“At least let my friend go. He has nothing to do with any of this.” I had no idea how I was going to explain things to Marcus, but my immediate concern was getting him out unscathed.
“No, I think I will let him listen.”
“Listen to what?” I asked.
“My warning.” Norman walked further into the room, followed by four men all dressed similar to him.
“Let’s hear it, then.” I realized I should have been nervous, but I was more annoyed than anything.
“Stay out of the affairs of Energo, Winthrop. It is not your fight.” Norman moved closer, and I could see that his eyes were red with large circles under them. Evidently, he wasn’t sleeping. If he was going to be such a jerk, at least he was suffering.
“I wasn’t aware that I was involved in any affairs of Energo. I only went in to get my sister. I have her, end of story.” I hoped my lie was convincing.
“You expect me to believe that you have nothing to do with the resistance your uncle is building?”
“The only uncle I speak to is Monty, and last time I checked, the only thing he was building is a high school basketball team.” Part of me wanted to go off on Norman and give him my own warning about how the Resistance was growing stronger, but I didn’t think that would be a good idea.
“Spin whatever tales you want. My message is the same. No matter how strong you think you are, we can crush you. You saw how easily we took you tonight. Have no illusions that next time we will be as nice.”
“I still think it would be easier to kill him,” one of the nameless guys said.
“That would only give the Resistance another cause to rally behind. Besides, Winthrop is not even a threat.” Norman walked back out into the hallway, slamming the door behind him.
“Hey! Where are you going?” I called after him. I probably should have been relieved Norman didn’t want me dead, but I still didn’t want to be left tied up.
“So, think you want to tell me what the hell is going on, Kevin?” Marcus had been silent for a while, and I had momentarily forgotten about him.
“Long story, man.”
“Well, as we’re tied up, I think I have time to hear it.”
“You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Try me. I’m already weirded out enough about being threatened by men dressed like characters from Lord of the Rings.”
I laughed. I would have felt the same way if I hadn’t already been to Energo. “My sister and I are really part of this royal family in a different world, and we’re trying to push out this guy who isn’t the real leader so we can restore peace.”
“Seriously?” Marcus’s face revealed nothing.
“Yes.”
“That’s awesome. So does that mean your sister is a princess or something? That makes her even hotter.” Marcus grinned. He was lucky my hands were still tied because I would have socked him.
I fought against the restraints anyway, but all I accomplished was to dig the bindings deeper into my wrists.
“I’d give it up. If you cut your wrists too much you’re going to be no use for the game on Saturday.”
I couldn’t believe that he was calm enough to be practical. “So what? We sit here and wait?”
“Yeah, someone will find us eventually, no point making it worse.”
He was right, but I didn’t want to admit it. I hoped someone found us soon. My stomach grumbled loudly, the sound echoing off the confining walls.
Marcus laughed. “You starting to regret those extra hot peppers?”
***
At some point, we must have fallen asleep because I woke up to high-pitched screaming. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust, but the first thing I saw was a guy running in after a tiny redhead who I assumed was the source of the scream.
“Oh, my God! Is that Kevin Calloway? And Marcus Williams?” It still seemed so weird being recognized by people I had never met.
“Okay, I don’t know what you two are doing in here, or what kind of weird stuff you’re into, but let’s pretend this never happened. Just get out of here and get ready for the game on Saturday.” The guy untied Marcus and then moved on to me.
I wasn’t quite sure what the guy was implying, but I didn’t like it. “Um, yeah, sorry about this. It’s just—”
“Like I said, let’s pretend this never happened.” The guy purposely avoided my eyes as he spoke.
I considered trying one more time to explain the situation, but it didn’t seem worth the effort. Hopefully, they were big enough fans that they wouldn’t start any rumors. My legs were stiff after sitting with them tied all night, but I got out of there as fast as I could with Marcus on my tail. The morning sun was harsh as we walked out into the alley.
“So did we seriously spend the night in the storeroom of the Carolina Brewery?” Marcus asked as we gazed up at the sign after going around to Franklin Street.
“Looks like it.” I was exhausted and just wanted to get home.
“Great. I hope Coach doesn’t find out about this.”
“Let’s hope no one does. If anyone asks where we were, we fell asleep at the library.”
Marcus regarded me skeptically. “The library? Like anyone is going to believe that.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“We spent the night with some girls.”
“Sure, whatever.”
“That is, if you think anyone would believe you were with a girl.” My hands were no longer tied, so Marcus wasn’t so lucky.
Chapter Three
Charlotte
Antsy and excited, I waited for James by the front door. I turned on the outside light and paced back and forth, only stopping to look out the window. The week had flown by, and I couldn’t believe it was already time for the concert. Ready far too early, I ignored the cold and sat out on the porch to wait. When James pulled into the driveway, I got up and met him at the bottom of the steps.
“Wow, you look hot.” James unapologetically took in my outfit as we walked to his car.
“Hot? You’re really picking up on the vernacular, huh?”
“Well, considering I wouldn’t have had a need to describe a girl like that in Energo, I decided your lingo was more appropriate.” James held open the door for me before walking around to the driver’s side.
