Free Toxic Part One (Celestra Series Book 7) by Addison Moore Page B

deceit is misfiring from Gage’s sparse brain cells, but change my mind. Instead, I head over and observe a pile of bird seed stacked higher than God ever intended on platter designed to hold something of nutritional value that humans may actually want to ingest. Mom’s menu mishap is proving to be a spectacular dinner fail.
    Both Logan and Gage stop their conversation midflight and turn to look at me.
    I pivot on my feet and head over to Ellis who’s talking to some girl I’ve never seen before.
    “Messenger.” He bumps into me with his hip and continues to espouse the finer points of hemp and its many contemporary humanitarian uses.
    It takes five seconds for the skank he’s trying to bag to belt out a yawn and pull a disappearing act.
    “You really know how to slay ‘em,” I say. Ellis is cute. He wouldn’t have to try so hard to herd unsuspecting girls into his bedroom, if he just behaved like a gentlemen—not some oversexed primate. In fact, if Ellis were a monkey, he’d be the one with the bright red ass who struts around loud and proud when, unbeknownst to him, his crimson-colored bottom is a total turn off to the opposite banana-hungry gender.
    “I need to coach you.” I nod.
    “For what? Cheer?” His sandy hair reflects the light. Ellis certainly has it down in the looks department. He’s just a little rough around the manwhore edges.
    “No, not cheer . Girls 101. You could have every skirt on the island worshiping at your feet if you let me polish you up a bit.”
    “I already have every skirt on the island worshiping at my feet—missionary position accomplished.” He expands the girth of his chest.
    “You’re not funny. Besides, they’re the wrong girls.” I dart a quick glance around the room. “And, by the way, I saw your father in the tunnel of terror last week. He is so not a nice guy.”
    “Gage told me what happened.” He scans over me, heavy with concern. “You OK?”
    “Barely. They almost killed me,” I hiss. “Please, Ellis, any way you can, I beg of you to help. Get me out of this mess. I’ll do anything, I swear.” I hold up two fingers in earnest.
    “I’ll see what I can find out from my dad.” He makes a face that assures me it’s a futile effort.
    “Are you guys close?” Somehow I doubt Ellis and his dad have logged too many hours around the campfire, unless of course, it included grilling a Celestra. 
    “We used to be. But I don’t like the idea of him hurting my friends.”
    “That makes two of us.”
    “Hello, beautiful,” a husky male voice rasps from behind.
    I spin to find Logan, resplendent per usual. His long dimple penetrates the five o’clock shadow dusting his skin.
    “I gotta run.” Ellis darts out back as a multitude of FM’s wander outside.
    “Hello yourself,” I say to Logan. “Do me a favor—you see your conniving evil cousin slithering in my direction, give me the heads up, will you?”
    “Heads.” He nods behind me.
    “Skyla.” Gage smiles. He punctuates his happiness with those vindictive twin darts set into his cheeks, and I melt at the sight of him.
    “So, Logan,” I start, “you think we’ll have classes together next year? I mean you don’t think a certain someone will break into the main computer at West and manipulate the situation in his favor again, do you?” I so obviously should have seen his twisted mastermind skills at work. “And lunch, too. I mean didn’t you think it was odd that you had to hang out with the freshman and sophomores? It reeked of evil-handed deception.”
    “OK, I may have had a little something to do with that.” Gage fesses up with a patina of an apology.
    “You bastard.” I shake my head at him. He made sure he was a roadblock for Logan and me every chance he got. 
    “Maybe I should return the favor this year?” Logan steps into me. “You prefer A lunch or B, Skyla?”
    “I’ll dine with the seniors, thank you.” I cross my arms, annunciating the fact I’m expressly