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Now you're just another one of his conquests...
What were you expecting...?
You let him steal a piece of you, again...
Again...
Again...
Again...
The word resonates in my mind, replaying on a vicious feedback loop, in tandem with the water beating against my scalp. I let my eyelids fall, watching as those tiny droplets morph into something else. A memory from a different time. Five years ago, to be exact.
Confetti.
"YEAHHHHHH!!!" Jeremy pounds his fists on the table, rattling our fancy silverware. "Woo, woo, woo, w—"
"Shhh!" I hiss below my breath, embarrassment painting my cheeks brighter than a fire engine as little pieces of paper rain over my head, sticking to my clothes and dotting along my acceptance letter to Yale University. "Not so loud!"
"Sorry, Sis." He sounds like a broken record as he retrieves yet another confetti popper from his pocket, ready for the next letter.
"Oh my god, how many of those did you bring?"
"Fourteen. One for every school you applied to."
I shake my head, hiding a smile. "Thanks, Jer. You seriously thought I'd get accepted by all of them?"
"Of course, Miss Valedictorian." He nods proudly, as if he wasn't one himself.
Hiding a smile, I sweep the colorful mess into a neat pile beside our appetizers, then add the letter to one of two stacks—the yesses and the nos. So far, the acceptances are in the lead, with UCLA, Northwestern, Brown, and now Yale, standing taller than the rejections—Stanford and Amherst College.
Sure, the nos hurt, but I wasn't expecting a clean sweep, not after applying to such competitive schools. Still, I'm grateful Jeremy is here for moral support.
Just one year ago, I listened as he recited his Valedictorian speech in front of his entire graduating class, one year ahead of mine—a task I'm petrified to face in the coming months. Then, at the end of that summer, he flew off to Princeton University to study Electrical Engineering. I can vividly recall watching him open his admission letters, one by one, in our living room with our whole family around.
I didn't want that kind of pressure, but I also couldn't handle this alone, so I asked the person who could best relate for support. Luckily, Jeremy's spring break lined up with mine, so he was already visiting home. Although... if I'd known who he was going to invite, I would've reconsidered.
As if I summoned his presence, a man approaches our table. All I need to see are the designer sweatpants and Gucci slides from the corner of my eye to know it's Hayden.
"Shitttt. You're alive." My brother devolves into his macho alter-ego as the two exchange some weird bro handshake.
Hayden takes a seat to my right, across from Jeremy, and removes his sunglasses, revealing a pair of icy-blue eyes I can't hold for more than two seconds. With a groan, he squints at the light, swiping a hand through his disheveled locks.
"Sorry I'm late," he mumbles groggily, to no one in particular.
Jeremy snorts. "No worries. I didn't think you'd be able to crawl out of bed after last night."
"Spring break is wild, isn't it? Well, not as wild as the parties our frat is throwing this week, I'm sure. I'm flying back tonight, so I don't miss another one, which means..." Hayden smirks, reaching for a menu. "I gotta get some breakfast in me."
Breakfast? I tap my phone. But it's four in the afternoon...
Oh, who am I kidding? Hayden's always been a night owl. Or a vampire. Actually, yeah. With looks like those, definitely a vampire—Edward Cullen and Chris Hemsworth's love child, no doubt.
I sneak another peek at Hayden as he gazes down at his menu. Except, that peek quickly morphs into a stare, sweeping across his sharp jawline, sloping down the bridge of his straight nose, and delving between those silky blond lo—
"Okay, what's up next?"
I jolt at the sound of Jeremy's voice.
