by E. K. Blair
“Uh huh. Right.”
When I glanced back, I was grateful to see that only Logan studied me. He gave me a tight smile and I knew that he knew. Guilt and anger coursed through me, but I frowned back at him. Then I stuck my tongue out at him before I pushed through a set of doors that led where Mark had told me to go.
When I pushed into the kitchen, so many people poured everywhere. No one looked at me and I got an extra bounce in my step from that. No one cared. That was good, very good. And I meandered through to the patios. From the top, I looked down and my eyes went wide again. When Logan said my friends were on the bottom patio, he’d declined to tell me there were six different patios. There were walkways that connected them and each patio was set beneath the other one.
When I got to the bottom, that patio was settled between a tennis court and a sand volleyball court.
Who were Nate’s parents and what did they do for a living?
“Sam!” Becky saw me first and pumped her hand in the air. The fierceness of her movements sent most of her drink over the glass’ edge that she held in her other hand. Amelia White scrambled up next to her and brushed frantically at her lap.
As I approached, she had snapped something at Becky, who didn’t seem to care as her grin was etched from ear to ear. She pulled over an empty seat next to her and shoved it out to me. “Here. Sit here.”
I sat.
Amelia scoffed and rolled her eyes as she moved a seat away on the other side of Becky. Her two other friends, Miranda and Cassandra both gave me polite smiles before they sipped their drinks. Adam was surrounded by Peter and a second guy that I didn’t know. He looked like the Academy Elite, preppy and stuck-up.
“Where did you go?” Becky gushed. “I didn’t know you ran. Adam said you went running. How far did you?”
I shrugged. “Far enough.”
“That’s so cool. You should go out for cross country. I bet you’d be awesome at it.”
Adam gave me a biting smile. “Did you rest up this afternoon?”
I wanted to glare at him, but I held back and took a breath instead. “I did. You?”
Cassandra laughed shrilly and placed a hand over his. She gave me a forced smile. “Oh, you wouldn’t believe how long he napped.”
I frowned. “I wouldn’t?”
“No.” She heartedly shook her head. “Not at all, not one bit.” Then she wiggled two fingers at me. “You’re so secretive, Samantha. We had no idea you liked to run.”
My eyebrow shot up. “Well, how could you? We’ve been such great friends since...” I waited a beat and gave my own forced laugh. “Oh, that’s right. We’re not friends.”
Her smile clamped up and she glared instead. “You don’t have to be mean.”
I smiled back. “Why not? It’s so much fun.”
Becky gasped and patted her chest in an exaggerated fashion. “Could this be? Has Cassandra Uppity met her match?”
She turned her glare on her and an added coldness sparked in her depths. “Watch it, Sallaway. You’re two steps from being ousted at school.”
Becky seemed to purr in her smile. “Adam’s been my neighbor all my life. We’re good friends too.”
Cassandra’s eyes were sharp. “I don’t see him defending you right now. Two steps, outcast, two steps and your humiliation is all mine. I like to serve my dishes best cold.”
Becky lifted her hand and pretended to claw her. “Retract ‘em, beeotch. We all know what they say about felines.”
“What?”
She seemed to search for words. “That...they’re the female version of the human species: catty, moody, and sneaky.”
“You’re a girl.”
Becky shrugged. “I’m more a dog.”
The smile on Cassandra’s face was the crème of the crème and she leaned back. “You’re right. You like to bound around looking like a fool most of the time when everyone knows you’re just panting for any scraps from your master. You’re low class, Rebecca. You used to accept it.”
Becky turned green and looked away. I leaned forward, not sure what to do, but Adam remarked as he continued to lounge back in his chair, “Sullivan, chill.”
She glared at him. “Why?”
He stared her down. “She’s my friend.”
She rolled her eyes and harrumphed before she shot from the table and stormed away.
Becky looked back up from her lap. A small smile started on her face. “Did she just leave?”
