Free Devils Roses 05 - Death by Tara Brown

up. "I want you to pick up Blake first."
    Her face glows. "Whatever. You two dorks better not do anything dorky tonight."
    "We made a deal, Alise. You have to be nice to me and Blake and do my laundry according to washing instructions for a month."
    Watching our house as we drive away, I can't shake the déjà vu that's hitting me hard.
    She drives like a maniac, picking up everyone. She pulls up to Giselle's last.
    I shoot a look at Alise. "Dude, this car is full. We're picking her up too?"
    Alise waves a hand dismissingly at me. "She wasn’t feeling well so she didn’t go earlier. Stop annoying me."
    "She's sick and you're letting her come in the car with us all packed in here? We're all going to get sick."
    Alise shoots me a glare. "Shut it."
    I groan as Giselle opens my door and raises her eyebrows, "You're in my seat."
    I roll my eyes and sigh.
    "Aimes, it's a proven fact the people in the backseat have better survival odds." I smirk at Blake and climb out of the beater. I squish into the back seat. My face is on fire when I realize I'm sitting on Blake's and Tommy's knees.
    "You look good for a nerd."
    I look over at my sister's friend Tommy and glare. "You look good considering you only just learned to walk upright."
    His eyes narrow. "Easy nerd girl. I was just trying to pay you a compliment. You clean up nice." I look down at the t-shirt I'm wearing and shake my head. "Gee, thanks."
    Blake laughs.
    "McGinnis, dude you're huge. Way too big for the backseat. What are you six-one?"
    Blake scowls. "Six-three."
    "You should tryout for the basketball team when you go to college." Tommy grins at him.
    Blake gives me a desperate look.
    "He isn’t very coordinated."
    Tommy shrugs. "Too bad."
    Blake rolls his eyes and I can't wait to get out of the car.
    "What are you wearing by the way?" He whispers. I look down at the stupid shirt and jeans Alise attacked me with. I nod toward the front seat. "Attacked me. Makeup and all."
    He grimaced. "Must have been savage."
    I nod and smirk. "Completely."
    Alise pulls into the long driveway and my stomach dances at the thought of seeing Shane. He was finally single and possibly over the fact his dad had left with a twenty-five year old cashier.
    "God it's hot in here." Giselle fans herself.
    I notice the sweat on her temple. She has never sweat before, I'm certain. I feel hot too.
    "I hope there is food here. I'm starving," I mutter at Blake as we all file out of the car. People start screaming and laughing. Tommy throws a girl on his shoulders. Blake and I stand back and watch the chaos. The house is booming. I didn’t want to come, but Shane had asked me himself when I was tutoring him in English. The fact I had loved him forever, secretly, made the decision easy. I even let Alise dress me and do my makeup. Of course she thought I was going to ask Blake out. I glance at him and shiver at the idea of us kissing.
    "Wanna go in?" I ask quietly.
    He nods, nervously. I notice he isn’t wearing his glasses. He looks massive without anything in his hands. He's almost always fidgeting with something.
    The front door opens and Shane steps out. I smile, it's involuntary.
    He grins at me and shakes his head. "Didn’t think you'd make it." My sister walks past him giving me the evil eye. He smiles at her too. "Hey Alise, Giselle, Tommy. Refreshments are in the back. I made Lemonade."
    Giselle doesn’t go in with Alise. She stands outside alone. She doesn’t look well. I can't help but notice the way she keeps glancing at me.
    Shane walks in between her and I, taking my gaze with him. I beam up into his blue eyes.
    "I'm glad you came." He smiles at Blake who couldn’t look more uncomfortable. "Hey Blake."
    Blake nods and looks back at me. "Guess I'll go get some lemonade." He slouches a bit.
    "Straight." I say. His back straightens. He looks back and arches his eyebrow at me. He slouches in his computer too much. It drives me insane.
    I look back at Shane and grin like the Chestshire cat.