Free Clocked by Elle Strauss Page A

hour.
    “ Well, if you don’t want to dance with me,” Jessica huffed as I left her on the dance floor, “I’ll just find someone who does.”
    Unfortunately, the guys overheard that little temper tantrum.
    “ Nate, dance with me,” Tyson mimicked. I punched him in the arm and he feigned deep hurt.
    Josh sighed. “Now why didn’t she ask me to dance? I would totally let her press her hot bod next to mine.”
    I flashed him a look of warning.
    “ Just kidding, bro,” he said, looking behind me. All the guys were.
    I turned in the direction of his gaze and saw what the guys stared at. Jessica had that sophomore, what was his name? Craig? In a body hold. She ran her hands up and down his arms. The boy’s face was cherry red but had a look of immense glee. It bugged me how she liked to tease the poor guy.
    “ You gonna let her get away with that?” Dylan said, laughing. “We know who wears the pants in your relationship.”
    “ Shut up.”
    “ No, really, man,” Josh said running a hand through his red curls. “She’s got me blushing.”
    “ You know what you need to do, man,” Tyson said. “Dance it up with another girl.”
    “ Nah,” I said tucking my fists into my jacket pockets. “Let her have her fun.”
    Tyson persisted. “You’re letting your girl walk all over you.”
    I scoffed. “No, I’m not.”
    “ You are, man.” Tyson jutted out his clean shaven chin. It was weird to see him without the scruffy shadow. “I dare you to ask another girl to dance.”
    For some reason my eyes darted to the tall girl with the curly hair, still standing by the wall, which was a really dumb thing to do, since they latched onto that slip up like vicious dogs.
    “ Isn’t that the girl who killed Tom Brady?” Josh said.
    “ Casey Something, right?” Dylan added.
    “ I guess,” I said.
    “ Ask her,” Tyson said. “Jessica doesn’t like her. It’ll drive her crazy.”
    How did he know Jessica didn’t like the tall girl? She must’ve been working her mean-girl schtick on her when I wasn’t looking.
    Yeah, maybe I will ask her. Serve Jessica right. “Okay, I’ll do it.” The guys hooted and Tyson patted me on the back.
    I started toward Casey and in two seconds, her friend was giving her the elbow nudge. At first Casey didn’t see me coming, but when she did, I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head. It was all I could do to keep from breaking out in laughter.
    I kept my cool though and when I reached her I said, “Would you like to dance?”
    She took so long to respond, I thought she might say no. I’d never hear the end of it from the guys if she’d turned me down.
    I hadn’t considered what the next song might be and as luck would have it, it was another slow one. I couldn’t help but steal a quick look at Jessica as I pulled this much taller girl close. The expression on Jessica’s face could start a house on fire and for some reason her displeasure made me chuckle.
    I felt Casey quivering as we swayed to the beat and I wondered if she’d ever danced with anyone before. I leaned back a little to get a better look at her. She actually had a really attractive face, pretty eyes. I’m not sure why I hadn’t noticed before.
    I heard myself say, “You look nice, tonight.”
    She almost gasped, like she’d never heard a compliment before. Well, she did a good job of hiding her looks with the way she dressed most days, and concealing her face behind a mass of curls.
    She opened and closed her mouth like a fish and her eyes widened with horror as if she’d just witnessed a murder. I was about to ask her what was wrong, when suddenly I felt a blast of light and dizziness that almost dropped me to my knees. I squeezed my eyes shut against the pressure, wondering if I was having a stroke or something, which sometimes happens to athletes. When the vertigo passed, I opened my eyes.
    And found myself standing in the middle of a forest, hit by a wall of fresh air compared to the