More Than Friends (Friends, #2)(72)

“I’m sure I can tell you all about it. I’m guessing some of the guys made a bet with Eli that he couldn’t get in your panties tonight. And I’m pretty positive Eli said he could. To make the bet even more interesting, they put a little money on it. Just to liven it up, you know?” The hostility in Kyla’s voice is cluing me in that something like this might’ve happened to her. And that’s just…awful. “Don’t fall for their shit, Amanda. You’ll only end up getting hurt.”

Before I can utter a word or ask her a question, she turns and walks away.





By the time we’re entering Tuttle’s house, the party has been going on for a while. The place is packed. In some weird almost twist of fate, at one point I was supposed to ride in the same car as Eli and go to the party with him, and I was freaking out over it with Liv.

But that didn’t happen. Liv took too long getting ready and one of Eli’s teammates stopped by the Bennett house and got him. Ryan eventually came by Liv’s place and picked us up. I’m starting to feel like a total third wheel in their relationship, but most of the time they act like they forget I’m even with them. Meaning, they say things to each other in front of me that are kind of embarrassing—and intimate.

Ugh.

I’m still trying my best to forget the over the top things Liv and Ryan said to each other as I make my way to the kitchen, where I know the booze is. I grab a beer can and crack it open, guzzling it down as fast as possible. I’m tired and stressed over everything I’ve been trying to do the last few weeks. Now I just want to get a good buzz on and forget my troubles for a little while.

“Don’t get drunk,” Livvy says as she wags a finger at me. She grabs a beer too. “This is for Ryan. I’m the sober driver tonight.”

“How responsible of you.”

“I’m trying to turn a new leaf. After the—” She lowers her voice to a loud whisper. “—pregnancy scare, I realized I’m the only one responsible for my own actions. So no babies, no DUIs and no getting into drunken car wrecks!” She clinks the unopened beer can against mine. “Gotta go find Ryan. I’ll catch up with you in a few, okay?”

She ditches me before I can say anything, which feels like a common theme tonight. And now I’m thinking about Kyla and what she told me earlier, how angry yet sad she seemed. Did some of the football players try to trick her? I can’t imagine it happening now. She seems so in charge and sure of herself. Maybe when she was younger, did one of them—or a bunch of them—take advantage of her?

God, I hope not.

“Hey, you.”

I turn to find Em standing there, with Brianne Brown on one side of her and Lauren Mancini on the other.

I hate my life sometimes.

“Hi Em.” I aim my smile at her, barely looking at the other girls. They’ve always been mean to me, so why would they change now? “How are you?”

“I’m okay.” She cocks out a hip and I take her in. She’s wearing a cropped baby blue T-shirt that shows off the flat expanse of her belly, and a low slung pleated black miniskirt. Her hair is sleek and tucked behind her ears, and her lips are this deep, glossy pink. She looks like the typical schoolgirl gone bad.

If Livvy were here right now, she’d be mocking her hardcore.

“What’s going on with you?” Em asks.

“Not with Jordan anymore, huh?” Lauren asks sweetly, her expression pure innocence.

I’m not falling for it. She’s a total snake, just waiting to sink her fangs into me. I ignore her question and focus on Em.

“Not much. Been super busy lately.”

“Right, have to keep those boys hydrated,” Lauren says. The matching smirks on Brianne’s and Lauren’s faces make me want to smack them both.

“I’m sorry we haven’t talked much,” Em says, and she actually sounds sincere. “I, uh, figured you didn’t want to, considering you took Liv’s side.”

My mouth drops open. “I didn’t take Liv’s side.” Well, I sort of did.

“It’s okay, I get it. You were friends with her first. I can appreciate your loyalty.”

“God, this conversation is so boring,” Lauren says just before she fake yawns.

“I want to go find Dustin,” Brianne whines.

Em shoots me a look, then rolls her eyes.

“And I want to find Jordan.” Lauren hooks her arm through Brianne’s. “Let’s go.”

We watch them leave and Em sighs. “They’re so annoying.”

“Why do you hang out with them then?”

“I really don’t have anyone else,” she says with a shrug.

I actually feel sorry for her, and Livvy would probably yell at me if she knew that. “They’re total bitches.”

“I know. But their bitchiness protects me in a way.”

I sort of get it, though I don’t want to. “You need new friends.”

“I’d hang out with you if Livvy would let me.” Em’s expression turns sad. “But she’s still pissed.”

What can I say? Em is one hundred percent right. Instead of talking, I slam back the rest of my beer and then grab another one, cracking it open.

“It really sucks, because all Brianne does is talk about Dustin,” Em says. “And he barely talks to me anymore. He’s still mad at me too. I know he hates that Brianne and I are friends. I think he’s afraid I’m going to do something to ruin their relationship.”