The Grove

by J. R. King

  Danny almost hated himself for this. “You kind of owe me.”

  The moment those words hit the air Rome knew there was no turning back. He was going to be the night’s entertainment, whether he liked it or not. “I guess we’ve got some work to do,” he said. “Is there somewhere we can practice?”

  “The beach.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Upon the High Rocks

  Christian stood in front of his closet, staring at clothes as water dripped from his hair. The party hummed gently at his back, static noise reaching his ears from the distant shore. There was the buzzing of it in the air, bringing the night to life. He slipped on a shirt and jeans, keeping his eyes on the dimming sky. If he was lucky, Dallas wouldn’t even have him kicked out.

  He blinked from his room, landing in a small clearing near the beach. A few redwoods separated the grass from the sand, and he could see the flare of a large bonfire through the silhouetted trees. As he got closer, he noticed Kaleb lingering against one of the trunks.

  “Do you eye everyone that closely?” he asked.

  Kaleb smiled. “Only the people who stand out.”

  Christian continued walking, helping himself to a drink before going to find Dallas. He was standing on the edge of the beach, feet in the cold, receding water. He watched as he chased two laughing girls around. “Need some help?” Christian said. “You’re kind of outnumbered.”

  “That’s the way I like it,” Dallas replied.

  “Really?” Christian picked up a bucket of ice, handing it to one of the girls. “Let’s see if you still like being outnumbered.”

  Dallas threw his hands into the air as they rushed towards him. “Alright, alright! I give.” He took a relieved breath, watching as they ran past and doused an innocent bystander. “Now look what you did.”

  “Already blaming me for everything,” Christian said.

  Dallas moved towards him. “How have you been?”

  “I’ve had an interesting week. How are your ribs?”

  “Healing.” Dallas lifted his shirt, showing off a decent sized bruise. He smiled at the wince on Christian’s face. “But no worse off than my pride. I’m surprised that you came. I guess I always expected you were the kind to hold a grudge.”

  Christian shrugged. “Not always. Besides, I think it’s me who needs to apologize. I reacted badly. I took it out on you, and I’m sorry.”

  “Honestly,” Dallas said, “I’d imagined it going worse.”

  “Do you want to know the funny thing? I wasn’t even upset when I sat down. I was stunned, more than anything.” Christian stared out at the water, feeling emotionally exhausted. “All I really want is to go back to the way things were.”

  “You mean before you stole my car, involved my friend in a crime, and assaulted me?” Dallas said, ticking each one off on a finger. He eased back on his reproach, letting the carefree evening calm him. “It won’t be exactly like it was, but who knows, it might be better.”

  Christian was trying to find the words to reply when Dallas’ attention seemed to slip. He glanced over his shoulder, searching for what had caught his eye. Aria was over by the drinks, talking with Shawn.

  “What’s she doing here?” Dallas said.

  Christian cleared his throat. “I may have invited her…”

  The brotherly love dissipated in an instant.

  “I thought we had an understanding.”

  Christian met Dallas’ eyes. “It’s not what you think. We’re just friends,” he said. “She doesn’t think of me like that.”

  “And how do you think of her?”

  Christian scoffed. He hadn’t been prepared for that question. “I don’t know. What’s with the third degree?”

  “I’ve just never seen you obsess over a girl like this before.”

  “Obsess? That’s not even a little bit true.”

  “Do you think about her all the time?” Dallas asked.

  Christian frowned, sipping his drink. “No.”

  “What about other girls?”

  “What about them?”

  Dallas leaned back on his heels. “If Scarlet walked up to you right now and asked you to go into the woods, what would you say?” The uncertainty was growing stronger on Christian’s features. “It might already be too late,” Dallas said. He lifted a hand, smiling playfully. “She’s all you think about, you’re not interested in other girls, she doesn’t know that you exist—”

  “She knows I exist.”

  “I’m just saying… you’re traveling a slippery slope.”

  Christian laughed, staring at him over the lip of his cup. He knew exactly what Dallas was insinuating. He shook his head once, refusing the accusation. “You’re crazy.”

