Pieces of Us Read Online Free Page A

a blue Jolly Rancher and goes down easy. Everyone cheers as we chug it.
    “Bro!” yells Chris, putting one arm around my shoulder, the other around Ethan’s. I’m wearing a gold halter top and his hand feels cold on my shoulders. I shrug it away. He seems to give Ethan a look.
    “Can I borrow your man for a few minutes?” he asks. “Guy stuff.”
    Trina is right beside me. “Take him. We have our own things to talk about it.”
    “Don’t forget to miss me,” says Ethan, kissing me hard, running his hands under my top. Someone whoops and whistles.
    “Boys are so needy,” Trina says when they leave. “Who cares, though, right? We have to make your crown!”
    There’s really going to be a crown? She drags me to an upstairs bedroom, where the other cheerleaders are crafting. They’re holding a gold plastic crown and gluing fake jewels to it. I finger the materials they’re putting on. Smooth rubies, blue velvet for the trim, diamonds, sapphires. I know they’re probably from the dollar store, but they sparkle like they’re real.
    “Try it on,” says Leah, when it dries.
    I do, and they ooh . I run to the mirror. It’s perfect and shiny and matches my top.
    “You look hot,” says Trina.
    “Totally hot,” says everyone else. Even Marissa nods, but she looks pretty drunk. “Shots!” she yells, and Leah pulls a bottle of bubblegum vodka from under the bed.
    I’ve never done shots, but they’re poured and everyone is chanting. I down my quickly, and it’s fizzy and tastes like pink bubble gum with a burn. “Again!” Trina shouts, and we all do another. And then one more.
    “Save some for the king!” The door bangs open and there’s Ethan, crown on his head. But it’s flimsier than mine. I think it’s from Burger King.
    He scoops me up and someone says “Aww,” like there’s nothing more romantic than our crowns beside each other.
    “Let’s get this party back downstairs,” Leah says, pushing everyone out, but she’s getting wasted too and keeps tripping.
    “You heard the lady,” says Chris. “Besides, I have a better idea!”
    And everyone runs downstairs, laughing, shouting, screaming. My pump snags on the carpet but Ethan is there to catch me. “My Romeo,” I say, and he pushes me to the floor. I can tell I’m getting tipsy because the floor feels like it’s moving. I can feel his hand on the zipper of my jeans, but by the time I react, the zipper is down.
    He gets off me, shrugging. “Sorry about that. You’re just so hot, I can’t help it.”
    I open my mouth to say something, but my brain is mushy. Then Chris is pulling us down the stairs, telling us this amazing idea he has of me and Ethan doing a keg stand in unison.
    “King and queen together! It will be epic!”
    And everyone is agreeing with him. “Totally epic!”
    And Leah and Trina get the cheerleaders going in a cheer, betting that I can beat Ethan. And in my drunken haze I think I can . I’m Pyramid Girl!
    They take off our crowns before the world goes upside down, and I drink and don’t stop until I choke. They get me down and put my crown back on, but Ethan is still going. They bring him down next and raise his arm high in the air. “The winner!”
    “I guess I beat you,” says Ethan, crown looking higher than before. “The king rules. Don’t forget it!”
    “The king rules!” the room shouts.
    Then he leans in close, his arms holding me up. “Are you okay? Do you want to lie down? You’ll be all right.”
    “Thanks,” I slur, and I think what a great guy he is. How lucky I am that he wants to take care of me.
    I let him lead me to a room, let him lay me down on the bed. Chris’s beagle is on it, and he stirs. Ethan moves the dog to the corner of the bed. His words are soothing. He strokes my hair. He leaves and then is back with water. “Drink,” he says, and I do.
    The room is still spinning, but I don’t feel sick. Just high and happy and dizzy. And tired.
    He lays down beside me and strokes