They weren’t going to leave me alone, so I went downstairs, got my laptop and came back up. Mase moved over so I could squish next to him on the couch.
“See how much more fun this is?”
Hunter and Taylor were sharing her e-reader and he kept yelling at her for skipping to the next page too fast. Once she was sure I was within her eyesight and not doing anything bad, Renee went back to her books and Paul did the same. Just another night at Yellowfield House.
I turned my music back on and put my headphones over my ears. With them on, I couldn’t hear any conversation around me, even if I wanted to, so it was kind of like being alone, except for when Hunter stole the e-reader and Taylor chased him around. She eventually got a hold of his ear and twisted it until he gave it back.
“You play dirty, Miss. I might have to punish you for that.”
I was mentally gagging.
“Shh, that’s the kind of thing we don’t talk about in front of everyone,” Taylor said, sitting back down on the couch. I had no doubt that they normally talked like that, but me being there put the kibosh on the sexy talk.
“You guys know that I am aware that you all have sex with each other. I mean, not at the same time, because that would be super creepy, but I’m not an idiot.” All eyes turned toward me. “I can hear you when I’m down there.”
Ha. They all looked sheepish. Even Mase.
“I’m not saying that I care. I’m just saying that I’m aware of it. I mean, Taylor and I are nearly the same age. You guys have to stop treating me like a child.”
Mase cleared his throat.
“You’re right, Jos. I think it’s that we all sort of went into protective mode when you came here.”
“I wonder where you got that idea from,” I said, glaring at Renee.
“What am I supposed to do? You are my little sister. I’ll always think of you that way, even when we’re old and gray.” I was a bit uncomfortable talking like this with everyone watching, but it was bound to happen sooner or later.
“I know that.”
“You could loosen up a little, Ne,” Paul said. I was surprised. He never usually provoked Renee if he could help it. I’d have to thank him later.
“Okay, everyone gang up on me—that’s awesome.” She got up and stormed up the stairs. Yup, I could have called it.
“Sorry, Jos. I was trying to help,” Paul said, getting up and going after her.
“I know. Thanks, Paul.”
“I don’t get what she’s so bent out of shape about,” Mase said. “I mean, I know you’ve only been here for a short time, but you don’t really seem like juvenile-delinquent material. No offense.”
“None taken. It’s just...complicated.” I was shocked Renee hadn’t given them every gory detail.
“Most relationships are. Complicated, I mean,” Mase said, looking at Darah. “But the complications can be the best part. Right, Dare?”
Darah nodded and he kissed the side of her head.
Chapter 10
I texted Hannah and told her I could pick her up at her dorm and walk down to the Union with her, and she took me up on my offer. Taylor and Hunter had gone over earlier because he had to be with the group. She also mentioned meeting her friend Megan, who I had yet to become acquainted with.
Hunter had been acting really weird that morning, and everyone had noticed. He tried to play it off that he was nervous about the performance, but I was pretty sure Hunter had never been nervous about anything like that in his life. He oozed confidence, so clearly he was either up to something, or he’d done something stupid. Or both.
“I’m going to meet a friend,” I said to Renee as I downed my second cup of Lemon Zinger. I’d really gotten addicted to that stuff, and I even had my own corner of the cabinet now for my stash.
“Who?” I hadn’t really mentioned Hannah in great detail to Renee since she had been so pissy the night before. I didn’t know why. I guess I just didn’t want to get into it with her. She’d want to know all about her, and I didn’t want to share Hannah with other people. She was my friend.
“Don’t worry. You’ll get to meet her. She’s coming to Hunter’s thing. I’m just picking her up on my way.”
She looked suspicious, but seriously, that was what I was doing.
“Okay. I’ll meet you there, then. Drive safe.” Wow, that was the first time she’d let me out of the house without a massive lecture. I met Paul’s eyes and mouthed, “thank you.” He nodded back.
I parked in front of Oxford Hall, Hannah’s dorm, and sent her a text to say I was ready. She came down a few minutes later, her hair loose and all over the place.
“Hey, girl. What’s up?”
“Not a whole lot. You?”
“Nope. Just normal roommate drama, but I’m over it. I would have invited you up, but she’s there, and I don’t want to provoke her any more than I already do by existing in her space. Plus, she’s a major bitch.” She clicked her seat belt and gave me a rueful smile.
I found a spot in the commuter lot right across from the Union.
“Do you mind if I stop for a little pick-me-up?” Hannah said.
“Nope.”
Hannah filled up on caffeine from the Starbucks and I marveled at how empty the Union was when classes weren’t in session. It was a ghost town. It wasn’t until we got out to the walkway that crossed over to the other side of the Union that we looked down and saw all the people waiting in front of the bookstore on the lower level.
The Steiners were easy to spot because they all had black T-shirts that said Steiners and were standing in a tight group. I spotted Hunter mostly because his arm tattoo was so visible. Dusty was also easy to spot because of his sagging pants. I leaned over the railing and squinted. Huh. He had some ink, too, peeking out from the edge of his T-shirt sleeve.
His tattoo was impossible to read from my angle. Not that I was trying, or really cared that much about it.
“Who are we staring at?” Hannah said in my ear, making me jump. She sipped on a giant cup of iced something-or-other and leaned next to me.
“No one in particular,” I said, standing back up.
“Uh-huh,” she said in a tone that said she didn’t believe me one little bit. Yeah, I didn’t believe me, either. I looked away from the guys and found Taylor’s blond ponytail and then I saw the rest of the household joining her.
“So,” I said, facing Hannah. “You wanna meet the crazies I live with?”