Page 98 of Under the Influence

I scoff, "Like perfect Drayton would ever get in trouble."

"Everyone makes mistakes," she comes closer to me. "But you have to admit that you messed up."

"Okay, fine," I agree. "I messed up. Can we please think of another punishment?"

Dad places a name badge on the counter and pushes it toward me, along with a set of keys. "Colby was friendly enough to give you a job at the marina. You will do whatever they say, and if I hear of you giving them any problems, we will load up and move back to Oak Valley Prep. All. Of. Us. Do you understand?"

I don't respond. Instead, I swipe the name tag off the counter and storm off to my room in a complete two-year-old temper tantrum fashion.

This is ridiculous.

I slam the door, pacing around my room like someone gone mad. I can't even look at my bed without seeing Corinne in it, cuddled into my chest like she was the night she and Carson brought me home.

I growl, flipping the mattress off the bed, watching the contents of it spill around the room. A soft knock at the door causes my heart to stop momentarily, and I pull myself together, staring at the handle.

"Who is it?" I bark.

Daria pushes the door open, her eyes falling to the mess I've made. I know she's been coming in here to clean, and I bet it drives her crazy that I'm a slob.

"What do you want?"

She steps inside, closing the door behind her. I admit that she's pretty, and I can see why my dad fell for her.

"You know," she smiles, picking up a picture of Dad and me at a Cubs game a few years ago off my dresser. It was one of the only times he actually did something for me. "He does love you, and he's really struggling to figure out how to show you."

"He could start by not coming in here like a tyrant after never coming around. I'm not used to rules."

She laughs, "I can understand that. I didn't like to follow the rules, either, and that's how I ended up with Drayton."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was just a couple years older than you, I met Drayton's father. He was in his sophomore year at the same college as me. He wasn't allowed to date. The baseball coach basically prohibited the team from having girlfriends. We did everything we could to break those rules. He was terrified when he found out that I was pregnant. So was I. We were so young. I mean, I'm glad I have Dray, but sometimes the consequences of your actions are life-altering, Nash."

I scoff, "Well, I'm doing a pretty good job wrapping it up, if that's what you are worried about."

I'm actually not sleeping around much anymore. Not since the girl of my dreams came back to town.

"No, that's not what I mean. I just mean I used to be a lot like you."

"Well, I'm sorry. It's a good thing you don't have to worry about it with Drayton."

"Drayton is a good kid, but he still messes up like the rest of us. No one is perfect. Why don't you cut your father some slack? Maybe if you guys talked, you could understand his side."

She starts walking toward the door to leave, waiting for a response, but I don't indulge.

"Just think about it, okay?"

She closes my door back, and I can't help but smile. She's persistent. I give her that.

I sit on my bed and think about what she said. Drayton walked straight into Legacy like he belonged. I watched him practice with my team as I ran from foul post to foul post and slide right into my role on the team. He walked the hallways and laughed with people. Hell, he even looked like me. If I didn't do something and fast, he'd be calling the shots.

We can't have that.

I open the bedroom door, peeking into the hallway for Daria, and when I'm positive the coast is clear, I sneak into Drayton's room and close the door. The bed is perfectly made, which makes me want to vomit, and everything is perfectly in place. Shoes lined up in the closet, clothes color-coordinated on hangers. The only thing I can't help but notice is the boxes. Boxes he hasn't unpacked.

He doesn't want to unpack because he doesn't want to stay here.

Don't worry, I think to myself. The feeling is fucking mutual.