  “Maybe, maybe not,” Dallas said. “I’ve had it happen. You get comfortable, let your guard down. Before you know it, you’re not even you anymore. You become this person that she wants you to be. Couple-y, doing things in pairs… you’ll never get a minute alone.”

  Christian took another drink, letting himself buy into Dallas’ conspiracy for a second. “…Eliza?” he asked.

  “Bingo,” Dallas said.

  “Aria’s not like that.”

  “All girls are like that.”

  Christian found himself standing alone in the sand as Ariahna waved at him from the crowd. He raised his cup, forcing a smile before downing the last of it. His lips were still pressed to the plastic when the sound of an electric guitar wailed to life. Standing among his peers, he watched the stage lights cast shadows from behind the curtain.

  Dallas had definitely gone all out.

  Christian smiled when he caught sight of Danny air-guitaring, nearly making him miss the big reveal. The curtain dropped as the riff ended, bringing the band into their first song. He sighed at the sight of Rome behind the microphone. He was definitely going to need another drink. Christian rolled his eyes, grabbing for two more sloshing cupfuls. One, of course, was for Aria. “Hey,” he said, offering her the beverage.

  “Hey!” She had to shout just to be heard over the music.

  “Did you maybe want to go somewhere we can talk?”

  Aria nodded, fumbling to accept the cup from him. They drifted back towards the trees, feet leaving imprints in the cool sand. And as they walked, she couldn’t help but wonder how Rome had gotten roped into a live performance.

  “How are you liking the festivities?” Christian asked.

  “It’s a larger group than I expected. I didn’t realize it was going to be such a big event.”

  “You should have seen what we did last year. Dallas rented out an old warehouse for Halloween. It was pretty ridiculous what we managed to get in there.”

  Aria looked utterly surprised. “Dallas threw this party?”

  He nodded at her. “You didn’t know?”

  “I guess I’ve just never made the list.”

  “I’m sure it’s not like that,” Christian said. He smiled as a leaf fell from the treetops, landing in her hair. He plucked it from her curls before she moved, twirling it in his fingers. “Come on, I think I hear fun being had this way.”

  They exited the trees on another strip of the beach, coming upon a small group playing volleyball in the sand. Aria observed the game from beside a torch, standing in the warm wind.

  “If you could live anywhere, where would you choose?”

  “That’s hard to say,” she said. Ariahna watched the water lap at the shore. “Maybe… Barcelona, though?” She cradled the cup near her collar. “What about you?”

  “Anywhere with palm trees and beaches. I look good with a tan.” They were quiet for a moment, letting the sound of Rome’s voice carry out over the rocks. “Can I tell you something funny?” he said. “I think this is actually the first time I’ve asked a girl out and she didn’t know she was on a date with me.”

  Ariahna took a timid sip of her drink, cringing at the taste.

  “I don’t want you to be embarrassed. It wasn’t even a good i
dea on my part. I certainly don’t have the best track record, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you. Besides, I think I arrived a little late to that party,” he said. “I guess I don’t mind being your stand-in, though. Just don’t expect me not to be flirtatious.”

  “Christian,” Aria said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

  “That’s alright. It’s more fun, never getting what you want.”

  She worried her lip nervously. “You know I appreciate your company. You’re an amazing friend. If I wasn’t seeing someone—”

  “Well, if you ever want to be a steamy adulteress…” He watched her startle into quiet laughter. “In the meantime, I’ll only settle for best friend,” he said. “Those are my terms.”

  Ariahna nodded, a quiet sigh leaving her lips. “I see. Scarlet wouldn’t be too happy about the demotion. And who would fill me in on unneeded gossip? Or help me with my ‘dated’ closet?”

  Christian chuckled. “Do you remember how obsessive I was about my hair?” She nodded at him. “Well I’m also that way about my smile, my skin, and my wardrobe,” he said. “I can more than fill Scarlet’s shoes, and then some. You need a friend like me.”

