Page 48 of Icarus

Some of the cheerleaders were gathered around the island, and he could see a drink table behind them. Icarus took a deep breath for confidence and started edging around the perimeter.

“Icarus!”

Celestina jumped down from the counter. The crowd parted for her as she rushed across the space, slamming into him hard.

“You came!” She squeezed him, long arms around his neck, body pressed against him tight.

“You look so pretty,” she gushed, tipsy and free.

Icarus gently pulled back to take her in. She was still wearing elaborate, gaudy homecoming makeup. She looked radiant. “I just got here,” he blurted.

“Junie’s making grilled cheeses!” one of the cheerleaders shouted. “You want some?”

It took Icarus a moment to realize she was talking to him.

“Nah, I’m looking for Luca?”

Celestina hooked her arm around his neck and dragged him across the kitchen with her. Her power of making people get out of her way was intoxicating.

“Ooh you look like one of the guys from Some Like It Hot!” Mina Silvestri said, and skittered her nails across the curve of Icarus’s chin. It took everything in him not to flinch. Were all popular girls so grabby?

“Aw, you’re too sweet,” Icarus said. He leaned away from her and toward Celestina as subtly as he could manage.

“Where did you find him?” Jenna Davis cooed. She pulled up the bandanna that she was wearing as a tube top and crossed her long tanned legs, looking down on them from her seat on the counter.

“He’s one of Luca’s friends,” Celestina said. “And he’s my sweetheart, so keep your claws out of him.” She nuzzled into Icarus’s neck, and he curled his hand into a fist with an effort to remain still.

Jenna reached backward and waved her hand until a grilled cheese was put into it. She tore it in half and gave the other half to Mina.

“Are you sure you don’t want any?” Mina said, leaning closer to him with her piece.

“He already said no,” Celestina said firmly. “Luca’s in the back with the rest of the boys. I’m gonna take him. Pass me that bottle of honey Jack. We’ll bring out some ice.”

Celestina tugged Icarus out of the circle. He squeezed her hand gratefully.

Proof

It was much quieter outside. It was still pretty crowded, but people were clumped up in groups, smoking, talking amongst each other, and drinking.

Luca, Akeem, Patrick, and the rest of the guys he would have expected were crowded together on a couch. What he didn’t expect was Julian, standing next to the couch with his arms crossed.

He could hear the lecture Julian was giving from twenty feet away.

“—help you clean up because it’s not going to be me, that’s for sure. You should be fucking lucky I’m not taking pictures,” Julian griped at Luca.

Icarus almost dropped the ice Celestina had forced him to carry. “Julian?”

“Oh . . . well, look who decided to show up,” Julian snapped. “What the hell is this . . . this Singing in the Rain–ass fit.”

“Shut up, Julian,” Icarus said immediately.

“Oh my god.”

Luca, who’d had his head in his hands during Julian’s tirade, got up immediately. “Oh my god dude, wow. You should have gone to the dance; you definitely should have gone wearing that. Don’t listen to Julian. Holy shit.”

He pulled the ice out of Icarus’s arms and set it on the ground. Then he dragged Icarus into a hug.

Luca was . . . compact, lean in the way Helios was. He smelled like sweat and, interestingly, a bit like girly perfume. Helios had hugged him carefully, like he thought he might be pushed away. Had wrapped his arms around the top of Icarus’s shoulders, held him close to his chest.