“About what?”
“About how I fainted.”
“Oh, okay. But why not?”
“Because if my coach finds out, he might not let me play. And we have a really important game coming up.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry,” I tell him, “Your secret’s safe with me.”
“Thanks, Natalia,” he says, “And we should all hang out again sometime.”
“All of us? Like me, you and Raine?” Is he crazy?
“No, I mean… I just meant that you should come around sometime. Like, to another party.” I put my water down on the counter. So that’s why he’s calling. To try and get me to keep his secret, which is fine. But now he’s pretending to be all nice and acting like we should all hang out so that I’ll be sure to keep my mouth shut.
“Sure,” I say. “Of course, I’m not sure Raine’s really going to be inviting me over again after she put that note in my locker.”
“What note?”
“Oh, she didn’t tell you? She put a note in my locker that said ‘Stay Away.’”
There’s a pause and then, “That doesn’t sound like something Raine would do.”
But I can tell he doesn’t really believe it. He knows it sounds exactly like something Raine would do. “Anyway, like I said, we should all hang out again sometime. You’d like her if you could get to know her.”
Suddenly, I’m pissed. He wanted me to keep the whole thing about him fainting a secret, and now he’s taking Raine’s side, telling me that I should give her another chance.
Then I remember how it was with him and Brody at the vending machine this morning, and so I fight back the only way I know how. “Sounds great,” I say, “Maybe this weekend? But I’ll have to ask Brody. We’re going to brunch tomorrow, but he didn’t say anything about tomorrow night, so we might be free.”
For a second, I think I’ve done what I set out to do, that I’ve hurt him, because there’s silence on the line. But then he says smoothly, “I love brunch. In fact, brunch sounds great. Me and Raine could join you two.”
“Perfect,” I lie, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of telling him they can’t come.
“Great,” he says, “So I’ll call Brody, and get us invited.”
“Great!”
“Great!”
“Great!” I force my voice to sound cheery, but as soon as I hang up, my anger dissipates and all I can think about is that tomorrow morning me, Cam, Brody, and Raine, are all going to be hanging out. Together. In the same room. Just the four of us. I sit down at the kitchen table and bury my head in my hands.
Chapter Two
Campbell
When I get off the phone with Natalia, Raine’s coming out of the living room where she was once again talking to her folks, and I wonder what’s going on. There hasn’t been any screaming and yelling for a while now, so I couldn’t hear what they were discussing.
Becca and Teri took off a few minutes ago and so it’s just us now.
But Raine sees me putting my cell away and her eyebrows raise.
“Who was that?” she smiles, keeping her tone light, like it’s no big deal.
I shrug. It’s already seeming like a really dumb idea to have invited me and Raine along to brunch tomorrow. But something about how Natalia was acting, throwing Brody in my face like that, like I even give a shit, really pissed me off.
“Brody and Natalia want us to come to breakfast with them in the morning.”
Raine folds her arms and her eyes narrow. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Technically it’s brunch, not breakfast.” I flash what I hope is a winning smile.
“So that was Brody you were talking to?”
I sort of grunt and nod my head.
“I don’t want to go.”
“Come on,” I say, “It might be kind of funny, watching those two try to hit it off?
Pretty ridiculous couple if you ask me. We’ll have enough gossip for days.”
Raine walks closer, her high heels clacking on the hardwood floor of the sun porch. “Well, she’s definitely not hot enough for him, that’s for sure. But—I don’t know.” She cocks her head, thinks about it. “They might actually be okay together.”
I smirk. “You think?”
“Why, are you jealous?”
“Of Brody? Hell no.” I grab her by the wrist and pull her toward me. She falls onto my lap. “So you’ll go with me?”
“Sure,” she says, sighing. “I guess I’m going to have to get to know the new girl better if she’s going to be dating your best friend.”
“That’s what I told—“ I catch myself at the last second. “…Him. I was telling Brody it would be cool for us to all hang out.”
Shit, I’m really getting myself into a hole on this one.
