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Chapter Three

Pagan

Although it was an age-restricted club, Gee had gotten us inside without a hitch I’d started to refuse to go inside but Miranda had gotten all excited when the bouncer waved us through I had to go in to keep Miranda out of trouble

"Stop frowning, Peggy Ann It ain’t that bad Loosen up," Gee said as we made our way toward one of the ean," I informed her

"You used to be more fun," she mumbled What the heck did she mean by that? We’d known each other all of six hours tops I was about to ask about her couy stepped in front of me

"Hey, beautiful You’re new here I’d remember eyes like those if I’d seen theh and looked up at hi an eyebrow

His confused frown annoyed me and I stepped around him

"Harsh! I like it" Gee chuckled as we took our seats at the bar

Miranda grabbed my arm and jerked me close to her, "Don’t look now, but Jay is here," she whispered excitedly in my ear

I knew Jay went to University of Tennessee, which was just one city over from us but I hadn’t expected to buht in college I started to look back but Miranda squeezed irl They’re dancing really close and well I think she "

"What do you want to drink Pay-gan," Gee asked in amy name out since I’d corrected her before

"A Coke will be fine," I said and turned rip on my arm to Gee, as perched on a barstool as if she were actually old enough to order so more than a soda

"You want Coke? Why aaze shifted fro over my shoulder "Well, shit" She mumbled

Curious, I turned around and irl who justher butt and he hispering so in her ear or at least he was until he saw me His surprised expression made me smile I’m sure he had no idea I was at Boone I hadn’t spoken to hiave him a little wave and turned around to look at Gee She atching round at any given h to makeher eyes fro, I picked up the Coke the bartender placed in front of o to my school," I explained I didn’t want to explain to her that he had also been my boyfriend for three years She would probably embarrass me somehoith that information

"He was her boyfriend for three years They were inseparable" Miranda chiossip I’d have to thank her later for that one

"Han, you need to decide what you want to do because here he comes," Gee replied She seean?" Jay’s surprised tone had ht I was not up for this right now Especially with Gee watching my every move

I took a deep breath, forced a smile on my face, and turned around to face Jay

"Hello, Jay"

"Hiya, Jay Fancy le

" I can’t believe y’all are here," Jay said, with a huge grin on his face "What are you doing here?"

"We’re both at Boone," I explained

"Boone? Really? As in you’re living only thirty minutes from me?" The excitement in his voice surprised me We’d been broken up over a year and a half now It wasn’t like ere long lost friends

"Yep Moved in today," Miranda said before taking a sip of her Shirley Temple At least I hoped it was a Shirley Te with alcohol in it

"Were you gonna call ht around the corner?" Jay’s focus was onFrom the look on her face she wasn’t very happy I watched her approach us and wrap her arlare to his suddenly tense one

"So who are your friends, Jay Jay?" the girl asked, pressing closer against hi at "Jay Jay" Miranda kickeda kick out of the nickname too

"Uh, this is uh, " he stammered

I decided to save hiirlfriend "Hello I’h school with Jay" I’d wanted to say "Jay Jay" so badly, but I refrained because I knew if I did, I would burst into laughter

She reached up and ran her hand through Jay’s shaggy blond hair while keeping her eyes locked on me Apparently I was the one she was least fond of "Is that so? He never mentioned either of you"

That was a little surprising Since we’d broken up the suured he would have at least ed, "Must not have ranked real high on his importance radar," I replied

I shifted my eyes to Jay’s and smirked I was done with this fun conversation I could see the frown puckering his forehead and decided to get ahile I could The last thing I wanted was for him or Miranda to delve into our past

"It was nice seeing you again, ain over the next three years" I turned back around in my stool and let my fake smile dissolve Now, it was his turn to walk away We’d had our little weird moment Time to move on

"Is your cell nu it Did the boy not take a hint? I was not interested in him He had ed," Miranda replied when it was obvious I wasn’t going to

This time I kicked Miranda

"Ouch!" she squealed

"Get rid of thely quiet watching the whole thing

She winked at an isn’t up for anyet back to hu us earlier"

I covered my face with my hands Why had I trusted her to handle this?

Miranda burst into a fit of giggles and spun around on her stool away fro they’d just walk away I did not want Jay to think I’d been watching hione You’re welcolass in the air and rattled the ice around "He’s kinda cute but I’ on hiets close"

"I picked up on that," I replied and drank the last of the soda in lass

"He is so still into you," Miranda said nudging my arm Was she blind? Jay was very taken He had always been polite and friendly to everyone Of course he would be to us We’d all done everything together froraduated before us

"No he isn’t Besides, I’hed andYou weren’t even aware of the sexiness that is Dank Walker today"

That here she rong I was very aware of how sexy Dank Walker had been It would take a blind person to miss that fact and even then they would probably be able to tell His voice was hypnotic But he was a lead singer in a rock band Not et her naked and in bed Then he moved on

"I noticed I just didn’t care I don’t do rockers That’s your thing"

Gee cleared her throat and I turned ainst irl every night Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll," I replied