24. Not Invited
Not Invited
Vandal
LynnLeigh dips her fry into a mixture of barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, and hot sauce. “So, what is everyone doing tomorrow night?”
Kerri sets down her fork. “I have to do a night in the library. I’ve fallen so far behind I’m never going to pass my classes.”
“Getting a B isn’t failing.” Lola reaches over and takes a grape off of my plate with a wink.
“It feels like it. Especially in my family.”
“Well, your family is nuts.” Lola turns to me. “Does your family push you to get good grades?”
My brother was required to maintain a perfect grade point average, but when it came to me, they couldn't care in the least. “Nope.”
“Not at all?” Kerri gapes at me. “Wild.”
Two girls I thought were walking past stop in front of our table.
“What’s wild?” the shorter one asks as she slides into the seat next to Kerri.
“Van’s parents don’t care about his grades.”
The taller one shrugs from the seat next to Lola. “At this point, our parents don’t determine our future. We do.”
“Maia believes hard work is the answer to every problem in the world.” LynnLeigh points her fry at the taller one.
“I’ve got to take life seriously if I’m going to find a cure for heart disease.” Maia takes a bite of salmon. “Just because you and Suzie want to party all the time, doesn’t mean the rest of us do.”
The food court in the school is decent, but who trusts it enough to eat fish from it? At least she didn’t get the sushi they make here. Those platters always scare me.
“Hey, now. Leave me out of that. I like the proper balance between work and fun, which the both of you seem to be lacking.” Suzie made the smart choice of burgers and fries, something they do get right around here.
“Life should be filled with fun. Why else would we want to live it?” LynnLeigh has a point.
One I almost agree with.
“Because fun doesn’t run hospitals. Fun doesn’t run fire departments. Fun doesn’t run police stations. Fun doesn’t make sure you have food on the table. Fun doesn’t make sure your bills are paid. And fun certainly won’t get me that internship I want.” Maia glares at her.
“Genevieve Labs would be foolish not picking you. Isn’t your interview coming up soon?” Kerri reaches out and grabs Maia’s hand.
“In two weeks, and if she studies any more, her mind is going to explode,” Suzie answers instead of Maia. “It’s all she talks about.”
“Do you understand how amazing that would be...Genevieve Labs. The Kentworths have basically given those researchers a blank check and all the freedom they need within the confines of the law. I heard one of them wanted the juice of a specific berry only found in one spot on the earth and the next week, Kentworth arranged for an expedition team to head out and acquire samples on their private jets. Just like that.” Kerri snaps her fingers.
“They’re the gold standard of research. They make working at a government-funded lab seem like the projects. ”
“The government does a lot of work to help the world. I would take a job there.” Maia trusts way too easily.
“Only if you don’t get into Genevieve Labs.” Kerri grins. “Which you are. We all know it. How couldn’t Nathaniel Kentworth choose you? And once you get in, you can put in a good word for me.”
“Only if you keep your grades up.” How close to graduating is Maia? She looks like she’s the same age as the rest of the girls—in her early twenties, but don’t medical researchers have to have a doctorate?
“I am. That’s why I’m planning on spending Friday night in the library. Want to join me?”
“Sure. I’m always good for a study session.” Maia turns to Lola. “You want to join us?”
“No, she should come with Suzie and me to a party Friday night.” LynnLeigh turns to Lola, holding a fry that’s ready to lose the concoction she created.
All eyes turn to Lola, waiting for her to make a choice.
Her eyes flit over to me for the briefest second. “I’m not sure. I’ll let you guys know.”
The pit of my stomach falls into the abyss. Of course, she won’t say anything. She’s probably waiting for me to ask her out. We’ve spent almost every minute together since we met.
Lola’s probably expecting me to ask her out on a date Friday night.
Only I can’t. There is no way I want Lola or any of her friends near my place when there are drug dealers and who knows what else around for a ‘party’.
Not a chance. I’m going to need to come up with an excuse…or a lie.
Anything to keep her away.
Saturday, we can go on our first official date. That is, if I’m not taking a drug dealer out that day.
My time here could be over in just a few days. But I don’t want it to be over with Lola. I need to figure all of this out…
Soon.
***
Every plausible lie that’s popped into my head since Lola gave me that look felt wrong. I need to tell her something, but what?
“You know, if your brow wrinkles any harder it’s going to get stuck like that.
” Lola grins at me from across that couch in the library where we’re studying, aka, I’m reading a random book, and she’s actually reading one of her textbooks with a highlighter in hand.
She nudges my foot with hers. “What’s wrong? Not liking the book?”
Just get it over with. I shut the book and scoot up, so I’m staring into her eyes. “Lola, I can’t take you out on a date this weekend.”
She blinks twice. “Okay.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to take you out. I’m looking forward to our first official date, but I already have plans for the weekend.” There, no lies, and it almost didn’t sound horrible.
“Okay.”
That was easy. Almost too easy.
“But I’m expecting a good one if I have to wait this long for it.”
A grin spreads across my face. “Understood.”
“One where I can wear a pretty dress, but don’t have to eat stuffy food.”
Oh. “Interesting.”
“Something thoughtful.” Now she’s just being cute.
“Any other requirements?”
“Hmm…” She taps her chin. “That you miss me every second of this weekend, like I’m going to miss you.”
“Impossible.”
It’s her turn for a wrinkly brow.
“Because there’s no way you could miss me more than I’m going to miss you.” How has this girl turned me into a guy who says that? If any of my brothers heard this, I’m going to get thrown out of Children of Chaos, or worse, mocked for the rest of my life.
“Oh, really?” She scoots closer. “Are you going to dream about me at night like I dream about you?”
“Woman, you don’t say that to a man.”
“Why not?” She grins. “You had to know I dream about you. I can’t even imagine what’s going to happen the first time you kiss me.”
The imp is enjoying destroying my mind. I reach over, splaying my hand across the back of her head, pulling her firmly towards me. “Teasing isn’t nice.”
“Sure, it is.” She grins, pouting those tempting lips of hers like she knows exactly what that’s doing to me.
They probably taste like cotton candy and raspberries, super sweet with just a little hint of tart to keep a man guessing. “What if I kissed you right here and right now?”
“Mmm.” Her eyes close. “What if you did?”
I can’t win with this woman. She pushes back just at the right moment instead of being the sweet, innocent woman she looks like. “You’re beautiful torment.”
“Does that mean you aren’t going to kiss me?” Her lips twist into a little mewl like an angry kitten.
“Not here. Not now.”
“What if I kiss you?”
“Woman,” I growl the warning.
She giggles.
“Who’s the tease now?” Why am I egging her on and not tasting those lips?
Her giggles stop. “Teasing you is fun.”
“It won’t be when I kiss you until you’re dizzy and breathless.”
“That’s when it will be the most fun.” She runs a finger down my arm and leans back. “I can’t wait for our first date.”
Why don’t I just kill the drug dealer and take her out tomorrow?
That would be so much easier.
First dates normally stink, but something tells me this one is going to be life-changing.