Second First Impression Chapter 2

At eighteen, Jason was all sharp angles and defiant eyes. Every move he made radiated a kind of reckless charm.

Our eyes met across the dimly lit room, and in that instant, mine filled with tears.

“Jason, man, I don’t know about this…”

No one had expected him to end the game so quickly, so carelessly. And no one had expected him to choose me as the “lucky” one.

The guy with the buzz cut, Finn, lowered his voice. “Dude, that’s Lana’s sister. It’s not cool.”

Tonight was Lana Monroe’s eighteenth birthday party. Everyone at Crestwood High knew she was in love with Jason. The whole night had been building towards their big moment; everyone assumed he’d use the dare to finally ask her out. No one saw this coming.

Finn glanced at me and saw the tears welling in my eyes. He flinched.

“She’s a good kid… Look, you made her cry.”

Jason had already looked away, the cigarette halfway to his lips. At Finn’s words, he froze, his gaze snapping back to me. A slight frown creased his brow, and the air around him grew colder, as if my inability to take a joke had personally offended him.

The silence stretched. Finn was scratching his head, about to try and smooth things over, when I finally found my voice, my heart hammering against my ribs.

“Say it again.”

I stared straight at him, my tone unwavering, though my voice trembled.

“I didn’t hear you. Say it again.”