Chapter Forty-One
Sky
I tuck my phone into the band of my tights and begin tiptoeing behind Ruby down the hallway, squashing the sick feeling that’s taken root in my stomach.
Sure enough, when I turned on my phone, there were fuming texts from my father. Apparently, the headmistress notified him of my class change. It doesn’t seem like he knows the reason, but he’s unhappy about it, to say the least. Any attention I garner is bad attention in his eyes, and a class change is a nuisance to my elders.
I can’t imagine what he would do if I had been caught today, legs open on my bed, while the infamous Cade Haven stole my breath. Would he pull me out of Hillcrest, say the hell with my diploma, and lock me up at home?
My stomach twists despite having to focus on Ruby, one step below me on the stairs, so I don’t trip in the dark.
I would much rather wallow in indignation, free of this itchy white costume, in bed, but I can’t do that to Callie. Even though she listed at least forty different reasons why the senior party is a bad idea, I know she desperately wants to go, and I promised her I would be by her side the whole time, ready to walk her back if she wanted to leave.
I think both me and Callie know that neither Ruby nor Lana will be willing to do the same. They have been conspiring to get as ‘fucked up’ as possible, and I highly doubt they will appease Callie’s anxiety tonight. Especially with the added jitters of Bobby coming. He’s not a senior, but I invited him anyway, based on the bashful looks Callie gives him. I’m hoping some alcohol can get her out of her shell enough to actually talk to him and maybe have a good time tonight.
When me and Ruby step into the night, my mouth falls open. There are students everywhere. Quiet clusters of vampires, witches, and masks are all making their way to the left, towards the woods. It’s eerie, the way the quad is alive with movement, but the only sound comes from crickets and soft swishing leaves. The contrast of so many people with the lack of noise makes it feel like I’m watching a movie with the volume off.
I shiver, not quite understanding how this is all passing by the faculty, quiet or not. The whole senior class seems to be out here, and it’s nearing eleven p.m..
Ruby grabs my arm and tugs me down the steps, pulling me out of my stupor.
Waiting at the tree in front of Lamb Hall is our group, and any worry I had melts into a soft snort. Cade is standing in the center of our little pack, jaw clenched as he eyes the other three, no doubt uncomfortable with the way they’ve flocked to him at his post.
I bite my lip to hide my amusement as we join them, and I slip in between to shield him. His eyes roam me up and down as he snakes a protective arm around my waist.
“An angel?” He raises a brow.
“It was this or—” I shoot Ruby a look. “Barbie.”
“Would have been classic,” she says and turns. “Let’s get going.”
Ten minutes later, we are still trekking through the woods. My teeth chatter as the wind gusts, and I huddle into Cade, trying to suck the warmth out from under his cloak. Callie is on my left, with Bobbie just a step ahead, and leading our group is Ruby, flanked by Lana.
“You’re lost,” Cade hollers ahead for the third time.
“Shut up,” Ruby snaps and stomps through a bush.
Apparently, there’s supposed to be a clearing, but we’ve lost sight of others in the last five minutes.
“We need to head north.” Cade ignores her attitude.
With a screech, she whirls around. “And which way is north exactly, smart ass?”
“That way.” He motions to the right.
“Certain of that, are we? Do you have a compass?”
“No. But Polaris is right there.” He points at the sky.
Ruby looks up, as we all do, at the stars. I don’t know what I’m looking at, just twinkles and night, and I’m sure Ruby doesn’t have a clue which one is Polaris either.
“Or… How about the smoke, which again, is that way ,” Cade says.
My gaze travels to the right, and sure enough, there’s smoke. I sigh in relief. A fire, a nice warm fire. Ruby levels a stare at Cade and then stomps off to the right.
Within ten minutes, music starts to thump the ground under us, and squeals of laughter echo through the trees. As if on cue, Cade goes tense the rest of the way. When we reach the clearing, there’s a roaring bonfire that can’t be safe, and orange and black streamers recklessly draped on branches.
“Thank fuck,” Lana sighs, and heads towards a folding table with red cups and an obscene amount of glass bottles.
Ruby follows her but then turns back to make a motion at me. She pinches her fingers to her lips and gives me a thumbs up.
I nod as she skips away, and I start scanning the party for anyone who looks to be smoking weed.
Unfortunately, the night I was chased, I must have dropped Ruby’s vape pen, because I can’t find it anywhere. I have the whole eighty dollars I’ve managed to scrounge up for Japan tucked into my bra, and while it pains me to use it, it’s not like eighty was going to get me very far, anyway. I wish I could skim more out of the debit card my father gave me, but any obscene amounts would tip him off.
“What was that about?” Cade asks.
“I have to buy weed off someone,” I sigh, still scanning. “Do you happen to know anyone?” I ask hopefully.
“You aren’t—” Cade starts.
“If that fire catches,” Callie says, cutting him off. “The whole forest could go up, and we could get trapped out here…”
I blink, not sure how to refute that, because she’s right. But that’s just her anxiety getting the better of her.
“Bobby.” I snag the sleeve of his bumble bee costume. He’s just been standing, lightly bobbing his head to the music. “Why don’t you take Callie to get a drink to calm her nerves?”
“Sure.” He nods, his antennae springing at the movement.
“But what if it has roofies?” Callie gnaws on her raw lip.
“It won’t,” I assure her. “Bobby is going to open a brand new bottle. Right, Bobby?”
The antennae bounce again.
“See? It will be fine. And here,” I smile mischievously and put Callie’s hand in Bobby’s. “Buddy system. Just in case.”
Her cheeks go bright red as she widens her eyes at me. I give a quick shrug before she can come up with any more worries, and push them towards the table. I watch like a proud mother hen as Bobby holds up different bottles, and Callie struggles to read the labels in the dark, no doubt trying to read the warnings.
“You did that on purpose.” Cade folds his arms, not looking happy.
“So?” I frown. “She likes him.”
“She’s a senior, Sky.”
He says it like it’s supposed to mean something to me, but it doesn’t. Bobby may be a sophomore, but he’s only one year younger than Callie. I don’t see the harm in them possibly getting together. If anything, it could only do Callie good, give her something to focus on besides the side effects of an aspirin. And Bobby is sweet, perfect for Callie.
“It’s just going to make it that much harder on him when we—” Cade stops abruptly, running a hand through his hair and grinding his teeth.
“When we graduate?” I finish for him. “Even if it becomes serious, Callie is going to Haskett for university. That’s only two hours from here.”
Cade shakes his head and locks his jaw, giving me a long stare.
“She isn’t going to university.”