Free Second to No One by Natalie Palmer Page B

nudged the back of my shoulder, and my heart did a summersault. “Is this a group date?”
    No one knew how to answer. We were obviously paired up at the moment, but no, it wasn’t really a date. However, that was the last thing in the world that I wanted Jess to know right now. “Yes,” I found myself saying, and suddenly everyone’s eyes were on me. “I mean, it’s nothing official, but I think it would be pretty weird if I suddenly started cuddling up to Kit right now.” I laughed self-consciously. “I doubt Trace would be very happy about it either, right?” I turned to Trace with a flirtatious grin that he ate up willingly.
    “Right,” Trace whispered with a boyish smile, and I felt his arm wrap more snuggly around my shoulders.
    Jess took one step to the side so he could look me in the eye. “It’s pretty late. It’s got to be past curfew for some of you,” he said it generally, but he didn’t take his eyes off me.
    “Right, Dad,” I said rolling my eyes at the rest of our table. “I’ll be home before morning.” A few awkward chuckles floated over the table.
    “Don’t worry, Jess,” Trace offered. “I’ll take care of her.”
    I smiled up at Jess—a fake smile—that I pretended to be real. I wanted him to think I was happy to be with Trace instead of him. I wanted him to think that I’d moved on, that our kiss and our breakup and everything in between were old news.
    “Hey, Jess,” Kit cut in loudly. “I’m going to talk these people into going to Drake’s Peak. You guys should come along.”
    Jess clinched his jaw at the invitation. “Drake’s Peak is dangerous in daylight. You’d be crazy to go there right now. Besides that place is crawling with cops.”
    “Drake’s Peak, Kit?” Drew asked skeptically. “I hear its lame. It’s not really haunted, you know.”
    Lauren looked around at everyone’s faces, stopping at Jess, “What’s Drake’s Peak?”
    Bryce sat back, coolly thumbing at a loose piece of paint on the edge of the table. “It’s this house at the top of a peak between here and Highlands. It’s a huge abandoned mansion, and you’ll wet your pants it’s so freaky.”
    “Why would we want to go there?” I asked skeptically.
    Kit shot me a look that said, Duh! “For the thrill! To do something different and fun! To get out of this lame restaurant and create a night that we’ll actually remember!”
    Drew folded her arms. “It sounds kind of lame.”
    “I don’t know.” Bryce stretched his arm out behind Drew’s shoulders. “I’ve heard some pretty crazy stuff about that place. Nick Ison and some other guys from Highlands said they went up there with their dog and left it in the car while they were inside, and when they came out, the dog was dead.”
    “Nick Ison told you that?” Jess said skeptically.
    “Nick Ison is a loser,” Drew said.
    “Who’s Nick Ison?” Lauren asked, and I was glad she did. I felt stupid being the only person at the table who didn’t know who they were talking about.
    Jess answered, “He’s a sophomore at Highlands.” From his expression, it was clear that he didn’t like him.
    “Well, I’m in,” Trace said into my ear, and I turned to look at his mischievous grin.
    “Why don’t you come with us?” Lauren said with hopeful eyes to Jess.
    “Nah,” he said. “I don’t think you guys should go either.” He looked right at me with pointed eyes.
    “Well, I’m in,” I said, surprising myself for the second time that night, and even though I really didn’t think it was that great of an idea, the way Jess’s jaw clenched at my words made me decide that no matter how scary Drake’s Peak might be, it was going to be totally worth it.

    The huge house—which was easily the size of three of mine—was pitch black and freezing cold, which gave Trace plenty of opportunities to have his arm wrapped tightly around me and grab hold of my hand when I tripped over inanimate objects. The house was definitely freaky