Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
I recoil. “Really?”
“Really. I think we should go.”
“Interesting, because I think we should skip it.”
“Aw, come on. You went back to Ballard already and didn’t have a panic attack. So let’s do it. We can’t miss what is certain to be a disastrously embarrassing rite of teenage passage.”
“Sure I can.”
“Jeez, Tresscott.” Lucas has this annoyingly persuasive smile, and he deploys it with total disregard for life or limb. “You’re killing me. Don’t make me do this alone.”
“You know,” I tell him when he grabs my hands like he might get down on his knees to beg. “You could simply refuse to take part in such archaic rituals. I thought dances weren’t your thing.”
“They’re not,” he grumbles. “But I did some research for a couple of Ballard freshmen and we’re doing the exchange at the dance.”
“Exchange? Research? Have you become a secret agent since we last spoke?”
Lucas snickers. “RJ’s bringing me into the business.”
“The business? Like, his information racket?”
“Yeah.”
I remember a conversation I had with RJ a while ago, in which he admitted he’s a whiz at digging up information about people. A master of uncovering secrets. He bragged it was his superpower.
“I didn’t realize RJ had dragged you into all of that.”
“It’s fun,” Lucas says, his dimples making another appearance. “And you wouldn’t believe how well it pays. I’m delivering two flash drives and collecting five hundred apiece. That’s a grand for a few hours of online digging.”
“That does sound lucrative.”
“It is. Anyway, even if I didn’t have another reason to be there, I would still ask you to go,” he says firmly.
“Is that so? Shouldn’t you be asking your gamer girlfriend?”
“Ballard doesn’t let public school kids attend the dances,” he reminds me, a bit smug. “So I guess I’m stuck with you.”
“I don’t know.” I continue to vacillate. “I’m not in the mood for a huge social thing this weekend, Lucas.”
“You ready for some tough love?” he says when I still won’t commit. “You need to shake Fenn and Lawson out of your head. Cut those emotional strings and fly free.”
“Oh, yeah? And a dance is going to help me do that, huh?”
“If we crash the party together, sure.” He sounds confident in his proposal. “Embrace the chaos, Case.”
I can’t help but laugh at his determination to put me in a better mood. And I suppose it’s worked. I do feel better. And if I’m going to brave another dance, going with Lucas probably has the best odds of a good time.
“Fine,” I relent. “If I don’t change my mind before then.”
“You won’t.”
After he’s gone, I go to my room and do homework until dinner. Sloane left for a run while I was with Lucas, returning just as Dad finishes frying the garlic shrimp.
“Gonna grab a quick shower,” she says as she flies up the stairs.
I carry the flavored rice and veggie dish I’d prepared and set it on the table. Ten minutes later, the three of us sit down for dinner. While we eat, I notice Sloane sending numerous uneasy looks my way, but when I ask her what’s up, she says it’s nothing and then focuses intently on her garlic shrimp.
I know my sister, though, so the moment Dad disappears into his study to read and drink his tea, I pounce on her.
“What’s wrong?” I demand as we clear the table.
“So, there’s been a development,” she says in a soft voice, glancing toward the hallway. “I didn’t want to say it in front of Lucas earlier, and Dad was already home when I got back from my run.”
“What happened?” I already know this isn’t going to be good news, so I brace myself for her response.
“Fenn turned himself in at the police station. He told them what he did on prom night. Stealing evidence, covering for Gabe. Everything.”
All the breath leaves my body, my lungs seizing. “Are you serious?”
“Yup. RJ texted me the basics after school. I just met up with him on the path during my run and he filled me in on the details. There aren’t many,” she admits. “All I know so far is that Fenn confessed, his lawyer is handling things, and his dad flew in too. RJ says we should probably expect the cops to show up here and question you again.”
I feel my face going pale. “Shit. Dad’s going to freak.”
I imagine he’ll be livid when he learns that he’s been letting me spend time with the guy who pulled me out of the car and left me there unconscious. Yet I’m not as worried about that as I am about the trouble Fenn might face.
My hands are weak and shaky as I place our plates in the sink. “Do you think he’ll go to jail? Was he charged?”
She gives a grim nod and tells me the charges.
I’m queasy now, my stomach churning. “What if I vouch for him with the police? Tell them I know for a fact he wasn’t driving.”