But If Raine knew that I was actually talking with Natalia just now…it wouldn’t be pretty. Especially after she left that note in Natalia’s locker, which, let’s face it, sounds exactly like the kind of fucked up ridiculous shit she’d do.
Raine holds onto me and rests her cheek against my shoulder, then whispers in my ear. “You look so hot tonight.”
A wave of dizziness crashes over me and I feel for a moment like I might faint again. “Whoa.”
She leans back and looks at me. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Just…my rib. I got a nasty hit in football practice yesterday. Still hurts.”
The spell is passing but my heart’s still beating fast. And I’m sweating.
For a moment it occurs to me that I felt better when Natalia was around. Even when we were on the phone arguing a minute ago. I wasn’t all spazzy and nervous like I am right now.
Whatever, I think. It’s totally a coincidence. I must be dehydrated or something.
I’ll pick up some Gatorade on my way home and I’ll be fine.
“Maybe I should get you an icepack or something?” Raine asks.
“No. I’m okay. Really.”
“Good. Want a beer?”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
She cocks her head. “Why not?”
“Because. We’re in your house and your parents were really pissed off about the drinking.”
She laughs and claps her hands together. “Oh Cam. You’re the most funny boy I know. Like for real. My parents don’t even care.”
I laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous, they were just freaking the fuck out. Your dad was so pissed I thought he was going to give himself a heart attack.”
She puts a hand on one hip and now an eyebrow arcs, as if to say, ‘I’m totally for real and hotter than ever’. It’s a sexy look. I wonder if she’s practiced it before. “You don’t believe me?” she says. “Watch.”
She turns and yells towards the living room. “Mom, dad! Come here, right now.”
Her voice is strong and commanding.
I sit up straighter and Raine gets up and perches on the arm of the couch next to me. “Hey, hey, Raine—what the hell are you doing?” The last thing I need is her parents coming in here and everyone starting to fight again. I’m not really up for a round three.
She looks at me with a sly grin. “Proving it to you. I mean what I say, Cam.”
This chick is wild. I mean, not forty minutes ago her parents were giving her the rundown like I couldn’t believe. They were roasting her, telling her she was going to be grounded, going to lose her car for a week, all kinds of stuff. They weren’t playing around.
And now she’s calling them in to…do what exactly? Maybe it’s a big joke and she’s just going to ask them if I can have a Diet Coke or something.
Her mom and dad come into the room looking haggard, like they’ve both been awake for a few days. Her dad’s eyes are dark and baggy, her mom’s face pale.
“What is it honey?” Her mother says. Neither of them so much as look at me.
“Cam wants a beer. Is it all right—“
“No I don’t,” I say, holding my hands up. “I’m fine, Mi
ster and Mrs. Marsden.”
“No, he’s not fine, he wants a few beers. Can he have the last of your Sam Adams, dad?”
“Oh. Sure. Let me go get them. Is three all right, Cam?”
“What?”
“Three. Or four. I think I have a Pale Ale left as well.”
“Sir, honestly—“
“Yes, daddy, please bring all four.”
I stare at her. “Raine, come on.”
“Relax, I told you they’re cool. Right mom?”
Her mom nods tiredly. “Yes, darling. But we are exhausted. It’s been a long night.” Her mother just stands there with her arms dangling limply at her sides.
A moment later, Mr. Marsden appears, and he’s carrying four bottles, two in each hand. He places them on the ornate glass and iron table in the center of the porch.
“Good?”
“Very good. Okay you two, run along to bed!” Raine says, waving her fingers and dismissing them.
“Thanks honey,” her mom says, and then she and Raine’s dad leave the room.
I stare at the empty doorway. “What. The. Fuck.”
Raine is still sitting on the arm of the couch. She smiles down at me. “Told you.”
“I saw them yelling at you, threatening you…just like half an hour ago.”
“Cam, you don’t know my parents. They’re so into playing up how serious and strict they are when everyone’s around. But once it’s just me and them, they’re totally different.”
