Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“I’m fine,” I wave his concern off. “I’m just giving them the show they want.”
“No, Sookie,” Rae shakes his head. “You’re giving them the show you want. This is not what the band needs or the label… but then, what the fuck do I know? Life is just an unbelievable fucked up game of roulette.”
He says that last part like he’s in pain or something and my eyes narrow. That comment doesn’t sound like the Rae I know.
Not at all.
“How was your date with Dueri?” I wonder out loud.
“Fine,” he mumbles almost uncomfortably and his cheeks actually turn a different shade. Hmmm.
I stare at him and notice something very unusual and unlike Rae—he’s not giving anything away. Like, at all. For the most part we can all tell what the other is thinking, we’ve been together for so long, we know when something is up. But not now—now Rae has a protective shield that’s giving nothing away—actually more than that, it’s hiding him and his thoughts from the world.
“Just fine?” I prod.
He shrugs.
“You were good to her, right?”
I can tell Rae doesn’t like my question because his eyes narrow and he looks like he wants to punch me in the face.
“I had to ask,” I tell him and lift my hands up in defense. “Even though I just met her, I feel very protective of her.”
Rae closes his eyes for a second and when he opens them I begin to wonder.
“She’s incredible.”
The way he says it. The way the sentence just lingers between us with such gravitas speaks volumes.
“She is,” I agree and decide to leave it alone. I know what it’s like not to want to talk about feelings—especially ones you want or need to hide from the world.
Speaking of feelings… Ari. God. Why did I even just go there again? How is it possible for someone to just cloud your mind so fast without you even asking for it? Now all I can picture is her naked body in front of me.
And all the things I want to do to it.
“Did you hear my question?” Rae’s voice comes through the Ari fog that’s enveloped me.
Crap. I hadn’t realized he even asked me something.
No, Rae, no, I’m not hearing what you’re saying. I’m not even on this planet right now, bro. I’m off in a fantasy world undressing your sister again, except this time I plan on being inside her—that’s how my fantasy ends. And it’s fucking unbelievable, by the way. Perfect.
Just like her.
“He’s got a headache.”
Lucas for the win. I nod in gratitude at my friend, who looks at me with wide, disapproving eyes. He’s shaking his head at me in acute displeasure. I know he’s pissed. I know he thinks I’m an idiot.
But…
Fine.
I am an idiot. Currently, a hard idiot who just needs to release this pent-up energy.
“You guys coming?” Kwan walks over and whispers to us in a low voice.
“Coming where?” Rae asks with narrowed eyes.
“We found a place not far from here that’s deserted. It’s a spot in the field that’s secluded. Figured we’d take some drinks and music and have a bit of fun. No cameras. No fucking weird director who feels like gets off to our blatantly apparent misery—just saying… It’s just us getting to be ourselves.”
I grab the Soju that Kwan’s holding and take a long sip.
“I’m in,” I say without hesitation. “Where do we go?”
A short while later, we’re off the beaten path, as they say. The group has broken up in pairs and everyone is making their way as quietly as possible—which is not so quiet, considering the amount of Soju we’ve consumed and the general rowdy feeling we all have going for us. I’m sure production can hear us and knows exactly where we’re going and what’s going on, but maybe they’ll just leave us alone this one time. Here’s to hoping.
I break away from everyone, their conversation becoming more of a distant chatter and fall back, wanting some privacy and just a moment of quiet with my own thoughts. Who am I kidding? I just want a moment to fantasize again about Ari—
I feel a tap on my shoulder and because it’s dark and we’re walking through a forest, I immediately freak out. Before I can scream out for help, thinking it might be one of the monsters from the haunted school who’s decided to follow me home and murder me when I’m least suspecting it, Ari puts her soft hand over my mouth and pulls me deep into the forest, the darkness covering us from the rest of the world.
I let her guide me through the foliage and there are no words between us, only the sounds of the night. The sky is dimly lit by the stars and a barely visible moon, but there is something in the air that feels raw and charged.