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That had always been good enough for me
Dylan hugged Aubrey closer into his chest Her back pressed up against hi on his shoulder Both of thehts
Dylan had started showing interest in the new girl, Aubrey two years ago, and to be honest, I was still duer whore than I was He prettyhireed to go on a date with him
They’d been together ever since
What once was a happy-go-lucky relationship turned into so tobullshit
And Jacob, well… he was another story One that I would learn soon enough, showing me how much of a hypocritical son of a bitch he really was
Alex took a sip of her drink
“Take it easy on that,” Lucas warned, his eyes still intently placed on us
Alex wanted to forget, she wanted to rebel, she wanted to prove so in the first place As ht But I was the last person that had any right to tell her what to do, so I just grabbed the drink out of her hands and finished it off for her instead
Yeah, I’ hypocrite too
“Ugh,” Alex protested “I’ll just go get another one”
She stood, losing her balance Aubrey grabbed ahold of her
“I’ll go with you” She knowingly winked down at Dylan
Aubrey loved our Half-Pint, too Her and Cole were both seventeen like h school as well To be honest, I really liked Aubrey She was good for Dylan, kept him on his toes and put up with all his bullshit He was lucky to finally find so to walk into his life They were ether
We watched them leave
“You alright over there, McGraw?” I asked Dylan as gazing at Aubrey with the sa that Lucas displayed over Alex
“Just fuckin’ peachy, brother,” he replied, shaking his head “How about you? How you holdin’ up? You ready to run this fuckin’ toithout us?”
“Been doin’ that since the day I was born”
We all smiled
“I know I taught you well,” Jacob chi his neck
I chuckled Lucas still hadn’t taken his stare off Alex He wasn’t paying us any mind
“You’re the last one left, Austin,” Dylan said out of nowhere, catching uard
I turned fro with this
“I knoe all give you shit for being the youngest and you used to be the sht Half-Pint rinned
“Asshole,” I rin
“But you grew up,” he added with a sudden serious expression “And you’re up, brother We’re not goin’ to be around, and Half-Pint is gonna need you now more than ever Especially since this is her last year before she’s really alone”
I nodded, understanding
“She’s your responsibility You watch out and take care of our girl,” Jacob added
“Of course,” I vowed
Jacob nudged my shoulder “Won’t be the same without you, bro”
“Ain’t that the truth” Dylan stood “But enough of this sappy shit, I feel like kicking so”
“You’re on, fucker,” Jacob challenged
Dylan stopped in front ofme on the shoulder Jacob followed his lead and they left
Lucas and I found ourselves sitting in unco at the fla up into the dark sky There were no stars out; there was barely athe waves of the ocean I immediately wondered if the boys would miss this
It was all we’d ever known
All I kneas that I wanted out of this town
“You know they’re right,” Lucas declared, breaking the silence and bringing my attention back to him
His intense stare hadn’t wavered fro all over Cole
“She’s drunk,” he stated, taking the words right out of my mouth
I shookhow to reply
“Fuck,” he whispered to hih his hair
“Lucas—”
“I didn’t think it was going to be this fucking hard… leaving her With you”
“We all love her Just as much as you do”
He peered up at nized and understood all too well
I didn’t falter “It was your choice to go away to college No one put a fuckin’ gun to your head, ordering you toher… withaway at your conscience, it’s no one’s fuckin’ fault but your own”
He scoffed “That girl over there," he gestured toward Alex, as still draped over Cole, "is et that," he roared through gritted teeth
I chuckled, shrugging “I’ fuel to the fire
He jerked back like I had hit hi a step closer to me
I stood too We were a foot apart It didn't matter that there were people everywhere around us, neither one of us backed down For a few seconds in ti on the same damn team
“Get the fuck out of ritted teeth and a clenched jaw, ready to knock him on his ass if needed “She’s better off without you here, but don’t you worry, Bo I’ll take care of our girl”
“You, son of—”
“Hey…” Alex wobbled, stepping in between us “What’s going on?” she slightly slurred with a lazy smile
I pulled her towardher into my arms She rested her head oncontently
Lucas glared athis hands, placing some much-needed distance between us
“Where you going, Bo? You’s not supposed to leave until tomorrows I don’t want you to leaves,” she ju on with us
“I’ll always coer in my direction and warned, “Don’t fuck it up”
Alex peered up at lossy eyes, rosy cheeks, and a sluggish s on my face
“You changed, Austin,” she said out of nowhere, catching uard
“Half-Pint—”
“You used to be such a nice boy A very, very, very nice boy You’s not that boy anymore and that makes me sad”
“Alex, you’re drunk”
She slowly nodded “I don’t like new Austin’s He uses girls and causes troubles That’s not you Not ed me closer, her face pressed into my chest “Mmm kay?”
I kissed the top of her head Looking over at Lucas who hadn’t one
And he wasn’t co back
Briggs
“Oh, come on, Esteban! Just watch thethe couch next to ht, and we both know you don’t have any friends,” I teased “What are you going to do? Go hide out in your roouy wouldn't want to watch The Shining?”
He
raised his eyebrows
“It’s alun up and take a load off See what I did there? Gun, load?” I wiggled my eyebrows