  There was just a little too much sass in Christian’s voice. Even Ariahna couldn’t dismiss it. The volleyball crashed at their feet, sending sand flying against their legs. “I don’t think I believe you,” she said. She watched him throw the ball back. “There’s no way.”

  He grinned at her. “Perhaps I’ll have to prove it, then. How about we find some cute boys to kiss?”

  Ariahna crossed her arms, preparing to call his bluff. Danny emerged from the trees then, coming down to meet them. He stopped beside her as Christian gave him an assessing look.

  “He’ll do,” he said.

  Danny frowned, otherwise ignoring whatever it was he’d been volunteered for. “Rome wanted me to tell you that he’s sorry for bailing earlier. The show came up last minute and he’s kind of saving my skin right now. I figured I owed him enough to be his messenger.”

  “Tell him it’s alright. I’m not upset or anything.”

  “Will do,” Danny said.

  Christian wiggled his eyebrows at Aria the moment Danny turned his back, nodding at him suggestively. She looked horrified, shaking her head furiously, no. Danny looked back as he was making a kissing face, and Christian choked on a laugh.

  “Quit messing around,” Danny said.

  Aria moved up the slope towards the trees. Christian was acting embarrassing enough for the both of them, and she didn’t want to stick around for the rest of it. Unfortunately, he had decided to follow. The three of them drifted quietly through the woods, coming upon a group in a small clearing. They were seated in a circle, spinning an empty bottle and giggling. Dallas was the most silently amused of them all. Scarlet waved them over as they approached.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

  Ariahna smiled at Danny. “You already know her.”

  “Not really,” he said.

  She smirked at him in a way that said she thought he was ridiculous. Aria didn’t know much about Danny, but he seemed sweet enough. He had these small dimples in his cheeks when he smiled, and kind eyes. But he was anything but Scarlet’s usual type. “You two would look cute together,” she said.

  “Oh stop it,” Scarlet said. She grabbed Aria’s wrist, pulling her down into the grass. “Now be serious and join in.”

  Christian took a seat between the two girls, wrapping an arm around them both. Surprisingly, Scarlet didn’t slap him for it.

  “Resuming our regularly scheduled activity,” Dallas said. He reached for the bottle, giving it a whirl as the group fell into a state of quiet anticipation. As it turned out, Amber was to be the lucky recipient of his lips, and he took the kiss with confidence.

  Ariahna folded her legs, watching the game progress. People came and left the circle, and when next she gazed around the group, Logan and Kaleb were among the crowd. Logan was giving her the full force of his attention (an uncomfortable sort of stare).

  “Aria’s turn,” someone said.

  Her eyes landed on the bottle. “Oh, that’s okay.”

  “Come on,” Scarlet goaded.

  She glanced warily at Logan from across the circle.

  “Afraid some of us might bite?” he said.

  With a sigh, Ariahna took her turn, refusing to let Logan get to her. To her relief, the bottle stopped, pointing innocently at the boy beside her. Christian looked like the cat that had got the cream. “This won’t help prove your point,” she whispered.

  “Some things are better than being right.”

  Aria could feel the warmth spreading across her face. He leaned in, and she hurried to bring her part of the game to an end. A kiss on the cheek was what she’d been aiming for. He turned at the last second though, capturing her mouth in the sweep of his smile. She let him linger for a matter of heartbeats.

  “See,” he whispered. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  She was still lost somewhere, stolen by those smiling brown eyes. The way he was staring made her not want the moment to end. Oddly, no one had rushed them yet to continue.

  Christian reached over his knees, giving the bottle a hard spin as the moment faded into memory. He laughed when it stilled, neck pointed at the long-haired boy who had been quiet the entire time. “It looks like someone might get their wish.”

  Aria blushed again, hoping he didn’t really plan to make good on that promise. She watched Christian lean across the gap, drawing Kaleb into a mesmerizingly unexpected kiss. She gaped at them openly, as did the rest of the group. Scarlet looked too intrigued to even entertain what thoughts she might be thinking. The other boys were largely abashed.

