Free Chosen by Kristin Cast, P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast Page A

in plain sight,” Erin said.
    â€œI think it’s kinda sweet,” Jack said.
    â€œThat’s because you’re kinda sweet,” Damien said, twining his arm through Jack’s as they walked down the wide front stairs of the dorm.
    â€œTwin, I may vomit. How about you?” Shaunee said.
    â€œDefinitely. As in projectile,” Erin said.
    â€œSo this lovey-dovey stuff makes you two sick, huh?” Erik asked with an evil gleam in his eyes. I wondered what he was up to.
    â€œUtterly nauseous,” Erin said.
    â€œDitto,” Shaunee agreed.”
    â€œThen you wouldn’t be interested in what Cole and T. J. wanted me to pass along to you?”
    â€œCole Clifton?” Shaunee said.
    â€œT.J. Hawkins?” Erin said.
    â€œYep and yep,” Erik said.
    I watched the twinly cynical Shaunee and Erin instantly change their negative attitudes.
    â€œCole is so
fiiiine
,” Shaunee practically purred. “That blond hair of his and those naughty blue eyes make me want to spank him.”
    â€œT.J.”—Erin fanned herself dramatically—“that boy can
sing
. And he’s tall . . . Ooh, he’s
so
damn fine.”
    â€œDoes all this drama mean you two are actually interested in some lovey-dovey stuff?” Damien asked with a smug raise of his eyebrows.
    â€œYes, Queen Damien,” Shaunee said, while Erin narrowed her eyes at him and nodded.
    â€œSo did you have something you wanted to pass along to the Twins from Cole and T. J.?” I prompted Erik before Damien could fire back at the Twins, which made me for the zillionth time miss Stevie Rae. She was a better peacekeeper than me.
    â€œJust that we all thought it would be cool if Shaunee and Erin and you”—he squeezed my shoulders—“went to the IMAX tomorrow night with us.”
    â€œUs as in you, Cole, and T. J.?” Shaunee asked.
    â€œYep. Oh, and Damien and Jack are invited, too.”
    â€œWhat are we gonna see?” Jack asked.
    Erik paused for dramatic effect, then said, “
300
is rerunning as a special holiday IMAX event.”
    It was Jack’s turn to fan himself.
    Damien grinned. “We’re in.”
    â€œUs, too,” Shaunee said, while Erin nodded so vigorously in agreement that her long blond hair bounced around, making her look like a crazed cheerleader.
    â€œYou know,
300
may be the perfect movie. It has something init for everyone,” I said. “Man titties for those of us who like that. And girl boobies for those of us who like that. Plus a very large dose of heroic guy action, and who doesn’t like that?”
    â€œAnd a midnight IMAX show for those of us who don’t like the daylight,” Erik said.
    â€œSheer perfection,” Damien said.
    â€œDitto,” said the Twins together.
    I just stood there and grinned. I was crazy about them. Each and every one of the five of them. I still missed Stevie Rae constantly, but for the first time in a month I was feeling like myself—content, happy even.
    â€œSo it’s a date?” Erik said.
    Everyone chimed in with their yeses.
    â€œBetter get back to our dorm. Wouldn’t want to be caught on sacred girl ground after dorm curfew,” he teased.
    â€œYeah, we better go,” Damien said.
    â€œHey Zoey, happy birthday,” Jack said.
    Jeesh, he’s a sweet kid. I grinned at him, “Thanks, honey.” Then I looked at the rest of my friends. “I’m sorry I was such a butt earlier. I really do like my presents.”
    â€œWhich means you’ll be
wearing
your presents?” Shaunee said with her sharp chocolate-colored eyes narrowed at me.
    â€œYeah, you’ll be wearing those totally hot boots we spent $295.52 on?” Erin added.
    I gulped. Shaunee and Erin’s families had money. I, on the other hand, was definitely
not
used to owning $300 boots. Actually, now that I realized how expensive they were, I was liking them