I was glad the conversation had turned to language because I already regretted wearing the dress I had chosen. The black dress had seemed like a good idea when I picked it out on a shopping trip with Rachel, but it was a little shorter than the ones I usually wore. I had been hyped up and feeling more daring than usual.
James glanced at me before he started the car. “Of course, Calvin would probably have a heart attack if he saw you walking around in that dress, but lucky for me, he’s not here.”
I glared at him. As much as it hurt to hear Calvin’s name, I appreciated that James at least said it. Everyone else acted as though it was a bad word or something. I sat back and tried to relax as we headed to the show. James had assured me a million times that my ID would work, but I kept picturing myself being thrown in jail once the bouncer figured out I was only seventeen.
“Charlotte, please tell me that you are not worrying about getting in again. Trust me; it’s going to be fine. So relax, okay?”
“I’ll try.” I smiled weakly but couldn’t stop fidgeting.
James parked the car and came around to open my door. I had spent enough time with him to know that opening it myself would have just annoyed him. Thankful for the help, I accepted James’s outstretched hand. Getting out of a car in a short dress could be awkward. As we headed down the block to the club, he moved his hand to the small of my back. I was sure that anyone watching us would think we were a couple, but I had stopped caring about it months ago, as Calvin wasn’t there to get jealous.
James had apparently gotten me a good ID. The bouncer barely glanced at it before gesturing for us to enter.
“See? I told you it would be fine.” James pushed me further in
to the club. “But with that dress, you probably didn’t need the ID.” He snickered.
It was a small venue, and the crowd started to swell. I stayed by James’s side as we walked toward the back. I was out of my element and acutely aware of it.
“Happy Birthday, Char!” Turning around, I saw Rachel and Henry heading our way.
“Rach, you guys are here!” I’d had no idea James had gotten them IDs and tickets, too. I hugged both Rachel and Henry and then gave James a hug for good measure. “Thanks.”
“Wait, the pious Charlotte Calloway is thanking me for getting everyone IDs?” James laughed.
“Oh, come on. Cut me a break. I’m just glad that they’re here.”
“I know. I’ll go get us some drinks.”
Noticing that both Henry and Rachel already had drinks in their hands, I nodded. Rachel gushed about how good I looked, and I complimented her as well, considering we were wearing very similar dresses. The transformation wasn’t quite as extreme with Rachel because she always dressed that way when we went out.
When James got back with the drinks, Rachel took my hand and pulled me away from the boys. “So, this was pretty cool of James, right?”
“Yeah, it was.” I smiled. It was a thoughtful gift, and I wasn’t about to deny it.
Rachel leaned toward me and lowered her voice. “Some might even call it a romantic gesture.”
I nearly choked on my drink. “Romantic?”
“Come on, Char. The guy can’t take his eyes off you.”
I glanced over at where James stood with Henry. “Rachel, you know we’re just friends.”
“Yes, and remind me why again? Is it the same reason you can’t be more than friends with Liam?” Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Because seriously, Charlotte, I don’t get why you would turn your back on such good options. You don’t see me doing that with Henry.” Rachel turned to smile coyly at Henry.
I tried not to roll my eyes. “Um, yeah, clearly you haven’t turned your back on that opportunity.” Many times over the last year I had been tempted to tell Rachel the truth about Calvin and Energo, but she never would have believed me, which would only have made things weird. Even if she did believe me, she would probably freak out that her new boyfriend wasn’t really an exchange student from Europe. Luckily, everyone believed that Henry’s formal speech was normal for a European.
“I think you should give it a chance, that’s all. James is hot and so into you, and I bet he’s really good in—”
I cut her off before she could continue. That was an image I didn’t need. “Rach, like I’ve told you a million times, we’re just friends.” I pulled her back to the guys before she could argue.
The band took the stage, and I relaxed as the set started. I could push negative thoughts out of my head much more easily when I got lost in music. Music had always been my escape, and it had really come in handy over the past year. It felt good to zone out with my friends. I recognized that they weren’t as big of fans as I was, but I really appreciated them coming, and they seemed to be having a good time. The set went way too fast, and unfortunately, as soon as the music stopped, my relaxation was interrupted.
“Hi, can I buy you a drink?”
I lifted my head, startled to see a guy watching me expectantly. “Um, thanks, but no thanks.” I looked for my friends. I didn’t see Rachel and Henry, and James stood a few steps away, apparently oblivious.
“Why not?” the guy asked.
“Because I don’t need one.”
He laughed and stepped in closer. “Well, I was only asking to make conversation. I’m Dave, and you are…?”
I glanced at James, but he was still staring straight ahead. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t getting involved. Wasn’t he supposed to be one of my Guardians?
“Charlotte,” I said distractedly. I tried to move away, but the crowd had me cornered.
“Nice to meet you, Charlotte. You sure I can’t buy you a drink? What are you having?” He touched my arm as he talked.
“Excuse me,” I said as I stepped around him to edge closer to James. “James, please, can you get that guy to leave me alone? He doesn’t seem to be getting that I’m not interested.”