The other two Academy Elite females didn’t say a word, but shared a look.
I frowned at that. What did that mean? And then we were all distracted when two new arrivals showed up. They were by the beach and paused in clear view from the mansion’s top decks.
I sighed.
Tate and Tanya had arrived.
Both looked stylish, dressed in tight khakis and tank tops. Tanya’s blonde hair was in curls as it lay past her shoulders and Tate’s hair was swept up in some French-twist thing. I didn’t know what it was, but it looked sophisticated.
Adam shot forward, but he didn’t stand from the table. He raised his hand.
Tanya spotted him and gave him a bright smile and a wave in return. She started for him until Logan stepped in the middle and swept a hand around her waist. He pulled her close and seemed to whisper something in her ear. Tanya laid a hand on his shoulder and frowned, torn at some decision. When he continued to whisper and his hand started to massage her waist, she melted into him. Her head rested on his shoulder and Logan met my gaze with a brief flash of triumph before he took her hand.
Tate stood behind them with her mouth on the floor. One hand was poised on her hip.
As Logan whisked her away, no one said a word until Cassandra choked on a laugh. “Did that just happen?”
I did a double take. When had she come back?
Becky was quiet as she cast nervous glances at Adam. Her hands were in her lap and I watched as she kept twisting them together. When I laid a hand over them to calm her, she gave me a nervous look but pulled free. Her eyes never left Adam.
I sat back with a frown on my face.
Adam shrugged and looked away. His jaw clenched. “It doesn’t matter. She was his before anyway.”
“Yeah, but...” Cassandra bit out another laugh. She wiped at her mouth. “I can’t believe I saw that. I love the Kade brothers. Man!”
Adam frowned at her.
She raised her hands in the air. “Did you not see that?”
“Thanks for your support.” Adam shoved from the table and stalked away.
Becky went with and Cassandra snorted in disgust as she folded her arms over her chest. She stuck her chin out to glower. “Whatever. It’s not my fault he’s stupid enough to go after some tramp the Kades had first. You’d think he’d learn, wouldn’t you? I mean, first Ashley and now Tanya...who else?”
My chest was tight. My hands were in fists, pressed on my lap. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I knew I was angry about it.
Miranda said in a soft voice, “Shut it, Cass. You’re not helping.”
Cass lifted a rebellious chin. “Not helping who? Or what?”
“Anyone.” Her leader gave her a pointed look before she seemed to melt back in her chair.
“Look.” Amelia pointed and we all turned.
Tate stood in the middle with her arms crossed over her chest. Her two bags were beside her. She stood alone, but she raised her chin and looked around. When her gaze met mine, I felt seared by it. Her eyes narrowed and I felt that she wanted to come over and say something. And then Mason stepped out from some corner.
All eyes went to him.
Tate turned towards him.
She seemed to be waiting, but he didn’t do anything. He looked at her, then looked at me, and left.
His gaze scorched me as well, but Tate turned back to me. There was a question in her depths and I gulped. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide from her for long.
***
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Becky wrinkled up her nose and peered over her glass. “Look at them.” I ducked closer and bumped heads with her. Both of us giggled, but Becky waved a hand over her face. “I’m serious. Look!”
“Oh.” She was serious so I did. “Who am I looking at? There’s so many.”
“Adam!” She pointed again. “I can’t believe him. I thought he was in love with Tanya, but look at him.”
I scanned all of the packed decks and finally spotted him. He was squished at a table with the Academy Elite. When he ran his hands down the legs of...I peered across...Cassandra, I sat up straight. “When did that happen?”
She slumped next to me and crossed her arms in a huff. “They’ve been like that for the past hour. I can’t take it anymore.”
Then it clicked. “You’re jealous!”
She clamped her hand over my mouth. “You don’t have to screech it, but yes. Duh. You know I like him.”
I waved a hand over my face. “I’m a bit drunk.”
“I know. Me too.”
