Nightstruck - Jenna Black Page 0,45
It’s a gorgeous old building near Independence Square, a historic Philadelphia landmark. It’s a far cry from a teen hangout, containing offices, tourist shops, and an anemic food court. I had the sneaking suspicion that Piper had chosen it solely because it was so far away from my house. She thought the distance would make me into a captive audience. I seriously contemplated murder as Piper began circling the block in search of a parking space. The light was fading, sunset only minutes away.
“Turn the car around,” I said, putting as much authority as I could muster into my voice. When Luke had told me Piper was getting pushier than ever, he clearly hadn’t been exaggerating. “Take me home. Now.”
Piper laughed and took aim at an open space by the curb. The space was open because of the fire hydrant on the sidewalk, but she didn’t seem to care. “We’re already here,” she said as she maneuvered into her illegal parking spot. “What’s the harm in just coming in for a few minutes and saying hello? If you don’t want to do the movie after—”
“I said no, and I meant it.” Sometimes I let Piper push me out of my comfort zone because I figured it was for my own good. This was not one of those times. “Take me home, Piper.”
She stopped the car and put it in park, then looked at me in triumph. “I’ll take you home just as soon as we’ve had our cup of coffee, and not a moment sooner. Now come on.”
“But it’s dark already. You said—”
“It’s four thirty in the afternoon, not one in the morning. Will you chill already?”
She got out of the car before I could protest more. I sat there fuming for a minute or two, so mad I could barely see straight. What did Piper think she was accomplishing? Did she honestly think there was any chance I would like the guy she was trying to force me into meeting? Even if he turned out to be Prince Charming, there was no way I could warm to him under the circumstances. Piper had to know that.
But she wasn’t getting back in the car, and unless I knew how to hot-wire the damn thing, there wasn’t much point in me sitting there.
I wondered if there was actual smoke coming out of my ears as I reluctantly climbed out of the car, glaring at Piper the whole way. The glare had no effect on her, and she merely stood there on the curb smiling at me, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
Wow. She actually thought this was funny. Who was this girl? Certainly not the Piper I’d thought I’d known. That Piper was often careless, but not actively malicious. If you had the guts to tell her she was being a bitch, she’d instantly recognize the truth of it and apologize. But I saw no hint today that she even knew an apology was necessary.
I averted my gaze, then checked my wallet to see if I had bus fare. This was one battle of wills I had no intention of letting Piper win. I didn’t have much in the way of cash, but it was just enough to get me home. If I didn’t have to wait too long for a bus, I shouldn’t have to spend more than about half an hour out in the city after dark. Surely the worst of the night madness didn’t happen until later.
I glared at Piper one more time, hoping she’d see how serious I was and then relent and take me home. “I’m going to catch a bus,” I told her.
That didn’t seem to bother her a bit. “Suit yourself. You don’t know what you’ll be missing.” Then her smile grew even broader, her eyes lighting up as she looked at something just over my left shoulder. “Or maybe you won’t miss it after all.”
The hairs on the back of my neck rose for reasons I couldn’t explain, and I turned to see what she was looking at.
There was a boy walking briskly down the sidewalk toward us, waving and grinning. The boy Piper had hijacked me to come and meet, obviously. Although his face was instantly familiar, it took me a couple of seconds to place it. When I did, my jaw dropped open, and a chill shivered down my spine, because I don’t believe in coincidence.
“Becket,” Piper said, sounding so self-satisfied I longed to shake her, “I’d like you to meet my