Untouchable - Chapter 17 #2
The exchange was so fast that I would have missed it if I blinked.
But Felix definitely slipped a much smaller bag into James’ palm as they did some sort of weird handshake.
James slid his hand into his back pocket and turned.
I should have looked away. But I had never been able to look away from one of the Untouchables.
James’ eyes locked with mine. And it wasn’t like that fancy party at the hotel when he’d smiled to be polite.
Smiled to hide his sadness. Smiled because he was trained to.
This time he didn’t smile at all. Instead, he lowered his eyebrows and his beautiful features turned into a scowl.
A brunette I didn’t recognize threw her arms around his torso and kissed his cheek. But his eyes didn’t leave mine.
I stepped away from the door, pulling Kennedy with me. “This place really is creepy,” I said. “Maybe we should just go.”
“But we just got here,” Felix said.
Kennedy and I both jumped. We hadn’t heard him come out of the room.
“Come on, it’ll be fun. I was kidding before.
This place isn’t haunted. Really, you have nothing to worry about.
” He slid his hand into mine and led us back down the stairs.
Kennedy was still holding on to my arm and I was pretty sure it looked like we were huddled together like we were in a horror movie.
And I swore to myself that I would not be the one that went off alone and got murdered in the haunted mansion.
We walked through the dark hallway for a few minutes, the music getting louder the farther we walked.
Finally we made it to the ballroom and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Even though the gothic design extended into the room, there was at least more light.
And barely any smoke monsters. Just a few in the corners, and I could tell they were men because I could at least see their jeans under the puffs of smoke.
Felix led us over toward the bar and dropped my hand as he picked up one of the shots on the counter. “Here’s to a fun night.”
I didn’t move to grab one of the shot glasses. “We promised my uncle we wouldn’t drink,” I said.
“I didn’t,” said Kennedy. ”And I’m so scared if I don’t drink I’m going to keep screaming all night.” She grabbed the shot out of Felix’s hand and downed it in one gulp. “Ow, it burns. But I’m going to feel so much better in a few minutes.”
“That’s the spirit,” Felix said. He looked back at me. “It’s just one drink.”
“I don’t know. Last time I drank I was kind of embarrassing.” And I threw up the next morning. And my uncle got so mad. And I molested Matt’s face.
“That was vodka mixed with all sorts of sugary shit. This is straight tequila. There’s a big difference. You’ll be fine.” He handed me one of the glasses.
I wasn’t sure if what he said was true. Wasn’t all alcohol just alcohol? I looked down at the clear liquid. But the glass was so small. How much harm could one little sip do?
“I won’t let anything bad happen to you, newb.”
I’d already let him down by kissing Matt. Even if he didn’t know it. I didn’t want to let him down anymore. And I believed him. He wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me. I tapped my glass against his and drank the whole thing like Kennedy had. “Ugh. That’s so disgusting. I’d rather have punch.”
Kennedy laughed. “The second one goes down easier.” She pulled three more shots to the edge of the bar.
I knew it was a bad idea. I knew it but I still found myself reaching out to grab one of the glasses. It burned just as badly the second time.
“You still owe me that dance,” Felix said to me.
“Let’s do it!” Kennedy pulled us both out into the middle of the room where everyone was dancing.
She shimmied her hips in what could only be described as a perfect backup dancer routine.
How had I not known she was a great dancer?
I kinda just stood there awkwardly. I didn’t know how to dance.
I looked at the people around us. Most of the girls were practically humping the guys on the dancefloor.
And I definitely didn’t know how to dance like that .
I moved my feet a bit but I just felt awkward.
Although the music was good. I closed my eyes.
Oh crap, my arms were doing that thing where they felt heavy again.
Two tiny glasses of tequila couldn’t have been as bad as two glasses of punch. It wasn’t physically possible.
“Can I speak to you for a second?”
I jumped when someone’s hand landed on my shoulder. My eyes flew open. Felix was staring at someone over my shoulder. I turned and saw James Hunter standing there. The scowl was no longer plastered to his face. Instead it was the smile. The fake one that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Um.” I looked around but James was definitely talking to me. “Me?” I poked myself in the middle of my chest.
He leaned forward, his lips brushing against my ear. “Can you keep a secret?”
I wasn’t a scholarship student. I’d probably kissed my brother instead of the boy I’d promised my first kiss to. My life was becoming one big secret. “Yes.”
“You can’t tell anyone what you saw tonight.”
Or…what? I swallowed hard.
“Please,” he added, taking the tone of a threat off the table. “I swear it wasn’t what it looked like.”
I pulled away and looked up at his face.
Similar words to what Matt had said when I’d seen James come into school late.
I have it under control. It wasn’t what it looked like?
So why wasn’t he offering an alternative?
My eyes dropped to the dark circles under his bloodshot eyes.
I didn’t want to keep his secret. I wanted to help him.
“I think it was what it looked like.” I didn’t realize the words had even left my mouth until his fake smile melted off his perfect face.
“James! There you are,” the brunette I’d seen him with earlier said. “I’ve been looking all over for you. I thought you left.” She looped her arm through his. “Who’s your friend?”
“Brooklyn Sanders. She’s a new student at Empire High. A scholarship student. A sophomore. She just moved here from Delaware.”
How the hell did he know all that?
“Nice to meet you, Brooklyn. I'm Rachel,” she said and then turned back to James. “Come on, let’s get another drink.”
He nodded and then leaned toward me one more time. “Keep my secret and I’ll keep yours,” he whispered before Rachel pulled him away. He disappeared into the crowd of other students dancing.
Now that was a threat. The chill I’d felt when I’d walked up to the mansion returned. The problem with James’ threat was that I didn’t know what secret of mine he was talking about. I had so many it was getting hard to keep track.
I didn’t want to be here anymore. I didn’t want to be tied up with people like Matt and James. And most of all I didn’t want my arms to feel so heavy. Or for the room to be spinning so fast.
I was in over my head. I needed to come clean to Felix.
I’d tell him everything. I wasn’t going to be blackmailed by some rich kid I didn’t even know.
Even if he seemed to know me. I turned around and ran right into someone, their drink splashing all over the front of my dress.
Shit. I wasn’t sure how, but this party was even worse than the one last weekend.