Chasing Crazy - Kelly Siskind Page 0,10

Reese. Then she gives me that look.

When Nina shakes her head, blinks, and looks down, I tense. Like I’m a junkie needing another fix. I want those eyes back.

Knowing I need to play it cool so she doesn’t bolt, I sit next to the blond dude and put a plate beside me at the head of the table. I drop Nina’s two pizza halves on top of hers. When I glance up, her nose twitches and she licks her lips, her attention now on the food.

“Nina, great to see you. Come on over and have a seat.” I pat the empty place beside me.

She approaches slowly and sits straight-backed, her hands folded neatly on her lap. The table falls silent.

“Nina, is it?” Bruno asks.

She nods, but keeps looking down at the bagels.

“I’m Bruno, and this here’s Callum.” He motions to the blond dude beside me, whose blue eyes are glazed from the tequila. “Callum’s my mate from Bristol, and he shagged our science teacher.”

Fresh hooting and hollering breaks out across the table, but I’m not sure if they’re laughing at Callum’s confession or that fucked-up sound coming from Bruno. Chewing, I tip my head back and laugh around each bite. Nina does one of those stiff laughs people use to fit in.

“These three lovely ladies all hail from California,” Bruno continues, the self-proclaimed master of ceremonies. “Brianne at the end enjoys long walks on the beach, and she has a preference for cherry condoms.”

Ahhh, the cherry and the condom.

Brianne sits across from me and rolls her pink-tipped blond hair around her finger. She elbows Reese beside her. “I can’t believe you asked that. Just wait until it’s my turn.” She smiles at me, then at Nina, fluttering her pink nails.

Reese leans forward, taking in Nina’s pale skin, the freckles, and that sexy birthmark. After a beat, Reese smiles. “I’m Reese.” She drops her name like a stamp of approval, and Nina smiles back too eagerly.

Girls are evil. I’ve seen this a million times. The judging, the sizing up. Turning on each other like rabid dogs. Bitches in heat. Nina’s desperation is written all over her face, her eyes wide and hopeful. At least with guys we’re honest about our shit. I don’t like you, go fuck yourself. You don’t like me, tell it to my face. None of this quiet, emotional crap that plays on insecurities. It reminds me of my little cousin, a whip-smart girl who hooked up with the wrong guy—the head cheerleader’s ex. She had to move towns and switch schools because of the bullying.

It kicks my protective instincts into high gear.

I scoot closer to Nina, but she doesn’t notice. Her attention is on Reese.

I can’t figure this girl out. At first glance, you’d for sure think she was prom queen at her school. After the scene on the airplane and her hiding around that pillar, I’m guessing that’s not the case. Not with the way she’s grinning at Reese.

Bruno tugs the blond braid swooping over Reese’s shoulder. “I do the introductions, luv.” His hand continues down until his fingers glide over hers. “This is the naughty Reese who once kissed a girl to see if Katy Perry was correct.”

She draws her hand away and rolls her eyes.

“Lastly,” Bruno announces as he spins his shot glass on the table, “is the dark, the daring, the one and only…Leigh. Leigh is infamous for streaking through the boys’ locker room after a match of American football.” He flicks his hands toward the girl at the end.

Dropping her head to her hands, Leigh groans. She uses her straight black hair to cover her face.

Nina’s brow is puckered like she has no idea what’s going on, her grin fading as she studies the girls. As far as I’m concerned, they’re an easy read. Brianne whispers in Reese’s ear, eager for her attention; Leigh fixes Reese’s braid, happy to have her hands anywhere near that girl; and Reese, the queen bee, sits perched between them, basking in her glory. As long as Reese likes Nina, the others will follow.

I tear another piece of the pizza bagel while Nina moves restlessly. She gathers her hair, laying the strands over her right shoulder. Then she bites her lip, flips her hair back, and smooths it behind her ears. She adjusts her white T-shirt.

I swallow my bite and whisper in her ear. “They’re playing Never Have I Ever. And stop fidgeting. They’ll smell your fear.”

She shoves her hands under her thighs and glares at me.