“Are you sure Trink is going to be okay with me being at her place?”
Poe shrugs with a smile. “I really just couldn’t fucking care less. Trink’s just… going through some shit at the moment. It’s made her a little bit of a bitch. Don’t get me wrong, she’s my bitch, but she’s also wrong about you. Let’s head over before you change your mind.”
I sigh and lift my bag a little. “I don’t wanna take this over there or leave it in my car. Is there somewhere safe you can leave it locked up here?”
Poe frowns a little but shrugs. “Sure. Lemme put it up in my room.”
I wait on the porch for her and then we walk next door to Trink’s place. I’m a complete dumbass though because I fail to remember that Trink is both seventeen and Tomi’s little sister.
It’s only when the door opens that I realize I’ll be meeting their parents. Tomi’s freaking parents.
Oh god.
The woman standing there looks a lot like her children but her eyes are softer and more kind. “Well hello! Your face isn’t one I’ve seen before.”
I sputter out, “Uh, I’m Angel. Poe’s friend.”
“Keely isn’t going to slam the door in your face, Angel, if she doesn’t like you she’ll be a lady about it.”
I blush as Keely chuckles under her breath. “And hello to you too, birthday girl! Sweet seventeen and never been kissed, I’m sure.”
Poe darts forward and gives her a hug, cackling like a crazy person. “Absolutely. Virgin fucking Mary thanks to your dumbass boys.”
Keely chuckles at her as she hugs her back, all warmth and familial love.
“Thank you for having me over, I appreciate it.” I fumble with words, too awkward and unprepared.
Keely smiles. “You’re always welcome. This house is always open to all of Trink and Poe’s friends. All of the ‘dumbass boys’ friends too.”
Oh God.
What are the chances Tomi told his mom about me? He wouldn’t have. I mean, he wouldn’t be going around and telling his goddamn mother about his conquests, right? That would be weird.
While I’m busy freaking the fuck out, Poe grabs my elbow gently and starts walking me through the house and out the back.
She snorts at me when I don’t say a freaking word about it. “Stop freaking out, Keely is great. C’mon, I’ll take you out back to the pool. Best freaking pool in all of Coldstone, there’s a slide on it which Trink pretends she’s too cool for but a pool slide is always fucking cool.”
I don’t get to see much of the house except that there’s family photos everywhere. Dozens and dozens of them on every surface and when we walk outside there’s a huge Unseen emblem painted on the bricks.
It’s really nice out here.
The pool is huge, there’s a table full of food, and barrels of ice and beer everywhere. There’s too many people here for me to be comfortable, and when Trink sees us walk in together she rolls her eyes at Poe.
Right.
I’ll steer clear of her.
“Let’s go for a swim, that’ll settle your nerves. Then we can grab food and I’ll introduce you to some of my friends.”
She sounds so goddamn hopeful that I have to take a second to get the hell over myself. She’s my friend. She’s trying to include me in shit.
No one here gives a fuck about me and my job.
So I strip out of my dress and jump into the pool with my friend. We act like idiots, splashing and swimming and just having fucking fun. Poe swims to the edge to grab us beers and we sit on the edge with them and talk about random bullshit. I tell her about the noise my car is making and she tells me about the car she’s rebuilding with her sister’s boyfriend.
Once the sun has gone down and all of the outdoor lights are glowing some of the guys from Poe’s school start trying to talk to us both. I don’t really want to talk to them but Poe does a great job of keeping them at bay, insulting them all and reminding them that this house is owned by the VP of the Unseen.
Not a smart idea to fuck with the girls here.
When she ducks off to the toilet, one of the guys decides to try his luck with me.
Right as Tomi, Rue, and Speck arrive.
All hell breaks loose in the blink of an eye, and I’m marched up the stairs by a fucking enraged Tomi.