AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ready?” she said.
“Sure.” I flipped the vanity mirror shut and hopped out of the car.
We walked across the lawn to the large brick house. A lilting beat floated across the yard. I took a look down at my outfit—black skater dress, thin silver belt, flip-flops, thin silver scarf, and black over-the-elbow gloves—as my nerves started to reach an all-time high. I smoothed my skirt down and centered the knot on my scarf as my nerves rose.
If I could make it through the night without freaking out from some vision, then I had a chance at finding a place where I belonged—even if it wasn’t with Rosalyn’s crowd.
Rosalyn went straight for the door, and opened it without pausing to knock. I might have been a little bit naïve—it was my first party after all—but I wasn’t expecting everyone to be drinking. Thirty kids or so were scattered around the entryway screaming at each other over the music. They all had red plastic cups in their hands.
How in the hell did a bunch of sixteen and seventeen year olds score enough booze for everyone?
I shook my head. Some of those cups had to be filled with soda.
One girl gestured while talking, unaware that the contents of her cup were spilling all over the floor. A guy was falling all against a girl, who pushed him away.
Nope. They were drunk. Unreal.
Guess there were no parents here.
“Good. We’re perfectly late.” Rosalyn grabbed my gloved hand. “Let’s get a drink.” She led me through the crowd to the kitchen. I spotted Jess as she rushed past me, knocking me into the wall. She ran to a powder room and slammed the door.
“Gross. She’s always sick before the party even gets started,” Rosalyn rolled her eyes. “She seriously needs to learn to control her alcohol.”
No kidding. And from the looks of things, there were a few people who wouldn’t be far behind Jess’ state. I knew right then that I was in over my head. I thought about calling Axel, but was too stubborn to admit that I’d been wrong about telling him not to come.
Rosalyn towed me along with her to the kitchen. It was big with an island in the center. The counters were light speckled granite, but I couldn’t really see them under all the booze. Liquor bottles and red cups, along with an assortment of sodas and juices were spread all over the place. In front of the sink was an extra-large plastic trashcan filled with ice water and a keg floating in the center. Three boys stood around it as they filled red cups and handed them down a line of kids.
I checked my watch. It wasn’t even 8:30 yet. How were there so many people already drunk?
Carlos was filling shot glasses on the counter with some amber colored liquor.
Right. That was how.
He looked up at me. “Hey, Tessa. Glad you could make it,” he said with a grin. His dimples made him look more charming than he actually was.
He hadn’t said anything to Rosalyn, and by the look she gave him, she was pissed. I so didn’t want to get in the middle of that.
“How about a proper welcome to Texas? Take a shot of tequila.”
Rosalyn dropped my arm and stepped back. I glanced at her, and she shrugged. “Go ahead.”
At that the other three boys who were lined up for a shot looked at me. My palms started sweating. I’d never taken one. I’d never even had a drop of alcohol before. Would it make me act stupid? Or worse—would my visions go crazy?
That was not appealing at all.
Finding a way to be normal was my goal here. I snatched the glass that Carlos held out for me with my gloved hand.
“We take ‘em Texas style here,” he said.
I gave my best fake-confident smile. “Okay. What exactly does that mean?”
“Here, let me show you. Take off your glove.”
There was no way I wanted to do that, but I’d already committed.
As soon as the glove was off, he grabbed my hand and, looking me straight in the eye, licked it.
I was instantly drowning in his hormones.
