Page 59 of Their Dangerous Game
The door opens and the teacher walks in. I’m barely breathing. The images these boys filled my brain with are way too enticing. Being stuck with all of them in a closet, surrounding me with their heat, touching me wherever they want.
They all turn to face forward, and I inhale. I need to figure out a way out, and fast.
Kissesfrom three horsemen usher me into third period. I collapse in my seat next to Kenz.
“You look worked over.” Kenz brushes a stray hair from my forehead.
“And they’re only kissing me so far.” I fan myself with my art book.
“Hi, Harper.” Some platinum blonde in wedge sandals and a short skirt waves at me as she stops beside my chair expectantly.
Shit, do I know her? “Hey, you.”
“What do you want, Penny?” Kenz says, emphasizing Penny.
Penny Wright.
Oh yeah, she’s been in art with me since freshman year but hasn’t said a word to me in all that time until today.
“You’re so funny, MacKenzie. I’m just checking in with Harper to see if she needs a ride to the away game tomorrow.”
I must look at Penny like she’s an alien because her smile droops a little.
“I mean, we have room in our car. Me, Izzy, Nat, and Vicky always go to the away games and figured since you’ve never gone to one, it would be nice to have someone to sit with.” Penny clutches her books to her chest and swivels on her heels like she’s a little girl asking me over for a playdate.
“I’m not going to the game,” I say slowly.
Her face falls. “But the guys?—”
“I’m grounded. So the guys will have to make other plans.” I give her a smile as an idea pops into my head. “You know, maybe you should keep them company this weekend. They’ll be all alone at parties and probably need some relief after a hard week of school.”
Her brown eyes narrow on me. “You won’t be at the parties either?”
Maybe this girl likes me and not the guys. Weird. “No. Grounding means I can’t go anywhere this weekend.”
“How long are you grounded for?”
“Two weeks from Tuesday.” I frown like I’m devastated and not dancing in my chair because I figured out a way to stay out of the horsemen’s evil clutches. For a little while, at least.
She pouts. “That sucks. Can’t you get your parents to reconsider?”
Not that I would want her to, but… “No, Mom’s a stickler.”
“I was hoping we’d get to know each other better.” She smiles. “You should give me your phone number so we can keepyou posted on what the guys do. We can be your eyes at the party.”
“Oh, uh, sure?” What the hell is happening right now? I glance at Kenz, who shrugs. I rip out a piece of paper and scribble my number on it. When I hand it to Penny, she grins like I’ve handed her gold and not a scrap of paper.
No one has ever asked for my number before.
“I’ll text you right away with my name, so you’ll have mine.” She starts to turn before she says, “Do you mind if I give it to Izzy, Nat, and Vicky?”
“Why not? Go crazy.” I smile like I honestly give a shit. No one but Kenz, the guys, and my mom text me. Oh, and I get coupons from this pizza place I’ve ordered from occasionally.
Penny grins and hustles back to her seat.
“What the fuck was that about?” I whisper to Kenz. I glance back at Penny, who’s sitting next to Natalie Edwards. They both wave at me as if we’re best friends now.
“That clique always had boyfriends during high school. They lost their virginities the old-fashioned way to said boyfriends. My guess is they’ve heard of the horsemen’s…”—she clears her throat—“sizeable assets and wanted to get a taste this year, but you’ve got them locked down.”