And after we looked at each other, we convulsed together in another gigglefest. We’d been doing that a lot in the past hour. Then she pulled away and sounded out a dramatic sigh. “I’m serious, Sam. He bounced right from Tanya to her. I can’t believe it. I hate that girl.”
When I glanced back over there, I caught the glower Adam was sending our way and I patted Becky’s hand. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. His ego’s bruised. She’s his band aid so he doesn’t feel so wounded.”
“Why couldn’t I be his band aid?”
I shot her a grin. “Could you be anymore whiney about that? And besides, he values you. He couldn’t use you in that way.”
She sniffled. “He does?”
I rolled my eyes. “You know he does. Stop the pity party. We’re supposed to be having fun.”
“So says you. You don’t have the Academy Snub Team breathing down their noses on you. They’d love if I curled in a ball and vanished into thin air. And Cassandra keeps throwing those snooty looks over here.”
I sighed and rested against the couch we’d both procured long ago. It was set in a back corner of a side deck and gave us privacy where no one could hear us or see us, but we had a grand view of all the action around us. When the couch had emptied, Becky and I made a mad dash for it and had been drinking ever since.
She’d been sore over Adam, but as I reached for my drink, I couldn’t stop from glancing at the deck above ours. Mason sat in a back corner with Marissa on one side, Nate on her other side, and Logan with Tanya over his lap across from them. There were a few others, but everyone knew that was the top tier of the social scene. When Mason grazed the top of Marissa’s knees, my hand clenched around my drink and I threw it all back. It should’ve burned my throat, but I had ceased feeling a while ago.
It had seemed like a good idea then.
“Sam.” Becky waved a hand in front of my face.
“What?” I snapped to attention.
She looked annoyed. “What are we going to do about Adam?”
What was I going to do about Mason?
“Huh?”
I caught myself. Had I said those words out loud? But I shook my head. “Why is Cassandra so mean to you?”
“I know!” She lifted her arms up and down. She pushed out her bottom lip in a pout. “I haven’t done anything to her. I’ve always been nice to her and who am I to them anyway? Besides being good friends with Adam...and now you...and you’re close with the Kades...” Her face brightened. “Do you think I’m a threat to her? Because of you and Adam, you know... No, that doesn’t make sense. I’m the same boring Becky like always.”
I patted her leg. I’d been doing that for the last hour. “It’ll all work out. I know it. I think you and Adam will get together.”
“You think so?”
I swung my arm wide in a grand gesture. Some of my drink spilled over, but neither of us cared. “Yes, I do. It might not be in high school.”
Her face fell.
“But I think it’ll happen. Adam’s too caught up in social stuff. He can’t appreciate you now because he’s not mature enough.”
Becky nodded. “For being drunk, we’re very clear headed right now.”
I nodded too. “I know and I’m talking very articulate.”
“More than you usually do. You don’t usually talk at all; well you do, but not really.”
My face clouded. “Maybe I should shut up?”
“No.” Her hand grabbed onto mine. “You need to talk more. You have very good points for me to hear. I never thought of Adam as being immature, but I can see why you think that.”
She hiccupped, so did I, and we both fell back giggling again.
Then we became aware of someone who had come onto our deck. I gasped and Becky cooed.
Mason frowned down at us for a moment before he spoke. Then he tossed his phone on my lap. “Call your mom. She’s going crazy. She thinks we kidnapped you.”
Becky peeled her head back in laughter and I struggled to keep from joining her.
He shook his head at us. “Are you drunk?”
More laughter peeled from beside me and I nodded as I bit my lip.
“Hell, you’re probably having more fun than most of us.” He sank down next to me and ran a hand through his hair.
I watched the movement and wanted to do the same. A wave of need rushed over me, but I breathed out and remembered we were in public. I tried fanning myself.
When Becky had stopped giggling so much, she sat up with glazed eyes and squinted at him. “Who’s your girlfriend?”
I jumped next to him.
