Home > Ruin (Ruin #1)(8)

Ruin (Ruin #1)(8)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

The doors to the dorm opened.

A few girls held up cell phones, most likely to take pictures. I sighed. Freshman.

I gave a little wave and continued walking, just as James walked up by David and took my left side.

A few more girls giggled as they crossed paths with me. One appeared to faint.

This was my life.

Chapter Six

Into the fire — or maybe it’s out of the fire and into… wait, I don’t remember. Hell?

Kiersten

“You ready?” Lisa wiped some lip gloss from her mouth and checked herself out in the mirror. “Because I know I am.”

I laughed. “Yes, you are.” She had on a miniskirt, heels, and a short shirt. I’d never be caught dead wearing something like that. Uncle Jo would kill me. I would want to kill me. I mean, that’s how girls got into trouble.

“Okay.” She turned, a scowl on her face. “You can’t wear that.”

“What?” I looked down at my straight-leg jeans and boots, I had a white T-shirt on and my hair in a ponytail.

“It’s a party.”

“I know.” I shrugged. “I’m wearing clothes.”

“Yes.” Lisa’s tone was far from encouraging. “But you’re also not a nun, and right now you look like you’re homeschool.”

Homeschool? All the kids I knew that were homeschool were completely normal, crap I’d begged my uncle to homeschool me after everything. I looked down at my clothes and shrugged.

A heavy pounding assaulted the door and then Gabe burst through. “Damn, cousin, you aiming to get laid tonight?”

She smiled.

Gabe’s eyes fell to me. “And you’re dressed like a first grade teacher. Why?”

“Very funny.”

“Wasn’t kidding.” He mock-choked as his eyebrows danced suggestively.

With a sigh I turned back to Lisa. “This is the type of thing I wear. I don’t wear short skirts and belly tops and—”

“See, the very fact that you called this,” she pointed at her shirt, “A belly top, tells me one thing.”

“What?”

“You need help.”

Gabe nodded his agreement.

“Guys, I’m not Cinderella.”

Smirking, Gabe leaned in and murmured, “Drop your shoe, I dare you.”

“Ohhh, he wants to pick up your shoe.” Lisa joked.

“It’s a boot,” I clarified, lifting my foot to show off the shiny black leather.

“Either or.” Gabe gave a flirty shrug. “And clothes or no clothes, you’re still hot, but if I were you, and I had Weston–freaking-Michels panting after me, I’d make him work for it.”

“I, uh…” Playing with my long ponytail, I looked in the mirror. They were right. I looked Amish. I used to be into fashion, but lately things just seemed semi-pointless. At least I was eating and showering — not that Gabe and Lisa needed to know that. It was a giant feat for me to be able to take care of myself.

“Fine.” I rolled my eyes “I’ll wear a different shirt, but that’s where I draw the line.”

Lisa grinned and clapped her hands. “Deal!”

Ten minutes later and I was really doubting my ability to appear normal. The shirt she’d given me didn’t meet the top of my jeans. In fact, there was a good two inches of skin showing. I’d tried to hunch over but then Gabe started calling me Quasimodo, which made me second-guess the whole humpback look.

The party was being held at the main lobby. Things couldn’t get that out of hand, right? I mean, it was a school-sanctioned party. It wasn’t as if they’d have drugs and alcohol or anything.

Uncle Jo had warned me about mixing alcohol with my prescription. Apparently it made people get drunk like twice as fast. Meaning, if I took one drink I’d be dancing around the lobby with a lampshade on my head. Well, at least I wouldn’t be self-conscious about my short shirt anymore.

The minute we walked into the lobby, people stared. It wasn’t the type of stare you got when you had food in your teeth, more like, a curious stare. Maybe it was Gabe. I stood closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around me and Lisa.

“This happens a lot with Gabe.” Lisa laughed and landed a mock-punch to his biceps. “People can’t figure out if he’s hot or just deranged.”

“Thanks, Lisa.” Gabe’s eyes narrowed in her direction then he whispered in my ear, “But for the record, I’m just hot.”

“Of course you are,” I said patronizingly.

He threw his head back and laughed. I didn’t think I could ever be attracted to him, but something about him seemed comfortable, like if I asked him to drive me the four hours home to Bickelton in the middle of the night, he’d say okay and buy me coffee while he was at it. I’d never really had a friend like that before. It was nice.

“So…” Lisa’s gaze scanned the crowd. “Where is he?”

“Your mystery man for the night?” Gabe asked as he walked over to the punch and got us each a cup.

“No.” Lisa’s eyes continued to dart around the room. “Weston. Where is he? He’s the RA, so he has to be here—”

“Do I?” a smooth voice said from behind us. “See, I thought I just had to make an appearance. I didn’t think anyone would actually be searching me out.”

Other than the music pounding through the sound system, it was quiet. I could tell people were trying to hear what he was saying as they edged toward our little group.

   
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