life. But
he’d started coming into his own popularity, courtesy of making the
JV lacrosse team this year, and was building a wider group of
friends, much to his sister’s delight. Some of the seniors on the
varsity team had even invited him to coffee the day before – which
meant he’d practically made it. Still, he would never have been
invited to big parties like this without his prom-queen sister
dragging him along. And he’d certainly never get to meet girls like
Stacey.
He ran his eyes over the crowd again,
wondering about the girl in question, and nearly jumped out of his
skin when he saw the creepy guy he’d been looking for. He was
standing on the other side of the room now, still in a position to
stare at Grace. The crowd seemed to have opened up before him,
giving him a direct line of sight toward the sofa where they sat.
He was still staring at Grace like he was going to eat her for
dinner. Or worse.
Suddenly the man peeled his eyes away
from her and turned them in Ash’s direction. Ash shivered, but
stood his ground, doing everything he could to take in more of the
guy’s features this time. He didn’t know what it was, but something
told him that he needed to remember this man’s face. He was tall,
and thin … almost too thin, actually. He looked sick. He had a
black beard and mustache, which matched his jet black hair. Classic
bad guy features. His eyes had a faint glow to them, and looked
almost … red. In fact, he looked like he was dressed for a
Halloween party more than anything else, in dress pants, a red
vest, and a black shirt underneath.
Ash knew that he’d had more than
enough to drink at the party, but the man’s creepiness was quickly
erasing his buzz. What on earth was someone like that doing at a
high school jock’s party? He wasn’t a jock, and he sure wasn’t a
popular kid at school.
When Ash blinked, the man disappeared
again.
He turned and poked Grace in the
shoulder, hoping she’d been paying attention. “Did you see that
guy?” he asked in a whisper, motioning to where the man had stood.
This time he couldn’t shake the presence off. There was something
very wrong about the guy. And whatever he’d been doing there, it
was all about Grace.
“ Is this your way of
saying you don’t approve of my choice of date for this evening?”
Grace asked incredulously. “I’m not so desperate that you need to
point out guys for me. I can find them on my own, thank
you!”
“ No, seriously,” Ash
mumbled. “There was just a guy standing there and now he’s gone.
There was something seriously weird about him.” Leave it to Grace
to be drunk when he had something important to tell her.
“ Okay,” Grace replied
sarcastically. “No more drinkies for you.”
“ Grace I’m being serious.
Could you try to sober up for half a second?” he asked, his eyes
still scanning the room. Grace snorted and ignored him. “Grace,” he
muttered, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. “There was
this strange guy and he was staring at you.” He wished she’d listen
to him for once, but a part of him realized that it was a lost
cause; Grace was his best friend, only two years older than him,
but she tended to blow off important things like personal safety.
He’d spent much of his young life getting her out of scrapes and
pulling her out of the road before she got hit by a car. It was a
wonder that she’d survived this long.
“ Oh Ash, stop being so
dramatic,” she laughed. “I don’t know who you’re talking about, but
I haven’t seen him.”
He glared at her. He knew he was being
overprotective, but he also knew that he was absolutely right to
feel that way. She was his only sister, and he didn’t want her
hurt. Besides, if anyone did anything to her, he’d have to kick
their ass, and considering how much bigger the disturbing guy was
than him – not to mention older – that would probably end badly.
Very badly.
“ Grace,” he continued,
feeling like he was
he’d started coming into his own popularity, courtesy of making the
JV lacrosse team this year, and was building a wider group of
friends, much to his sister’s delight. Some of the seniors on the
varsity team had even invited him to coffee the day before – which
meant he’d practically made it. Still, he would never have been
invited to big parties like this without his prom-queen sister
dragging him along. And he’d certainly never get to meet girls like
Stacey.
He ran his eyes over the crowd again,
wondering about the girl in question, and nearly jumped out of his
skin when he saw the creepy guy he’d been looking for. He was
standing on the other side of the room now, still in a position to
stare at Grace. The crowd seemed to have opened up before him,
giving him a direct line of sight toward the sofa where they sat.
He was still staring at Grace like he was going to eat her for
dinner. Or worse.
Suddenly the man peeled his eyes away
from her and turned them in Ash’s direction. Ash shivered, but
stood his ground, doing everything he could to take in more of the
guy’s features this time. He didn’t know what it was, but something
told him that he needed to remember this man’s face. He was tall,
and thin … almost too thin, actually. He looked sick. He had a
black beard and mustache, which matched his jet black hair. Classic
bad guy features. His eyes had a faint glow to them, and looked
almost … red. In fact, he looked like he was dressed for a
Halloween party more than anything else, in dress pants, a red
vest, and a black shirt underneath.
Ash knew that he’d had more than
enough to drink at the party, but the man’s creepiness was quickly
erasing his buzz. What on earth was someone like that doing at a
high school jock’s party? He wasn’t a jock, and he sure wasn’t a
popular kid at school.
When Ash blinked, the man disappeared
again.
He turned and poked Grace in the
shoulder, hoping she’d been paying attention. “Did you see that
guy?” he asked in a whisper, motioning to where the man had stood.
This time he couldn’t shake the presence off. There was something
very wrong about the guy. And whatever he’d been doing there, it
was all about Grace.
“ Is this your way of
saying you don’t approve of my choice of date for this evening?”
Grace asked incredulously. “I’m not so desperate that you need to
point out guys for me. I can find them on my own, thank
you!”
“ No, seriously,” Ash
mumbled. “There was just a guy standing there and now he’s gone.
There was something seriously weird about him.” Leave it to Grace
to be drunk when he had something important to tell her.
“ Okay,” Grace replied
sarcastically. “No more drinkies for you.”
“ Grace I’m being serious.
Could you try to sober up for half a second?” he asked, his eyes
still scanning the room. Grace snorted and ignored him. “Grace,” he
muttered, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. “There was
this strange guy and he was staring at you.” He wished she’d listen
to him for once, but a part of him realized that it was a lost
cause; Grace was his best friend, only two years older than him,
but she tended to blow off important things like personal safety.
He’d spent much of his young life getting her out of scrapes and
pulling her out of the road before she got hit by a car. It was a
wonder that she’d survived this long.
“ Oh Ash, stop being so
dramatic,” she laughed. “I don’t know who you’re talking about, but
I haven’t seen him.”
He glared at her. He knew he was being
overprotective, but he also knew that he was absolutely right to
feel that way. She was his only sister, and he didn’t want her
hurt. Besides, if anyone did anything to her, he’d have to kick
their ass, and considering how much bigger the disturbing guy was
than him – not to mention older – that would probably end badly.
Very badly.
“ Grace,” he continued,
feeling like he was
Similar Books
