Free The Survivor by Sean Slater Page B

‘Super-hot. Like everything looks on you.’
    Raine smiled. She pulled out a wad of twenties and bought the earrings.
    The jewellery kiosk sat across from a small Cinnabun shop, and the whole area smelled of sticky-hot, gooey cinnamon and melting cream cheese icing. It made Courtney’s stomach rumble, and she realised how long it had been since they’d eaten. She checked her watch. It was two.
    She looked at Raine, who was holding a pair of black hoop earrings up to her ear and trying to see herself in the small mirror the kiosk offered.
    ‘Those cinnamon buns smell so good, we should get something to eat.’
    ‘We will be soon, we’re meeting someone.’
    ‘Who?’
    Raine got frustrated with the mirror, turned to buy the earrings.
    While waiting, and trying to divert her mind from the hell she was going to get from Dad when she got home, Courtney opened up the black Warwick’s bag and stared at the Little Red Riding Hood costume Raine had bought for her. A twinge of guilt fluttered through her stomach when she thought of the cost. Two hundred bucks was a lot of money; she shouldn’t have let Raine pay for it. It was too much.
    Raine counted her leftover cash. Stuffed it in her purse. ‘You’re gonna look delicious in that costume, Court. Bobby’s gonna be drooling all over you.’
    ‘If I can keep him away from you .’
    Raine laughed. ‘Bobby’s nice, but he’s yours. I’m into older boys myself. Men .’ She spoke the words softly, giving Courtney a quick sidelong glance.
    And then Courtney caught on. The phone, the money, the avoidance. ‘Who are we meeting?’ she asked, almost cautiously.
    Raine flashed a mischievous smirk. ‘What can I say? I’m weak.’
    ‘Oh Gaaawd no, not him.’
    ‘Uh huh.’
    ‘Quenton Wong?’
    ‘Uh huh.’
    ‘You’re with Que again?’
    Raine let out a nervous laugh. ‘For real this time.’ She leaned closer to Courtney, then, and as if everyone else in the mall was eavesdropping, she whispered, ‘We did things last night. I did things for him.’
    Courtney knew what things Raine was talking about, but she still had to ask. ‘Things?’
    ‘With our mouths. You know.’
    ‘You mean . . .’
    Raine smiled. ‘We’re going all the way tonight.’
    Courtney said nothing at first. Aside from her heart skipping a beat, she felt divided. Part of her was excited, turned on. She knew Raine was still a virgin – hell, she was a virgin herself, hadn’t done anything so far. And how depressing was that? She wanted to know more, to hear all about it, the things they did, how it felt, what he said to her, how he touched her. She wanted it all, too. Just thinking about it made her body hot and tingly, and her thoughts turned to her supreme fantasy.
    Bobby Ryan.
    But another part of her was scared about this whole thing. The first time was exciting and all, but this was Que Wong they were talking about. He was a dropout, and three years older than them. And you knew for sure it wasn’t his first time. Que had already broken up with Raine two times over the last three months, and Courtney had little doubt that the moment he got into Raine’s pants, he’d be gone for good, leaving her brokenhearted again.
    ‘You sure you want him to be your first?’
    ‘Come on, Court, don’t get all nerdy on me,’ Raine said impatiently. ‘You’re starting to sound like a man-hater. Like my mom.’
    Courtney bristled. ‘Your mom ?’
    ‘Yeah. She hates any guy I like. Hates my dad, too. She’s always trying to get me to go against him. That’s why she gives me so much cash lately. As if she could buy me. Right .’ Raine thought it over. ‘Man, I don’t even wanna go home now because of it. I’ll just sit there and listen to her bitch.’
    Courtney said nothing for a moment, the image of Que intruding into her thoughts. Every time she saw the guy he was either showing off his new tattoos, or flashing the wads of cash he always had spilling out of his wallet, despite the fact he