“We should talk to them,” I said when Ivy reached my side.
“Why?” Ivy asked.
“Because they were invited to the party.”
“I know it’s your nature to be nice to everyone. But really, we don’t know them. They seem to be really happy hanging out together. And besides, it’s Nash’s party, not ours. He’s the one who should talk to them.”
Then it hit me—what if Brandon did mention our time in the woods? My friends would be very curious why I hadn’t mentioned that he was the one who saved me. Maybe I didn’t want my friends talking to them—I wasn’t sure they would understand why I hadn’t told them myself, and I didn’t want there to be trouble between Brandon and Nash.
On the other hand, Nash needed to welcome his new guests, just as Ivy said. I scoured the house for him. I went upstairs to find his bedroom door closed. Afraid of what—or who—I might find with him on the other side, I knocked. When no one answered, I opened it. The room was empty. I was relieved.
I finally found Nash downstairs in the media room. He was hanging out on the couch, yucking it up for some of his teammates. Heidi Rosen’s legs were draped over his lap.
Brandon wasn’t the only one Nash wasn’t paying attention to.
Nash saw me standing at the bottom of the stairs. “Hey, Celeste—” he called.
I turned around and left. When I reached the top of the stairs, I bumped into Brandon. I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to leave. My so-called boyfriend had disappointed me. I didn’t want anyone, much less Brandon, to witness it.
I just wanted to go. I found Ivy and told her what I’d seen. “The thing is, Ivy. I’m not sure that I care,” I finally admitted.
“Then you should stay,” she encouraged.
“I mean about Nash.”
Nash found me as I headed to the front door with my purse and keys in hand.
He tried to stop me.
“Celeste—” Nash said, “where are you going?”
“Out for some fresh air,” I said.
“You misinterpreted what you saw,” he said. “She was hanging on me, not the other way around.”
“Whatever. I don’t care. And besides, that’s not the issue, Nash. You missed the whole point of this party,” I said to him. “It was about our friends. It was about meeting other people. It definitely wasn’t supposed to be about Heidi Rosen.”
Fortunately the partygoers were focused on their own conversations—except for one person. Brandon was hanging by the foyer and overheard everything.
“Celeste, don’t go,” Ivy said, running up to us at the door. I pushed past Nash.
I was briskly marching to my car when I sensed someone behind me.
“I’m not staying, Nash,” I said.
It wasn’t Nash trailing me. It was Brandon.
He stood by my car, the moonlight shining on his face. He was so alluring, my heart raced and I was breathless. It was one thing to see Brandon from across the classroom or hallway, before he saved my life. But since I’d spent so many hours obsessing about him and imagining him kissing me, I was suddenly embarrassed being in his company—as if he knew the romantic thoughts I’d been thinking.
“Leaving so soon?” he asked.
“Uh . . . yes. I just . . .”
Now I felt torn. I was the one who put Nash up to inviting Brandon. Nash was ignoring him and now I was leaving.
“Funny. You were the reason I came,” he said as if the words had slipped from his lips.
I didn’t know what to say. I felt so flattered, awkward, and nervous. I knew I should say something witty back, but all my words escaped me.
I saw Nash looming by the front door.
“I better go,” I said. As I got into my car, Nash went back inside.
Brandon watched me as I put the gear into reverse.
I wasn’t sure what to do. I was pulled in two directions. I might have been leaving Nash, but I didn’t want to leave Brandon.
I turned off the ignition and got out of the car.
“Did you forget something?” Brandon asked.
“I never properly thanked you,” I said.
The moon twinkled above and the stars shined brightly. If I were the star of a Hollywood movie, I would have thrown myself into his arms and we would have shared a steamy kiss. But my life was far from a movie. I didn’t move, and neither did Brandon.
“Celeste!” Ivy called. She and Abby were running toward me.
Brandon retreated into the darkened shadows of the front yard.
“I thought you already left,” Ivy said. “I’m so glad you changed your mind.”
“I just forgot something,” I said.
“What did you forget?” Abby wondered.