“But it wasn’t just you and them.”
She giggles. “Maybe you charmed them with your sexy smile and your Justin Bieber hair.”
I grin, “I do not have Justin Bieber hair. This is a very expensive, perfect fade, thank you very much.” I pull my hat off and run my hand over my head, and she laughs.
“So do you want to stay over?” she asks. “You could spend the night and everything.”
“I don’t think so.” A wind blows through the open screen door and I shiver. “I should probably head out.”
“Are you sure?” She runs her hand down my chest.
“Yeah,” I say, “I told my folks I’d be home at a reasonable hour and I can’t do…whatever the hell you did to get your folks to chill.”
“You just have to be persistent.” She smiles, leans in and kisses me. Her lips are soft and warm. Her tongue goes into my mouth.
I’m kissing her back.
And for some weird reason…thinking of Natalia.
Chapter Three
Natalia
Brunch seems kind of like something only rich kids would do. I mean, we never went to brunch at my old school. In fact, no one even made plans before noon. And now here it is, ten o’clock on Saturday morning, and I’m standing outside on my porch, waiting for Brody to pick me up.
I’m wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a black cowl neck sweater (bought last night in an emergency I-need-something-to-wear-to-brunch trip to the mall), and flat black boots. I showered this morning, but didn’t wash my hair, so it looks kind of tousled. I didn’t want to seem like I was trying too hard.
I almost, almost thought about showing up in a pair of my PINK sweatpants and a hoodie, but then I looked up the restaurant we’re going to online – Cowboy Charlie’s—
and realized that definitely wasn’t going to fly. Cowboy Charlie’s is a bar, but it’s slightly upscale, with cloth tablecloths and all kinds of exotic-sounding things on the menu, like toasted goat cheese omelettes and blueberry agave smoothies. Welcome to Santa Anna, I think, as Brody pulls into my driveway, right on time.
“You look great,” he says as I hop into his truck.
“Thanks,” I say, “So do you.” He’s wearing a pair of jeans and a dark green sweater, and his hair is still wet from the shower.
“So Raine and Cam are going to meet us there,” he says, as he pulls out of my driveway. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Fine with me,” I say, wondering if I should mention the fact that Cam called me yesterday and that’s how these plans even got made. But then Brody will probably want to know why Cam called me, and then I’ll have to make something up, so I decide to just go ahead and let him think it was his idea. I’m guessing Cam must have called Brody last night and mentioned brunch, pretending that he and I never talked about it beforehand.
I’m afraid Brody’s going to bring up our kiss again, and how I freaked out, but instead, we chat about sports and music until we pull up in front of the bar a few minutes later. Brody circles the block a couple of times until easing his truck into an empty spot.
When we get inside the restaurant, the hostess shows us to a table in the back, the smell of French toast and bacon following us as we take our seats. Cam and Raine aren’t there yet, and so we order smoothies (vanilla blueberry for me, strawberry banana for Brody), and an order of potato pancakes to share while we wait. The bar is warm and cozy, with dartboards lining one wall, and a digital jukebox in the corner. There are a few other people around, but it’s actually not that busy for a Saturday morning.
Five minutes later, Cam and Raine come breezing in.
“I’m sooo sorry,” Raine says, “Cam was late and then we couldn’t find a parking spot.” She leans in and kisses Brody on both cheeks, then leans down and does the same to me. She smells like cherries and some kind of flowery perfume. “Cam was late, yes,”
Cam says, “But then Raine made me wait in her driveway for fifteen minutes while she finished getting ready.” He scowls and sits down in a chair across from me. He doesn’t acknowledge me or Brody.
“Wow,” I say, in an effort to lighten the mood, “Someone’s not a morning person.”
“Nope,” he says. Then he reaches over and takes a sip of my smoothie, bypassing my straw and drinking right out of the glass. Something about the gesture is intimate, like we’re so close that we can just go around sharing each other’s drinks, and I feel my face get hot as it puts it down next to me. As if he can sense it, Brody reaches over and grabs my hand.