  Dallas coughed. “Alright,” he said.

  Christian pulled back with a start then, a jolt of pain accompanying the stark taste of blood. He was surprised to find that he wasn’t actually bleeding. And he frowned back at Kaleb as curiosity bloomed over the other boy’s face. Christian didn’t particularly like the way he was looking at him anymore.

  “How about we play something else,” Dallas said.

  Kaleb grinned at him toothily. “But it was just getting fun.”

  “Disgusting,” Logan muttered. “No one wants to see that.”

  Christian snorted. “No one wants to see your face either, but it’s still right there.” He sat back as Logan gave him a frosty stare, folding an arm around Aria just to get a reaction. The jealousy was like a living thing, rolling off of him in waves.

  “Get your nasty arm off of her,” Logan said.

  Ariahna made an incredulous noise.

  “Mind your own business,” Christian retorted.

  Logan grinned. “She is my business…”

  “Look,” Dallas said, “this is ironically strange and strangely interesting, but both of you can shut up and stop ruining my party already. Now, back to the entertainment!” Dallas snapped his fingers and a small black box appeared in his palm. He slid the round lid around on the lip, opening it so that a dark crevice captivated their attentions. “Who’s played Pandora’s box?”

  “Where did you get that?” Danny asked.

  “He’s had it forever,” Christian said. He grabbed the object from Dallas, turning it over in his hands. “He thinks it sends messages from beyond.” He snickered, shaking his head at him. “It’s just someone, somewhere sending random notes through.”

  Danny sucked in a breath. “It’s a message box alright, but not all of them are harmless. The creator was a madman.” He reached a hand out, asking for the wooden box. “He did all sorts of experiments with magic…” Danny checked the bottom for the maker’s mark. His thumb brushed over the etching, and he tossed it quickly back to Dallas. “That thing’s the real deal, and I want nothing to do with it.”

  Ariahna chuckled. “Are you saying you’re afraid of a box? My father’s had one of those in his study for years. They’re just antiquities.”


  “Unless it’s a matched set, I wouldn’t mess with it,” he said. “You don’t know who you could be talking to. And by the way, they’re nearly impossible to find. How did either of you get one?”

  Aria bit her lip. “I think it was a gift.”

  “Well that is one gift that I would not accept.”

  Kaleb was scheming as they argued back and forth over whether or not they’d be playing with the black box. He knew what the container he’d found in Richard’s desk was now, and he was eager to find out who or what was on the other side.

  “How does it work?” he asked.

  Dallas rose to his knees, leaning into the circle to explain the game. “If the history lesson’s over, maybe we should play a round and you can make up your minds about it.” He drew a slip of paper from his pocket, scribbling something on it and placing it into the box. “The rules are simple: write your name on a piece of paper, and leave it in Pandora’s box.” He closed the lid, holding it carelessly in one hand. “When you open it, your name is gone. Whatever the spirits send back is your fate.”

  “It’s just a scare tactic to rile up the girls,” Christian said. “And Logan, who we all know is a giant wuss.”

  Logan put on an air of tired supremacy. “Just get on with it.”

  Dallas opened the box, pulling out a different piece of paper. He smiled as he read quietly, opening his mouth to share with the group. “Don’t obey those who would doubt you.” He raised his eyebrows, giving Danny a smug look. “The spirits say you’re a little girl.”

  “You’re not as brave as you look,” Scarlet said.

  Danny exhaled. “Toss me the box.” He scribbled his name down, staring at Scarlet as he did. “For that, you get to go next.”

  “Fine with me.”

  His hesitation didn’t come until it was time to open the lid. Danny twisted the spinning hinge, plucking the paper reluctantly from its nest. His eyes slipped quickly over the words. “Great, that’s just ominous and I have no clue what it means.”

  “What does it say?” Amber asked.

  “You are not alone until you don’t want to be.” Danny rolled the container to Scarlet. “Enjoy your cryptic fortune.”