Shatter

“Date time?” She squealed as I smacked the side of her butt and helped her off the counter.

Angelica was completely ignoring us and staring at her phone, texting. I heard a snort come from her direction and then a sniffle. Oh great, what now? She break a nail? She have someone else’s life to ruin?

“Oh my gosh. What’s wrong?” Nat let go of my hand and rushed to her side. Dear sweet Nat. She couldn’t help but love the broken. I, on the other hand, wanted to smack the Wicked Witch of the West so hard she fell off her chair.

“Coke has a way of doing that to a person.” I pointed to her nose and smirked. “Attractive.”

“You would know!” Angelica fired back.

Nat held up her hands between us. “Is it really that hard to get along?”

“Yes,” we said in unison, each of us glaring for a different reason. Both of us were angry about past drama that neither of us wanted to dig up. Correction, I didn’t want to dig it up. I’m sure she’d be more than thrilled to grab a shovel and have a go at it. Then again, if she had a shovel she’d be on the opposite end of it, in a grave. Wow, were things so bad that I was thinking homicide?

Nat sighed and turned to Angelica. “Are you going to be okay?”

For once I noticed Angelica’s eyes flicker with regret and hurt. Damn, the girl was a good actress. She deserved an Oscar for that performance. “It’s just…” She sniffled again and then grabbed Nat’s hand, gripping it in hers. “Jaymeson and I are fighting again, and I really love him. I mean, I’ve never been with anyone so strong, so virile. He’s an amazing kisser, and that accent!” She fanned herself, all fake tears gone. “But he’s pissed at me again.”

And she wondered why? Seriously?

Nat tilted her head to the side. “It’ll work out, you’ll see. I mean, we all go through fights in relationships, right?”

Angelica suddenly straightened up and grinned in my direction. “Of course we do. I’m sure you and Alec have had your fair share of fights over his popularity. It’s only natural to feel insecure, right?”

“—Um, right,” Nat interjected. “And we’re doing great!” Nat squeezed my hand and patted Angelica with her free hand. “It will be okay. Just talk to him.”

“Good talk.” Angelica got up from her seat and sauntered away. “And thanks Nat, you’re right. I’ll just talk to him.”

I glared lasers into her disappearing form and prayed for the hundredth time in the past few weeks that a meteor would hit in Seaside, Oregon — in her room preferably.

“Hmm. Weird.” Nat shrugged. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” I swallowed the returning guilt and squeezed her hand.

****

Seaside was the type of town that a person couldn’t help but fall in love with. I know Demetri hated it. But it was seriously one of the only places I could go to and think. Our place in Malibu was still too close to Hollywood. Seaside was… well, it was in Oregon for one thing. They had more taffy than people — at least that’s what it seemed like. And during the summer months it was beautiful.

I exhaled in relief as we walked outside and jumped in the SUV. Just me and Nat. I couldn’t wait until it really was just us. I reached across the console and kissed her hand. “I love you.”

She bit her lip. Damn, the girl had luscious lips. “I love you too.” She leaned over and kissed me hard on the mouth. Finally.

With a little tug I had her across the middle of the SUV and in my lap. Making out in the driveway. Awesome. It was like I was fifteen again. You know, minus the drugs and alcohol and fame and… okay, it was nothing like when I was fifteen. It was better.

“You taste so good.” I licked her lower lip and moved my hands down her sides. The warmth of her skin seared me until I almost had to pull back. Nat moaned when my hands moved to her hips. I jerked her against me, needing her to be closer than she already was.

“You sure about that date?” she asked, breathless.

“Not really.” I kissed her neck and moved my hands toward her bra. “Maybe we should just—”

“Whores. Both of you,” came an irritating voice that sounded suspiciously like Demetri. Which it couldn’t be, because I distinctly remembered saying goodbye to him in my room and him telling me he and Alyssa were going to hang out. Alone.

Why had I kept my window rolled down?

“What do you want?” I snapped, pulling away from Nat. At least she was just as comfortable with Demetri as she was with me, any other girl would have been mortified. Nat just groaned in sexual frustration. I hear ya, girl. Loud and clear.

“Sorry to interrupt your pow-wow.” Demetri held up his hands and smirked. Sorry my ass… “But Ruben just said that we’re supposed to make an appearance at a new restaurant in Canon Beach.”

“Isn’t it supposed to be our day off?” I groaned and briefly contemplated shooting my brother or just driving my car into the ocean. It had been way too long. Way too long. My body was going to explode. I just kept telling myself that if it were just me and Nat, everything else would fade. It would cease to be my reality.

“Yes, but apparently this was already part of the schedule, Ruben just forgot to put it in the call sheet. Or so he says. We gotta be there tonight.” Demetri popped a piece of taffy in his mouth and grinned. “You guys can go whore around for a few hours, just don’t be late.”