Untouched (Bay Falls High, #1)(57)

Dark. Quiet.

Weird.

My phone vibrated with a text.

bitch - im outside

I again replied with a middle finger emoji, which was going to be my only response to Iris for the foreseeable future.

When I looked toward the pool again, Claire was gone.

But her wineglass was on the table.

Empty.

She must have chugged the glass and went for a walk.

Honestly, that sounded like an amazing plan.

Have a drink. Feel good. Walk the beach.

Avoid everything and anything to do with the Rulz.





eighteen





Before I could even touch the first step at the beach house, the front door exploded open and out ran two shirtless guys. Actually, the first guy looked completely naked, with his hands covering a certain area. He jumped from the top step and landed hard on his bare feet, stumbling forward, but didn’t lose balance.

The second guy took the steps two by two, holding the left side of his chest.

“I think he ripped my fucking nipple off!” he yelled as he chased after the first guy.

I looked at Iris.

“Watch your nipples,” she said.

“Right,” I said.

“Fucking assholes,” Gi said. “They’re the ones who come and get wasted in the first hour for a few laughs.”

“They always end up puking or lost on the beach though,” Iris said.

I followed them into the beach house, which was… wow.

I always pictured a little beach house that looked kind of beat up but had that old fashioned charm. A place that felt like home.

This place was big, bright, and looked staged.

Which it probably was.

It wasn’t my first party but it was my first rich as fuck party.

Even still, the idea was the same.

Music thumping from one side of the house and drinks flowing in the kitchen.

I saw Brando and Maverick as they refilled their drinks. They both looked at me for half a second before walking away, each putting an arm around a girl.

“Thanks for coming by, ladies… and new girl.”

“Thanks, house party dude,” I said.

“Roman.”

“Tinsley.”

“What do you want to drink?”

“Something without fruity shit in it.”

“Ah,” Roman said.

He slid a bottle across the counter and I grabbed it.

“Cups are-”

“Don’t need a cup,” I said.

“Right on, new girl… Tinsley.”

“I’ll be back for more, house party dude… Roman.”

I turned and showed Gi and Iris the bottle. “Objections?”

“None,” Iris said.

“None from me,” Gi said.

“Out back?”

“Please,” Gi said.

Iris looked around. “I can hang outside for a bit.”

“She likes to get drunk and dance,” Gi said to me.

“Only on a cute boy’s face.”

I shook my head. “You just put it all out there, huh?”

Iris grabbed the bottle from my hand and leaned toward me. “You should try it.”

Outside, the ocean waves were soothing. There were about the same amount of people outside as inside but they were all spread out. There was a fire down on the beach too.

It was a totally awesome kind of party.

It also helped that I went to town on the bottle.

Drink after drink, taking two gulps to Iris and Gi’s one.

Whatever had gotten into my head made me want to forget it all for one night.

“You know, Claire was acting weird tonight,” I blurted out of nowhere.

“How so?” Iris asked.

“Just weird. She was sitting alone. She went outside. Chugged her wine. Then disappeared.”

“Maybe she’s got a date,” Iris said.

“Stop,” I said.

“Not with him,” Iris said.

“Maybe she had a bad date,” Gi said. “Or guilt set in.”

“For as much as everyone just leaves their shit hanging out in this town, there’s a lot of kept secrets too.”

“What did you expect?” Iris asked.

“I don’t fucking know,” I said.

I grabbed the bottle and took another drink.

I spotted Beth and Denny walking from the beach to the steps.

“Look at her hair,” Iris whispered to me. “Sandy, sex hair.”

“Really?” I asked, curling my lip.

“What? Jealous?”

“No,” I said. “I just…”

Iris grinned and leaned back in her chair.

It wasn’t jealousy at all.

Just… curiosity.

If the Rulz hadn’t done what they did to Denny… maybe something would have happened there. Maybe I would have been the one with sand in my hair instead of confusion in my mind.

“I need to talk to her,” I said.

I stood up and the ground felt gooey.

“Easy,” Iris said. “Go slow.”

“I’m fine,” I snapped at her.

As I walked toward the steps, Beth saw me.

So did Denny.