

“Oh, so not long, then?” he says.

“Um, yeah, I guess. Not long. How long have you known him?” I ask, realizing I might as well use this opportunity to get as much information about Hardin as possible.

“Since last year.”

“Where did you meet him?” I try to sound casual.

“Party. Well, a lot of parties.” He laughs.

“Oh, you’re his friend, then?”

“Nosey little thing, aren’t you?” the guy with the black hair chimes in.

“Sure am,” I reply and he laughs. They aren’t so bad, not as bad as Hardin made them out to be. Where is he, anyway?

A few moments later Hardin appears with Jace and three girls behind them. What the hell? Jace and Hardin seem to be in conversation and Jace pats Hardin on the back and they both laugh.

Hardin’s hands are full with two red cups. I’m just relieved that Molly isn’t among the group of girls trailing them. He sits back down on the rock with me and gives me a playful little look. At least he seems to be more relaxed than he was before he walked away.

“Here,” he says and hands me one of the cups.

I stare at it for a second before grabbing it from him. One drink won’t hurt. I recognize the taste instantly; the night that Zed and I kissed we had been drinking these. Hardin stares at me and I lick my lips to collect the taste of the drink.

“Now we have enough girls,” Jace says and gestures to the newcomers.

I look over to them and fight the instinct to judge. They are scantily clad in skirts, and their shirts are identical except the colors. The one in the pink shirt smiles at me, so I decide that I like her the best.

“You aren’t playing,” Hardin says in my ear. I want to tell him that I will do whatever the hell I please, but he leans into me and puts his arm around my waist. I look up at him, obviously surprised, but he just smiles.

“I love you,” he whispers. His lips are cold against my ear and I shiver.

“Okay, so everyone knows how this works,” Jace says loudly. “We all need to get in a smaller circle. But first, let’s really get the party going.” He smirks and pulls something out of his pocket. His lighter appears again and lights the small white object.

“It’s pot,” Hardin tells me quietly. I figured that it was, even if I haven’t actually seen marijuana before.

I nod and watch as Jace brings the joint to his lips and lets out a large puff of smoke before holding it out in front of Hardin. Hardin shakes his head and declines. Ronnie grabs it and inhales deeply, coughing loudly.

“Tessa?” Ronnie says and holds it out.

“No. No, thanks,” I say and lean farther into Hardin.

“All right, then, let’s play,” one of the girls says and pulls something from her purse as everyone moves from their rocks and forms a smaller circle on the grass.

“Come on, Hardin!” Jace groans, but Hardin shakes his head.

“I’m good, man,” he says.

“We need one more girl then, unless you want to take the chance of having Dan’s tongue down your throat.” Ronnie laughs. Dan must be the guy with the black hair. A quiet redhead with a lot of facial hair takes a hit from the joint and passes it back to Jace. I finish the last sip of my drink and reach for Hardin’s. He lifts a brow at me but lets me take it.

“I’ll grab Molly. God knows she’ll be down,” the girl in the pink shirt says.

When I hear her name, my hatred for Molly takes over my common sense and I blurt out, “I’ll play.”

“Really?” Jace questions.

“Is she allowed?” Dan asks with a smirk and looks at Hardin.

“I can do what I please, thank you,” I say and give him an innocent smile despite my bitchy tone.

I know better than to look at Hardin; he already told me not to play, but I just couldn’t keep my big mouth shut. I down the rest of his drink, then take a seat next to the girl in the pink shirt.

“You have to sit in between two guys,” the girl tells me.

“Oh, okay,” I say and get up.

“I’m playing, too,” Hardin grumbles and sits down. I sit next to him instinctively, but still avoid eye contact. Jace sits on my other side.

“I think Hardin should sit over here to make things more interesting,” Dan says, and the redhead nods in agreement.