“What is everyone having?” Raine asks as she looks at the menu. If she’s bothered by the fact that Cam was sharing my drink, she doesn’t show it.
“I think I’m going to try the goat cheese omelette,” I tell her, figuring that if she’s making an effort to be nice, I should, too.
“The omelettes here are amazing,” she says. But when the waitress comes over to drop off our potato pancakes and take our order, Raine gets a stack of pancakes with extra chocolate chips and a side of bacon.
“I’m starving,” she says, forking up a piece of potato pancake and popping it into her mouth.
“What’s up, Cam, my boy?” Brody asks, grinning at him across the table. “You hanging in there?”
“I’m fine,” Cam says. “Just tired.”
I look at him, questioning, wondering if he’s okay, if him being tired has anything to do with how he collapsed yesterday.
“I know what’ll wake you up,” Brody says. He nods toward the dart board.
“Loser buys breakfast.”
“You’re on.” The boys get up and head to the darts, leaving me alone with Raine.
I take a nervous sip of my smoothie.
She leans in close to me. “I’m glad they left,” she says.
“You are?”
“Yeah.” She leans in even closer. “Is your sweater new?” she asks.
I think about lying, but then I say, “Yeah.”
She smiles and then reaches down and pulls off the sticker that’s stuck to the side of me, the sticker with the big M on it for medium. She sticks it onto the table.
“Ohmigod!” I say, “How embarrassing.” I feel my face flush hot.
“It’s fine,” she says, waving her hand like it’s no big deal and helping herself to more potato pancake. “No one saw. The only reason I even noticed is because I’m sitting right next to you.”
“Thanks,” I say, wondering if Cam told her she should be nicer to me. And if so, what else did he tell her? That I’m no threat?
That he only invited me to her house yesterday to be polite?
“So what’s the deal with you and Brody?” she asks, watching as the boys set up their dart game. Brody walks behind the white line that’s painted on the floor of the bar, takes aim, and throws his dart into the board. The muscles of his shoulder flex under his sweater.
“Um, I’m not sure,” I say.
“He’s hot.” She looks at me. “I’m, like, in love with Cam, but I can still say that Brody’s hot, can’t I? I mean, it’s not really a matter of opinion.”
“True,” I say, “He is hot.” I think about him kissing me yesterday, how his lips felt on mine. I twist my napkin nervously in my lap.
As if she’s reading my mind, Raine says, “Did you kiss him?”
“I don’t kiss and tell,” I say, taking a sip of my orange juice and trying to seem like I’m being coy. She might be acting nice, but we’re so not ready to start swapping kiss stories and acting like we’re BFFs 4eva.
Raine leans into me then, her deep blue eyes staring right into mine. Then she says, very slowly and carefully, “It’s okay, Natalia. You can tell me. Did you and Brody kiss? How do you feel about him?” Her voice is soft and slow, and it’s actually kind of creeping me out.
“I don’t know,” I say shrugging and looking away. “I mean, I just met him.”
A look of shock and almost… terror passes her face. But that can’t be right. Why would she be scared of me? Is she nervous that I like Cam still? I’m about to say something else, but before I can, loud voices come from where the boys are playing darts.
“You pulled it out and it wasn’t even in the bullseye,” Cam’s saying.
“Man, you are tapped,” Brody says, shaking his head and handing Cam the darts.
“It was in.”
“Then why the fuck did you pull it out so fast?”
Brody takes a step closer to him. “I didn’t know I needed someone to check on my darts.”
“Well, you don’t, unless you’re cheating.”
“What the fuck is your problem? I wasn’t cheating.” Brody takes another step closer to Cam, and their voices are getting louder A few people at the tables around us turn to look, and Raine pushes her chair back, like she’s about to go over there. But before she can, Cam pushes Brody.
The Witches of Santa Anna ( BKs 1-7 Complete Set) Page 5