Page 82 of Tell Me I'm Enough

“Mason!” I squeal. “Please! We donotneed a repeat of movie night.”

“You loved it,” he says in a low voice as he turns back to finish washing the plate in his hand.

I turn around to see if Tyler is enjoying himself with the other guys when I see he’s already looking at me. His expression is stone. I smile and blow him a kiss, and that gets me a small smirk from him.

After we clean up, the real fun starts.

It wouldn’t be a Greek event if alcohol weren’t involved.

A football game is playing on the big TV, and most of us are hanging out in the main area, talking, watching the TV, or playing party games while other kids fill the rest of the house. It’s not technically a party, but we can always turn any occasion into a good time.

“You want another drink, babe?” I ask, looking to Tyler as I’m cuddled up in his arms.

He shakes the beer he has in his hand, gauging how empty it is before nodding and kissing my head.

“Lani? Lyd? Y’all need anything?”

“I’m good, thanks,” Lani says, smiling.

Lydia lifts her cup, grinning in that way that tells me she’s starting to finally loosen up. “I’m good, thanks. I actually need to…go grab something.”

She gets up and walks down the hall, disappearing into the main bathroom.

I get up and walk into the kitchen to grab a drink when I see a girl from the Zeta house propped up on the counter and Mason standing in front of her with his hands on either side of her, resting on the counter.

I chuckle to myself. “Don’t contaminate the counters I make my breakfast on with your cooties,” I tease.

Mason looks up, seeing me, and stands back from the girl. I give him a confused look as I move past them to grab two drinks—one for me and one for Tyler.

“Don’t stop because of me,” I say, laughing. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“You didn’t,” Mason says, walking backwards to lean against the opposite counter.

I walk back to the couch and hand Tyler the drink before sitting back down beside him. He pulls me closer, moving my hair behind my shoulder and kissing my neck, making me giggle.

“Tyler,” I laugh out as his hands start to roam over my upper thigh.

He leans back and tucks me under his arm, then nudges my cheek, turning me to kiss him. It feels like maybe a little too heavy for in public, but I don’t really want to stop him. It’s the first time since he got here that I’ve felt like his attention was actually on me.

I pull back, a little breathless, and put my hand on his chest. “What’s gotten into you?”

He lets out a chuckle that seems a little forced.

Maybe it’s just the alcohol?

“I can’t kiss my girlfriend?” he asks.

I watch as he stares off past me and turn my head to see Mason still in the kitchen…watching us.

Is Tyler actually jealous? Of Mason?

Is that why he’s being territorial all of a sudden? I’ve never seen him jealous before…I kind of like it. He has nothing to worry about, but at least he cares enoughtoworry.

Lydia walks back in, swaying, which tells me the alcohol is hitting her fast tonight. I don’t know how many drinks she’s had, but it’s gotta be more than just the ones I’ve seen her drink. I watch her closely, letting her have a good time, but trying to gauge where she is on the fun-drinking-to-sad-drinking scale.

The night goes on, and once the fun, playful drunk side of hers switches to the overly sexual and not being able to hold herself up anymore side, I know it’s time to wrap this night up…before she ends up leaving with someone who doesn’t have the decency to see she’s too intoxicated to be consenting to anything or be alone with anyone.

Ever since the assault attempt, I haven’t seen her out partying much or trying to hook up with guys like before. I know it had to mess with her head. I want her to feel safe again and be able to protect herself, but I also want to be there to do it when she can’t.