Free Death's Dilemma (DHAD #2) by Candice Burnett Page B

level.”
    “Only because you cooked all of this and it smells delicious.”
    “Don’t forget, it wasn’t all me. You helped, some.”

Chapter Ten
    Friends with Frustration
    I took a seat at the dining room table just as the other Guardians entered the kitchen and started stacking their plates. The table was a dark cherry red and large enough to fit twenty-two people. We were a little short on staff today, so it should seat everyone. I sat awkwardly at the table, not knowing if I should start eating or not. To be safe, I waited, staring at the mountain on my plate I’d soon destroy.
    Abram was the first to sit. He didn’t even acknowledge that I was at the table, which was a blessing compared to what the others did. Each came in, first doing a double take, surprised to see me sitting at their table. Then, they would sit at the farthest spot away from me. It became a game of musical chairs as I watched them struggle to try and get away from me, especially when the table started to fill up. You’d think I had spikes sticking out of me with how far they were sitting. Now with only two spots by me, Trevor came in and sat to the right of me, which also happened to be the head spot of the table. The left remained open which I was fine with. I leaned back in my chair and put my feet up on the spot.
    “So they starting to like me yet?” I asked Trevor when he cleared the last plate from the table after everyone was gone.
    “Not at all. They don’t know why I even deal with you.” He laughed
    “And what do you say?”
    “Just that there is more to you than you let off. And I remind them that we have higher orders that must be followed. “
    “Aw they don’t want to be friends like us?”
    “Not in the least bit.”
    Well, since dinner is done and she’s still on her date, what do friends do while waiting for their other friend to finish playing tonsil hockey?”
    “Tonsil hockey?” He raised his brow
    “New word I learned this week.”
    “What does it mean?”
    “I’ll leave it to your imagination. And, what are we going to do as friends tonight, while Lacie is on her date.”
    “Well, the rest of the Guardians went upstairs for poker, but I think I’ve exposed them to enough Cendall for one night. We could actually watch a movie up here, like they’re supposed to be doing downstairs, while we wait for her date to be over. The living room is the closest to the basement anyway.”
    “Okay.” We moved to the living room and sat on opposite ends of the couch. The living room, like every room in this house, was huge. It had a dark brown, oversized sectional couch that could sit at least fifteen with a large upholstered ottoman footrest that could also act as table. The eighty-inch HD TV stood about 20 feet from the couch. If this room were any smaller, the TV would have swallowed us whole. Trevor grabbed the remote and started searching for movies as I clung to the arm rest on my side of the couch. He sprawled out and put his feet up on the footrest in front of him. Glad he felt so comfortable. I, on the other hand, felt awkward. I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t really control the nerves as they shot up and down my arms.
    “What kind of movies do you like?” he asked.
    “Do you really have to ask?” I laughed.
    “Horror…that’s lame. I want to laugh. How about a comedy?”
    “That’s fine.”
    “Don’t get any ideas.”
    “Ideas about what?”
    “Look at the movie title,” he said with smirk. “I’ll go get popcorn.” I looked up at the screen, and it clued in when the title popped up on the screen: “Friends with Benefits”. So from friends to flirting in one night. I couldn’t control my lips as they turned up into a smile. I tried to cover them with my hand when I heard Lacie laugh from behind me. Guess their movie was over.
     

Chapter Eleven
    Fun Fair
    “One more day till we’re back in that prison,” I said to Lacie as we went down the stairs to grab something from the fridge for