Dancing With the Devil by Katie Davis Page A

kicking our butts. This trip will be beyond awesome.” Mac squinted to read the last line because someone had scribbled over it. “Even though … even though Chaz is coming too? Is that what that says?” Frankie explained that Charlie had seen it and tried to cross it out.
    â€œOpen it,” Frankie said. “I want to go down and have a piece of that cake before Charlie eats any more of it. It’s shaped—well, it was shaped like a bike. I think he ate the entire rear wheel.”
    Mac took a pen off the coffee table and popped the tape that held the carton closed. When she lifted the flaps of the box, she gasped. It was the helmet she’d wanted but couldn’t afford after spending every last dime on her RC. Her old helmet was okay, but it didn’t match her new wheels.
    â€œYou guys, this is amazing. Thank you so, so much.” She took it out of the box and, after adjusting the straps, put it on. She walked around the room like a model. “I love it. How’s it look?”
    â€œBrava! That color is so you,” Dante said, and lifted his hands to applaud Mac while she took exaggerated bows.
    â€œI guess I should go downstairs and thank Charlie. It is from him, too, right?”
    As they got to the landing on the second floor, they heard the music. Nearing the ground floor, they couldn’t hear anything else, and it was so crowded it was almost impossible to move off the stairs. Dante was furious and dug through the crush, looking for Charlie. The girls tried to follow, but there were so many people blocking their way they just stayed where they were, checking out the scene from over the banister. Someone yelled, “Diet Coke?” and handed Frankie two red plastic cups. She handed one to Mac, who took a sip and made a face.
    â€œWhat?” Frankie hollered over the music.
    â€œIt’s not just Coke.” Mac sniffed the cup.
    Frankie sniffed hers. And took a sip. “What is that, rum? Oh my God, Dante is going to freak!”
    â€œWhen are his parents getting home?”
    â€œYou mean from France ? They thought Dante was leaving today and couldn’t change their flight.”
    Mac looked down at her drink. I deserve to loosen up a little. Have a good time. Do I always have to be so uptight? I’m going to do exactly that: loosen up and have a good time, just like a normal teenager. She held her breath and downed the entire cup.
    The rum made a beeline through Mac’s empty stomach, straight to her head. Fifteen minutes later, rushing home to get a good night’s sleep didn’t seem so urgent. After all, they were on the bus to Providence the first day anyway. She didn’t have to be ready to ride until the day after tomorrow.
    Charlie shoved his way up the stairs and appeared in front of Mac and Frankie. He said, “Hide me—Dante’s on a rampage!” and tunneled through the crowd to cower on the other side of them.
    â€œHow could you?” Mac yelled over the music. “You do realize this house will have to be clean before we leave?”
    â€œAnd dude? You’re helping or you’ll wish you weren’t stuck on a trip with all of us, because we will so rag your ass,” Frankie added.
    â€œYeah, yeah,” he said, waving a hand at them, and then stopped, mid-air, and stared at the front door. “Whoa.”
    Mac followed Charlie’s gaze. There was Grady, walking into the party. With Sophie. She stood in front of him in a low-cut, skintight top, laughing at something he had just whispered to her. Grady guided her through the crowd, a protective hand on her shoulder.
    â€œNow why would Grady want to be Sophie’s boyfriend when he could have a much classier piece like you?” Charlie glanced at Mackenzie, who hadn’t taken her eyes off the couple. “Oh, right,” he said, “you can look but you better not touch. Guess he wanted to touch, huh?”
    Mac hadn’t