Galdoni by Cheree Alsop

Author:Cheree Alsop
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, love, adventure, fantasy, violence, young adult, teen, urban, gladiator, fight

Chapter Ten

I followed Nikko and Jayce up the steps of Zach's house. “I don’t know why I let you talk me into this,” I said.

“Just relax; you’ll have a good time,” Brie insisted. She took my arm and walked with me to the open door where music and laughter spilled out like raucous sunlight after a storm.

Students filled every possible space, eating in the kitchen, playing pool on a scratched pool table in the back room, lounging on couches that looked like they had survived the last war, sitting on orange boxes turned into chairs, and in the back yard playing what appeared to be volleyball over a rope strung between two trees. Everywhere I looked, students laughed, ate, talked, drank, and danced to the thump of music coming from a rigged stereo in a corner by the pool table. Discordant music also came from two cars parked outside, the owners of which seemed to be trying to blast each other away through sheer volume.

Luckily it was cloudy outside and the air carried a touch of chill, so my coat wasn’t out of place. I noticed several students sporting similar styles lounging on the lawn.

“Hey, you came!” Zach shouldered his way past a group of students by the door and met us on the porch.

“Yeah,” I replied noncommittally, a bit overwhelmed.

“This is awesome!” Jayce said. With a wave in my direction, he and Nikko lost themselves in the crowd.

“I’m glad you made it,” Zach said sincerely.

I took a calming breath. “Thank you. Where’s Krissy? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, thanks to you. She went with my parents to my grandma’s house for the weekend to kind-of get past everything. She didn’t want me to tell our parents what happened, but I’m hoping she’ll do it while they’re gone. That way my dad won’t be able to kill Bryce at least until they get back,” he said with a glint in his eye that said he thought Bryce deserved anything his dad would do.

I thought of what I had wanted to do and figured he would be better off with Krissy's dad. “Good idea.”

Rory, the one I had almost strangled, made his way through the crowd to Zach’s side. He smiled at Brie and my heart gave a strange thump. I stepped closer to her.

“Can I take your coats?” Rory asked. He held his hand out to Brie.

“No,” I replied stiffly. Brie elbowed me discreetly in the ribs and I winced. “I mean, no thank you.”

Rory laughed. “No prob, bro! Food’s in there and y'all have a good time!”

Zach gave him a good-natured shove and he stumbled back toward the kitchen. He gave us an apologetic smile. “Don’t mind him; he’s Texan.” He laughed as though it was an inside joke. “Make yourselves at home. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thanks,” Brie answered for both of us.

He left up the stairs and we made our way slowly through the crowded hallway. We arrived at a back room where Jayce was throwing darts with a girl in braids.

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