Page 84 of The Cheerleader is Off Limits

“Cole seems like a good guy,” she says.

“I don’t know him well, but Sam is, which is why I’m surprised by all these parties he’s been throwing. But I know his parents’ divorce just got finalized, and his dad has a girlfriend in Philly that he visits a lot. So this might be a bit of rebellion meets freedom meets access to an empty house.”

“Oooo tea!!” Sloane responds and I chuckle in response and I’m grateful it seems like she’s in a better mood.

“You still okay?” I ask her. I’m definitely going a little faster than I usually do, but I’ve seen the way parties of that size can get out of hand in the blink of an eye, and I don’t want anything to happen to Sloane.

“Yes, I’m okay,” she says, and I can still hear the alcohol and the sadness in her voice, but at least it doesn’t sound like she’s crying anymore.

“I’m all alone.”Her words resonate with me, and I hate that she feels that way. It’s been two weeks in a brand-new school in a brand-new town that she’s only been in for a month. Her parents aren’t here. There doesn’t seem to be much parental supervision despite what I thought after our first meeting, and Delaney has her own life. I’m not surprised she feels lonely.

I hated that.

And I also hate that I somehow made her feel less lonely, only to take that away, even if it was for the best.

It’s still for the best, River.

You are going to pick her up so that she’s safe.

Nothing more.

We stay on the phone until I get there, and sure enough when I drive by the house, it looks like a rager like one you’d see in college.

How had no one called the cops?My eyes look around all the houses in the cul-de-sac and I see that most of the lights are out.

Does no one care?

My windows are down and while the music from the house isn’t necessarily blasting to the point of disruption, it’s loud enough to know that someone is having a party there, if the cars parked all along the street weren’t a dead giveaway.

I hope no one is driving.

“Come walk to the end of the street.”

“You’re here?”

“Yes,” I say while I pull up my group text with a handful of the seniors from the football team.

Me:

Whoever is at Sam’s– Shut that shit down NOW. I mean it.

Ruddy:

Oh shit! I left straight from the game to visit Brooke at UMD tonight. I have been seeing the pics *eye emoji*

He says referring to his girlfriend who’s a year older than him and a freshman at the University of Maryland.

Jameson:

Do not look at me. I had curfew. I left already.

Mack:

Everything is fine, Coach. We’re good.

Me:

What did I say?