She frowned at me.
Mason sat stiffly beside me. He didn’t look at her.
“Hello!” She reached over me and waved a hand in front of his face.
He looked away and took a breath. I felt the movement when his arm brushed against mine.
She fell back and heaved a sigh. “I can’t believe it. I’m your best friend, he’s going to be your brother, and he ignores me too. Everyone ignores me. I’m more beneath people than I realized.”
I looked at her. “You’re not beneath me.”
She gave me a tight smile, but spoke to Mason, “I know you can hear me and I know you’re not being cruel to me because of Sam, but who’s the girlfriend? I’ve never seen her before. She seems nice.”
Mason jerked his gaze to mine. “Can you call your mom? Find me later to give me my phone.”
He tore out of there and Becky shook her head as she watched him leave. “I must be really drunk because I know I shouldn’t have talked to him like that, but I don’t really care right now.”
I shrugged and dialed my mom’s number. “He’s a jerk. You can talk to him however you want to.”
Becky gave me a blinding smile. “Thanks, Sam.”
I gave her one back. “Anytime.” And then my mom’s hysterical voice sounded in my ear and I cursed when I pulled it away. That was going to hurt. As I rubbed my ear, I moved away. Music, laughter, and the general shrieking sounds of a party were going to make this phone call last longer than I wanted.
When I found a semi-quiet corner, I lifted the phone again. “Hi, mom.”
“Samantha!” She heaved out. “You’re okay. I’ve been so worried. You have no idea. I thought about calling the cops.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because of what they did to me. I can’t believe you didn’t help me, but then I thought maybe you couldn’t. Maybe you were too scared of them.”
Alarms went off in my head and I sat back on my heels. “Are you kidding me right now?”
She got quiet. “Samantha, you were there. You saw what they did to me.”
I sighed into the phone. “Mom, are you drunk again?”
A shadow moved over me and I spun around, my heart stopped for a second, but my shoulders dropped when I recognized Mason. He grinned and moved forward to curve a hand around my waist. As he bent close to listen in, he brush
ed against me and his breath caressed my cheek.
“Sam, are you there?”
I choked out, my throat full with desire, “I can’t deal with this, mom. I’m fine. We went away to Nate’s cabin. I told you about it last night, but you were so crazy and drunk. I suppose I’m not surprised you didn’t remember.” I waited a beat.
Mason’s hand started to rub circles on my hip.
I bit out, my voice rushed, “You haven’t been saying any of this crazy stuff to anybody else?”
There was silence on the other end.
“I can’t believe you, mom. What have you done this time?”
“Sam, stop lying to me.”
“Okay.” I remembered when I had walked into my old house and saw her with tears in her eyes and two empty bottles of wine beside her. It was when she had told me we were leaving. “That’s what I’m doing. I’m lying. I’m always lying to you. I’m the crazy one in this family. I’m the one who was married to David and left him for James. Yes, I’m the one lying right now.”
“You don’t have to be so mean to me.”
“Oh, mom. Stop drinking. I don’t want to hear what else you’ve cooked up. I’m fine. We’re all fine. Stop saying crazy stories like that, unless you’re trying to do something. Are you trying to do something?”
“Why would I make that up?”
“I don’t know. Why do you ever do anything? For more money? I have no idea.” And I ended the call.
Mason stood still next to me and then he swept me up in his arms. “That was great.”
I tried to stop myself from smiling against his neck. “Why?”
“You knew my dad was listening?”
When he set me back on my feet, I gave him a small grin. “I didn’t, but it’d be something she would’ve done.”
He laughed again and slid his phone in his pocket.
I took a deep breath. “Why’d you ignore my friend before?”
His jaw tightened and he pressed his lips together before he looked away.
I added in a quiet voice, “And who is the girlfriend with you?”
He swung his gaze back and gave me a hard look. “Are you kidding me? You know that’s Marissa.”
“I don’t. You’ve never introduced her.”
