Page 43 of Ruse
“Oh god, why did I agree to come here,” Darcy whispers as she leans toward me. I’m about to answer when Fitz suddenly interrupts me.
“So, P,” Fitz calls out as he waltzes over to us, throwing his arm around my shoulder, “What made you change your mind?”
I elbow him yet end up more hurt than he does when my bone hits his rock-hard abs, yet all the dark-haired varsity blues boy does is chuckle. “Dee wanted to come. You know I get sucked into everything she does. And Darcy here, has never been to an MC High party.”
“Yes, it’s very easy to get sucked into these gorgeous beauties,” Ryan says, hugging Dee under his arm, and throwing another over Darcy. For a moment Dee tenses, a bright pink flush covering her cheeks and Darcy’s as red as a lobster, or what I looked like last summer when I fell asleep on my stomach on one of the lounge chairs, and nearly burned to a crisp.
Brooklyn clears his throat, proceeding to take a swift drink of the beer in his hand, frustrated. “Ryan, why don’t you go get the girls a drink,” Brooklyn orders, and Dee stills under my brother’s murderous glare.
“Why don’t you go?” Ryan counters, though the moment Brooklyn’s angry eyes find his friend, Ryan caves. “What can I get y’all?”
Well, that was weird.
“I’ll have a Topo Chico, Mango,” Dee and Olly both shout at the same time.
“Alright, and you, Darcy?” Ryan mutters, looking over at Darcy and me.
Darcy turns and looks up at me confused and panicked, “I don’t…”
“We’ll both take a Strawberry Guava.” I answer for her and the look of relief that washes over her face makes me smile. I’m glad I met Darcy and have gotten to know her better. She’s exactly the friend I need right now. A friend who isn’t judgmental or well versed in myworld, simply someone who watches from the sidelines and tries her hardest to stay out of the limelight. I could learn a thing or two from her and I plan to.
It also helps that Donovan is looking at her with a scheming look, ready to play matchmaker between Fitz and Darcy in order to keep her as far away from my brother as possible. I’m in as long as it means the two of them get along.
“Ryan, wait! I’ll go with you,” Cole calls out running after him.
“Darcy,” Brooklyn mutters, coming over to sit by us around the large fire pit we’ve moved to. “Why haven’t I ever seen you at a Malibu Cove party?”
Darcy shrugs her shoulders, her gaze shifting to the right where Baker Brooks, the top country star of the moment, serenades his number one hit,Caroline, while a rowdy crowd of drunken teenagers sing along at the top of their lungs. We stayed back not wanting to be shoulder to shoulder with the crowd and are enjoying the concert from the comfort of the large lounge area beside the pool house. It’s secluded and out of the way from the rest of the party, perfect for wanting to lie low.
Since the moment we arrived, the judging stares and snickers started, most of them surprised I showed my face given everything that’s happened. The other half were eager to watch, expecting a cat fight to break out between the party’s host and me.
“No reason in particular, I guess it just isn’t my scene,” Darcy replies, tucking her brown hair behind her ear. She’s in her usual casual attire, jean cut-off shorts that look to be a size or two bigger than what she wears, and a loose-fitting tank over her hot pink bikini. At least I got her to put on a swimsuit, just in case.
Without warning, Tate shows up and joins us, catching the end of Darcy’s response, while she moves to sit in Brooklyn’s lap. “Come on Brooklyn, it’s because until last week our little Darcy here was an ugly duckling. She’s just now transformed into an average looking goose.” Tate’s face squirms in disgust, clearly insulting Darcy, who despite her ill-fitting outfit is ten times more gorgeous than she is, just to make herself feel better.
“Fuck off Tate,” Cole snaps back, taking the words right out of my mouth. “You’re just hating on her because everything you see there is natural beauty, unlike your plastic, Botox infused ass.”
“Bite me Sheppard,” Tate counters back, but it’s a lousy comeback and everyone knows it. With that, Tate stands and stomps off toward the group offriendsshe keeps, linking her arm around a person I hadn’t noticed was here.
Chad.
He’s dressed in a pair of navy-blue board shorts and a pale pink linen polo, with small navy-blue anchors embroidered onto the expensive fabric. Designer no doubt, even his underwear is. His hair, golden and pristine, looks longer than his usual perfectly trimmed style but somehow it compliments him. Tate reaches up on her tiptoes, whispering something in his ear, and making him turn toward us, his gaze meeting mine. A sly smirk draws at his lips, and I can’t help but feel his eyes rake over me, desire gleaming in their depths.
That’s odd. In the almost two years I spent with Chad, never once did he look at me the way he’s watching me now. Shaking the thoughts of him out of my head, knowing it will do no good to reminisce on the past, I lean toward Darcy, whispering in her ear so no one else can hear, not that they’re still paying attention having quickly moved on to play some drinking game someone’s suggested.
“Ignore the bitch, everyone else does. She’s just jealous I’ve been knocked off my hypothetical pedestal, and they still refuse to put her on one.” Darcy smiles, though she hides her laugh behind her hand, her gaze shifting toward them.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m used to girls like Tatum. You’re forgetting I’m invisible and that title usually comes with a mean girl or two.” Darcy’s smile fades at her confession, but nothing about the way Brooklyn and his friends, including Fitz, were looking at her when we arrived, proves that statement. She places a hand on my thigh, and leans toward me, “And by the way Chad’s eyes haven’t once left yours since we arrived, I’d bet my life no one could ever replace you.”
* * *
Surprisingly,I’m having more fun than I’d first expected, possibly because I’ve avoided Tatum and her conniving stares since she left us earlier. Between a few games of beer pong and a dip in the pool, this is the most fun I’ve had in weeks.
It might also be because I haven’t seen Maverick roaming around here tonight, not that I’m looking for him, or was even expecting him to show up, but his absence is noted. Especially since every five minutes someone asks if anyone has seen him.
“Let's go back into the pool,” Dee whines, tugging my arm toward the pool steps. Darcy and I came out about an hour ago, needing to pee, and have yet to go back in.
Beside me Darcy shifts uncomfortably as I nod, stripping out of my cover up. I didn’t put my shorts back on, and honestly have no idea where they ended up. “Come on Darcy, let's take another quick dip before we get out of here. I promise it won’t be much longer.” I chug the fifth or sixth seltzer I’ve drunk, not to mention the shots I took in between, before setting the empty can on a table to my right.
