Elite (Eagle Elite) - By Rachel Van Dyken Page 0,18

the drink, Trace. I promise I didn’t drug it…” I grasped the cup and took a tentative sip. “This time,” he finished.

“Good to know.”

He put his free arm around me and guided me to the outside. I hadn’t realized how stuffy it was in that tiny room until now. It was some sort of party house located on campus. One that security literally guarded so that kids could get wasted without having to worry about driving or doing something stupid.

Were there really no rules here?

“Rule number six…” Phoenix folded his arms across the banister of the balcony and sighed. “Never accept drinks from a stranger.”

“Do you qualify as a stranger?” I asked, taking another sip.

“No. We’re…” He seemed to think about it for a few seconds. “Friends.”

“Wow, that must have been hard to say out loud.”

“You should be more careful.” He sighed into his hands. “Look, I don’t even know why I’m telling you this. If Nixon finds out, he’ll kick my ass, but he’s just trying to protect you. You don’t know what the people are like here. I mean, you’re from a farm for crying out loud.”

“You sound just like him.” I played with the plastic cup in my hands and then set it on the balcony. “Everyone here is under the age of twenty-one, right?”

He shrugged. “Some are, some aren’t.”

“And they’re so bad that you guys have your own mafia to keep everyone in check? I don’t believe it. Sorry, but what about the security, what about the adults, the teachers?”

Phoenix looked down at the ground. “They look the other way.”

He started to look like he had two heads. I licked my lips. My throat suddenly felt really dry. I drank some more of the liquid from the cup. I felt parched. Finishing the drink, I put it back on the banister and looked at Phoenix.

“I… I’m so thirsty.”

He smirked. “Really? Do you want some of mine?”

I reached out to grab his cup and it tipped over the edge sufficiently landing on someone’s head. They flipped me off. Or at least I think they did. I saw like twenty fingers.

Something was wrong. My mouth felt like cotton. “Y-you said no drugs…” Why did my words sound so funny?

Phoenix laughed loudly. “I also told the new history teacher that I was a virgin in need of an older woman’s expertise…” He pulled me close to him and tilted my chin up. “Now you’ll see why you need us. Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone hurt you. I’m doing this for Nixon, so he can see. He needs to see. Nobody can control us, especially not some farm girl who moos in front of the entire student body.”

I was being carried or pushed. I wasn’t really sure which. But suddenly we were back inside, and he was carrying me down the stairs and out to the front of the house. I tried to fight him, but it was like I had no strength in my body. This was bad. So very bad.

“H-help.” It was a weak pitiful yell. Actually, it sounded loud to my ears but everything sounded loud.

“Phoenix… pleashhh.”

“Sorry, Trace. I really am. But this is for your own good.”

How is drugging me for my own good? This is what I wanted to yell to him, but when I opened my mouth nothing came out.

“What the hell, Phoenix!” I heard another male voice. Please let it be a teacher or someone, or Tex even!

“She’s drunk. I’m taking her back to her dorm.”

“Like hell you are! And her dorm isn’t in that direction. What are you doing?”

I saw Chase’s face. Well, I saw three of them. At least I think it was Chase.

“I’m doing her a favor, doing us a favor. Back off, you’re already on Nixon’s shit list. I’m making everything better, you’ll see.”

I lifted my hand up to grasp Chase. He looked concerned but not enough to do anything. I wanted to cry, but then again, I wanted to keep my tears in. I felt so dehydrated.

“I’ll take her,” Chase mumbled.

“You’re going to do it? Really?”

“Just let me do it.” Chase held out his arms. I was being transferred. That was a good thing, right? I mean, Chase gave me boots!

Chase mumbled something under his breath as he carried me to a waiting car. He gently placed me in the front seat and drove off. I tried not to nod off, but it was hard. And Chase kept mumbling something like, “…Can’t believe she’s pushed him this