“You want me to get him to leave you alone?” James wore a funny expression I couldn’t read.
“Of course, why else would I be asking?”
“If you say so.” With that, James pulled me to him and kissed me. Really kissed me. At first, I was shocked and couldn’t react. By the time I came to my senses, James had his arms around me so tightly, it was almost impossible to free my hands to push him away. Finally, I struggled against him enough to push against his chest. His response was to hold me tighter, but eventually, his laughter made him loosen his hold. I acted out of instinct and slapped him.
“Wow. Charlotte. If I’d realized kissing you would get such a physical reaction, I would have done it sooner.”
Stunned and angry, I didn’t know how to respond. As I tried to calm down, I saw a familiar face in the crowd staring at me with disbelief. It didn’t take me long to place the face—William. I tried not to panic, but what was Calvin’s right-hand man on the Guard doing in Charleston? Was Calvin around?
“That guy isn’t going to bother you anymore. Trust me.” James laughed, but I didn’t even acknowledge him. I had to find out if the man I’d seen was really William. If it was, would he tell Calvin that I had been kissing James?
I pushed through the crowd in the direction I thought I saw him moving. I heard James call my name, but I ignored him. Completely distracted, I ran into someone and flinched as a drink spilled down my arm.
“Sorry, you okay?” a familiar voice asked. I gazed up into a set of equally familiar brown eyes.
Liam’s mouth hung open. “Charlotte, what are you doing here?” I didn’t respond and tried to move around him to search for William, but he caught my arm.
“Are you all right? You aren’t here alone, are you?” As usual, Liam was worried about me.
“No, I’m—”
James appeared next to me. “Did you honestly think Charlotte would be here alone?” James wore his all too common smirk.
“Great, James. Let me guess. You not only got her a fake ID, you’re also getting her drunk. Seriously?” If looks could kill, James would have been dead. Liam must have been taking lessons from Kevin.
“Come on, Liam, like I was going to let her miss the opportunity to see her favorite group. Clearly, you didn’t care quite as much.” The insinuation in his words wasn’t lost on anyone.
“Shut up, guys!” I yelled. Even a year later, Liam and James still didn’t get along. Kevin and Liam had never trusted James, and I could tell it really bothered them that I spent so much time with him. “And for your information, Liam, I’m drinking a diet coke.”
James nudged me. “You ran away before you could see that I successfully got that guy to leave you alone. You should have seen the look on his face.” He laughed.
“What guy?” Liam’s hands were in fists.
“James, you do realize that you could get killed for that, right?” Henry asked as he walked over with Rachel trailing behind him.
“Yeah, but it was still worth it.” James winked at me.
“What did you do, James?” Liam asked.
I could tell that Liam was getting frustrated by being left in the dark, but I still hadn’t come to terms with the fact that James had kissed me and I couldn’t think of a thing to say.
Rachel chuckled. “Oh, come on. All he did was kiss her. I don’t think Monty would kill him for that. Although, it was a pretty intense kiss.” I scowled at her. She took in Liam’s shocked expression and then mouthed “sorry” to me.
“You did what?” Liam got right in James’s face.
“I was only doing what she asked.”
“I never asked you to kiss me!” I was so full of emotion that I couldn’t control my voice.
“You told me to get the guy to leave you alone, and that seemed li
ke as good a way as any. But seriously, Charlotte, why did you take off like that? It looked like you had seen a ghost.”
“I had to get away from you.” Even if Rachel wasn’t around, I wouldn’t have admitted the truth. I must have imagined seeing William because I wanted to believe that Calvin missed me and had sent William to check on me.
“To seventeen years of Charlotte,” Rachel said, raising her drink. Everyone raised their glasses, defusing the situation.
After taking a sip of my Coke, I noticed that Liam wasn’t alone. He was with a couple of his college friends.
“Hey, Charlotte.” Liam’s roommate Jason fought back laughter. I bet the situation appeared funny to an outsider.
I waved. “Hey.”
“Hi, Meg,” I said quietly. I always tried to be nice when I ran into her, but she didn’t seem to like me too much.
“Hi, Charlotte.” She didn’t even bother to make eye contact.
Liam introduced everyone else, and I felt relieved that the topic of my being in a club I was too young for and kissing James didn’t come up again. Liam evidently decided that the blame for my presence could be pinned on James, so he didn’t give me a hard time about it. I also thought he was glad to see me enjoying the show. Despite how weird I felt about James kissing me, and my fear that William had witnessed it, as soon as the second set started, I lost myself in the music and let go of the usual anxiety that had become a fixture in my life.
Liam brought me back to reality as the set ended. “So what are you guys up to now?”
Rachel pulled her attention away from Henry. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it.”
“I suppose we can do what we always do.” Henry didn’t need to give any more information than that. Almost every night, we ended up at the same place—James’s house. The combination of no adult supervision and his ridiculous entertainment system made it the logical spot.
“So do you guys want to come over to my place, too?” James didn’t seem too keen on inviting Liam, but maybe he was trying to make amends for kissing me.
“Sure, we’ll come,” Liam answered quickly.
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