In another minute I’d feel the same way I had before he walked in the room: base, cold, and trivial.
After class, I’d go home, check on my mom, change clothes, and then head over to the Crist’s to hang out, a routine that started shortly after my father had passed away. Sometimes I’d stay for dinner, and sometimes I’d go back home to eat with my mom if she was up for it.
Then I’d go to bed, trying not to worry about how one brother tried to wear me down more every day while denying what woke up inside of me whenever the other one was close.
Laughter and howls drifted in from outside the windows, and I faltered, stopping my knee from bobbing.
Fuck it.
I reached under my desk, grabbing my Pre-Calc textbook, and leaned over, handing it to Claudia with my bag and whispering, “Take this home with you. I’ll pick it up this weekend.”
Her eyebrows pinched together, looking confused. “Wha—”
But I didn’t let her finish, already slipping out of my desk and walking toward the teacher.
“Mr. Fitzpatrick?” I approached his desk, my hands clasped behind my back. “May I use the restroom, please? I finished the assignment,” I lied in a quiet voice.
He barely looked up, nodding and waving me off. Yeah, I was that kind of student. Oh, Erika Fane? The demure one who’s always in dress code and volunteers to work concession at the athletic events for free? Good kid.
I headed straight for the door, not even hesitating as I left the room.
By the time he realized I wasn’t coming back, I’d be gone. I may still get in trouble, but it would already be too late to stop me. Deed done. Suffer the consequences on Monday.
Racing out of the school, I spotted a group of cars, trucks, and SUVs way off to the left, trailing around the corner of the building. I wasn’t planning on asking them if I could come or letting anyone know I was there. I’d either get laughed at or patted on the head and sent back to class.
Nope. I wouldn’t even be seen.
Jogging toward the group of cars, I spotted Michael’s black Mercedes G-Class and dived behind it, hiding as I peered around the corner.
“Get ‘em in the cars!” someone shouted.
I spotted Damon Torrance right away. He had his black mask sitting on top of his head as he walked through the cluster of cars and tossed a beer to a guy in the bed of a pickup truck. His black hair was pushed back, hidden under the mask, and I noticed his high cheekbones and still-striking black eyes. Damon was good-looking.
But I didn’t like anything else about him. Since I was a freshman when they were all seniors, I didn’t have much first-hand knowledge of their demeanors at school, but I’d seen plenty of him at the Crist house to know that something was wrong with him. Michael gave him a long leash, but it was still a leash and for a good reason. He scared me.
And not in the way Michael did that I liked.
There were about twenty-five people so far, counting the basketball team and some girls, but school would be out in less than an hour, which meant car loads more would be searching them out to join the party.
“Where are we going?” one of the guys asked, looking at Damon.
But it was Will Grayson who stepped up, slapping Damon on the shoulder as he passed. “Where no one can hear you scream,” he answered.
Smirking, he opened the door to his black Ford Raptor, climbing up and standing between the open door and the truck, looking over the hood.
Will held his white mask with a red stripe in his hand, his brown hair styled in a faux hawk and his seductive green eyes laughing. “Hey, did you see Kylie Halpern?” he asked, looking over Damon’s head to someone else.
I peered around the car, seeing Kai with his silver mask on top of his head, and Michael, his face still hidden behind his.
“Holy shit, those legs!” Will went on. “A year did her a lot of good.”
“Yeah, I’m missing high school girls,” Damon said, opening the passenger door to the Raptor. “They don’t give any lip.”
I watched Michael, less than five feet away, open the rear driver’s side door of his G-class and toss a duffle bag in, slamming the door closed when he was done.
I tightened my fists, my arms suddenly feeling weak. What the hell was I doing? I shouldn’t be doing this. I’d either get in trouble or embarrassed.
“Michael?” I heard Will’s voice call. “It’ll be a long night. Did you see anyone you liked?”