by Dave Ferraro
***
I woke up the next morning with only a mild hangover and a bursting bladder. My phone lay next to my computer. I looked at it and the text I had almost sent to Katie.
U R teh most beautiful perfect creature that will ever walk this Earth and I am ur king 4eva.
I grimaced and deleted the atrocity before my fat fingers accidentally sent the thing. Adults really do know what they're talking about sometimes. I thanked Dad under my breath for saving me from publicly castrating myself via sheer idiocy. I'm sure my message would have found its way to the Texts from Last Night website if Jenny or Annie had gotten hold of Katie's phone.
I looked at the clock and realized I'd never be ready in time for the school bus. I popped a couple of ibuprofen to quell the slight ache in my skull and got ready. I drove Dad's Jetta to school since he had one of those stay-at-home jobs and hated driving cars—he much preferred his ancient Indian motorcycle which I thought looked kind of dorky by current standards. As I looked for a parking spot, I noticed a mass of students milling in the parking lot near the school entrance. Strange. Usually everyone went inside, especially considering the cold and the freezing wind. Gray clouds scudded across the sky. Rain puddles dotted the asphalt. It was not a good day to be outside. I figured the principal must be running a fire drill.
After heaving my backpack on my right shoulder, I made my way toward the chattering crowd and the doors to the school. My breath frosted in the cold morning air and my glasses fogged up a bit thanks to the knit cap I had shoved low onto my forehead. I stopped for a moment to take off my glasses and wipe them. As I stood there, I noticed how quiet the crowd had become. I pushed my glasses back on and looked ahead. Dozens of eyes stared back. I looked behind me expecting to see the latest pre-pubescent pop star step out of a limo. Nope, nobody there.
My stomach writhed and scurried away to hide in my bowels. Something was seriously amiss this morning. Nathan. He waited for me. I just knew it. I almost backpedaled and made a run for my car, but that would be postponing the inevitable. I had to think my way out of this. The crowd parted as I reached the edge. Familiar green eyes locked onto mine as I stepped into an arena in the middle of the mob. Katie stood a few feet from the glass doors leading into the school. Next to her stood a person that made my heart join my stomach in hiding.
Brad Nichols punched a leather-gloved fist into his palm and grinned.
Chapter Five: Sweet Blood of Mine