The Rebel of Raleigh High (Raleigh Rebels #1) - Callie Hart Page 0,87

mumbles.

Guy and Davis are twins. Identical twins. They’ve been dating Halliday and Melody for the past six months, and according to the girls, the twins do like to assume each other’s identities.

“I don’t think it matters this time,” Zen laughs. “All four of them are in Leon’s father’s room, and from what I saw, they weren’t being overly picky about who was tangled up with who.”

Kacey looks up, her head rocking to one side as she processes this. “Huh. That actually sounds like it could be fun. Bummer Leon’s an only child.”

“There’s always Mr. Wickman,” I offer.

“Silver!” Kacey feigns surprise. “How scandalous. Mr. Wickman does have a certain sex appeal. There's nothing more attractive than a man who's gone after his goals and amassed a great deal of power and money in his lifetime. But no. Leon's too much of a prude to ever consider it.”

I was only joking. I didn’t think she’d take the suggestion seriously, but I shouldn’t be all that surprised. Kacey’s sexual deviant tendencies run deep.

She finally finds what she’s looking for in her bag and holds the small black compact up triumphantly. “Hallelujah. Now we can finally start to enjoy this party.” She flips the compact open and instead of blusher, inside is a large amount of coke. She pulls a razor blade from the back of her phone case and serves up a large amount of the powder onto the compact’s mirror, cutting it into a line.

Zen goes first. She holds the back of her hand to her nose after she snorts, eyes closed, head tipped back, a slow smile spreading across her face. “Hot damn. Your stuff is always the best, Kay Kay.”

“My body's a temple. I wouldn't go putting any old trash inside it. Here, Silver.” She holds out the compact to me, a line ready and waiting. I was fourteen when Kacey gave me my first taste of coke. It had been a dare back then, but over the past three years, it's become more of a habit—for Kacey at least. I only use with her at parties. I’m pretty sure Kace is powdering her nose at least two or three times a day. I don’t talk to her about it. The two times I’ve suggested that she might want to save her stash for more recreational purposes, she flipped out so violently I thought she was going to have a fucking nervous breakdown.

I’m tired. I don’t really feel like getting crazy tonight, but Zen’s kind of fucked me. I can’t decline the drugs, because she did her line without complaint. If I refuse, they’re both going to be on me, harassing me, giving me a hard time. I’ve learned that it’s much easier to just do one line and then claim to have a headache than refuse altogether.

I hold the compact mirror to my nose, blocking off my nostril, and I inhale sharply. My sinuses are instantly both numb and burning with a dizzying wave of pleasure that spreads through my head, down into my body, down into my arms and legs. For a moment, my body is made of pure light. I’m floating up toward the ceiling. My skin’s tingling, alive with sensation.

Kacey strokes the side of my face, humming under her breath. “Pretty, pretty Parisi.” She takes the compact from me, cuts herself a line, and soon all three of us are flying high. She then takes the razor blade in hand, the metal gleaming wickedly under the bathroom lights, lays the sharpened metal against her tongue and licks off the powder residue. I giggle at the sight of the blade resting on her tongue—I can't decide which of them is sharper.

“Truth is, I don’t think you can handle Jake, Silver,” she says coolly. “You need easing into this shit. Fucking Jake would be tantamount to getting thrown into the deep. Better if you fooled around with someone a little less high-stakes first. Get yourself some training wheels.”

“Careful, Kacey. You’re beginning to sound like you might be a little jealous,” Zen says, winking at Kacey’s reflection in the mirror.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Why the hell would I be jealous of a potential tryst between Silver and Jacob when I have Leon?” Her voice is tight, though. The protest on her lips sounds disingenuous to say the least. Holy fuck. How can I not have noticed until now? It hits me, through the drugged haze of my brain—that Kacey is jealous. Jealous that a popular guy at school is pursuing