You’re the Reason, стр. 3

He turned his head and shouted inside, “The Alpha Phis are here. Lock the door to the roof.”

Knots of unease formed in my stomach. Had he actually just made a joke about Sydney Lane’s death? I glanced around and none of the girls seemed angry about his comment. My eyes collided with Valerie’s. Her twisted lips told me she was the only one who understood my surprise—and disgust.

We reached the front door, held open by the jerk who’d made the comment. The girls all filed inside, greeting him as they passed by. I moved through the doorway last, purposely stepping on his foot on my way by. “Oops.”

His death glare told me he knew I’d done it on purpose. Huh. He was smarter than I gave him credit for.

Chantel led the way as I trailed the girls, wondering why I agreed to go to a party in the first place. This really wasn’t my thing. We walked down a crowded hallway where guys and girls drank from red cups, turning their bodies to make room for us to move by. Guys ogled the Alpha Phis, while the other girls—who probably just realized they’d have competition—looked away in disgust.

We passed through an open door at the end of the hallway that led down a small set of stairs. Music reverberated through the tight stairwell which eventually opened up to a large basement. Guys and girls danced in the middle of the tiled floor while others drank and mingled around the room or at the bar that lined the back wall.

Many heads turned when the Alpha Phis paraded in. The girls definitely loved the attention, but I wondered if they loved each other. They were friendly, but I couldn’t tell if they were friends or just acting the part.

I veered from the group and took a spot by the wall, checking my phone.

“You need a drink?”

I glanced up to find a guy with a shaved head holding out a cup.

I eyed the cup. “No offense, but I’ve seen too many Lifetime movies to know there could be something other than flat beer in that cup.”

He laughed, downing the contents of the cup to show he hadn’t laced the beer.

“One can never be too safe. Predators come in all shapes and sizes,” I assured him.

He laughed again. “Let’s get you a cup straight from the keg.”

I nodded.

He walked me to the bar, calling to a guy to pour me a beer.

I watched the guy pour it before he handed it to me. “Thanks,” I said before turning to Mr. Shaved Head. “I’m Soph—” But he’d disappeared.

O-kay.

I moved back to the side of the room and drank my beer as I watched Chantel and her sisters dance on the dance floor, some with guys and some in a group together.

Chantel had her arms wrapped tightly around a tall guy who had his face buried in her neck. I couldn’t see his face, but my guess was he was either the president of the frat or the best-looking guy in that dark basement. Chantel didn’t seem the type to settle for anything less. His massive arms were wrapped around her waist, and he must’ve been doing or saying something to elicit the laughter tumbling out of her.

I spotted some of the other girls dancing together. Valerie, though just as pretty as the others, looked out of place in the group. Maybe it was her dark hair. Or, maybe it was the strange way her eyes looked devoid of light around the other girls. One on one, she seemed fine. But in the middle of the group, she looked…uncomfortable.

“Drink up,” the guy with the shaved head said, leaning against the wall beside me again. “It’s a party. Have fun.”

He was right. I did need some fun in my life. I tipped back my cup and downed my beer.

“And just like that, she’s here to party,” my new friend announced as I wiped the foam off my top lip with the back of my hand. “I’m Ryan.”

“Sophia.” I said as a wave of warmth spread through my body thanks to the beer coursing through it. “I just transferred.”

He nodded, like he understood. “Well, let’s go get you another beer.”

A few beers later, I found myself in the middle of the dance floor dancing with Valerie and some of the other girls. I was laughing and actually having fun, and I knew, besides being totally buzzed, I was happier here than I’d ever been in Maine.

A hand grasped hold of my wrist, catching me off guard. I twisted around to find Ryan tugging on my arm and leading me off the dance floor. “What are you doing?”

“Let’s go play pool.”

I laughed to myself as I let him lead me upstairs to the main floor where a group of guys and girls stood around a pool table, using it as a seat or a place to set down their drinks.

“All right people, move it!” he called.

They hopped off the table, clearing the way for us to play. “I need to show Maine how we do things in Texas.”

My head whipped back. “Maine?”

“Word travels fast at a school this size.”

“I’m actually from Texas,” I assured him, a little unsettled that people I didn’t know already knew about me.

He racked up the balls on the table. “Ladies first—unless you need me to show you how it’s done.”

I slipped a pool stick off the rack on the wall. “I think I can manage.” I lined up my shot on the table then glanced to Ryan who seemed to be staring at my ass. “Do I do it like this?” I asked, feigning oblivion.

His eyes jumped from my ass to my eyes. “Uh huh.”

I tapped my pool stick into the cue