Page 10 of Enemies to Prom Dates
Reen gave a sultry smile. “You’re right. Idolike things supersized.”
“I think he’s talking about sodas and fries,” Janie said quietly. Of course I knew it was a dig at Reen’s audacity.
Reen pouted, playing along. “Oh. That’s not whatIwas talking about.”
Locke looked at Reen obviously trying to assess if she was serious. I watched him gulp, which led me to conclude he’d determined she was. That Reen made the new guy nervous wasn’t a surprise. She made lots of boys nervous. It was just surprising, given Locke’s general attitude of ennui, he was the type to be rattled.
I looked at my friend, eyes wide. “Can we give him some time to get acclimated before you eat him?”
Locke gave me a small smile. “If I am eaten alive, at least I can say my first day hasn’t been entirely uneventful.”
“Definitely not uneventful,” Reen crooned. Then as if she’d decided she was done with her vamp persona, she bit into her pizza with a groan. “I know it’s gross pizza, but I do love cheese.”
“So what are the entertainments available to the teens of Haddonfield?” Locke asked clearly not interested in the food on his tray.
“Your usual,” I offered. “Drinking in the woods, doing drugs in the woods, having sex in the woods. Then waiting until someone’s parents go out of town so we can crash a private party and cause as much property damage as possible until the cops show up.”
He nodded. “Not all that different from London. Without the woods of course. And where are these woods?”
“Pennypacker Park,” Reen told him and pulled out her phone, handing it to him. “There’s usually a keg and a bonfire every Friday night. Add yourself as a contact and I’ll text you the where and when.”
Again, Locke hesitated even as he toyed with the phone in his hand. “You expect me to just give you my number?”
“You asked about entertainment. I assume that means you don’t want to spend your Friday nights at home studying like some people I know.” Reen cocked her head toward Janie. “That means you have to be in the know. Sometimes plans can change suddenly.”
“Or you can spare yourself watching large boys lift themselves into handstands on a keg while guzzling so much beer upside down they get too drunk to walk,” Janie said in response to Reen’s attack on her lack of socialization.
“That’s the best part!” Reen proclaimed. “When you can give them just a little push and they fall right over.”
I laughed because it was funny when they did that. What I wouldn’t give to watch Fitz tip over like an idiot. Of course he was never one of those guys. Always in control, always in charge. Sometimes he drank—never if he drove—but he never got sloppy drunk like the other guys did. Fitz didn’t know how to do sloppy at anything.
“I’ll take your word for it,” Janie said. “And for the record I won’t be studying on Friday. I’m volunteering to knock on doors to register new voters.”
Reen rolled her eyes. “Of course you are. So you’re not really not going to watch Ed’s first game on the varsity team?”
Janie blinked. “Why would I? You know I don’t like football.”
Reen shrugged. “Don’t know. Just figured since you spent so much time with him over the summer you might want to show a little support.”
Janie sighed. “I didn’tspend timewith Ed. I helped with his grandmother’s care as senior aid. It’s called a summer job. You’re always causing trouble, Reen.”
“I’m not causing trouble, I’m creating drama. There’s a difference. Trouble is bad, but drama is the spice of life.”
“Join the drama club then and stay out of my business.”
“I’m your best friend,” Reen reminded Janie. “All of your business is my business.”
“This sounds like it’s about to get contentious,” Locke said as a way to excuse himself. However, not before he handed Reen back her phone. “Text me the where and when and maybe I’ll show.”
Reen took the phone back with a smug smile even as she watched him walk away. “Oh, he’ll show. Bet on it.”
A bet I would not take as I was pretty sure she was right.
3
Beth
“Hello! We’re home. Kit and Lyd, if you’re already here, you are both in big trouble. You completely bailed on me!”
