Page 24 of Trip Through Your Wires

“Hell yeah they do,” I smile back at her in agreement.

Before we turn into a couple of blubbering idiots, I reach for the Magic 8 Ball on top of her dresser. “What do you say we give it a shake for the weekend?”

She swipes a finger under her eye and nods. “Make it a good one.”

I close my eyes and think of a question, then shake the ball like a snow globe. When I open my eyes and look down, I frown when I see the results—Reply hazy, try again.

“What was the question?” She eyes me curiously.

“Nothing.” I set it back down on the dresser, and hear the door downstairs open then close, followed by Cruz’s voice shouting up the stairs that he and Jake are back. “Come on,” I nod to the door. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

She doesn’t need to know I asked that dumb ball if I should just admit to myself that a part of me is interested in Jake. Something tells me if she did, she’d have a custom one made with only one answer—yes.

Chapter 5

Jake

“So, you really have no idea what they’re wearing?” I ask Cruz as we wait for Ellery and Jenica to make their way downstairs.

“Not a clue,” he shakes his head. “Although, we know it has something to do with baseball.”

He looks at me and shakes his head. We’re both in the costumes that Ellery left out for us—black baseball uniforms with white stripes and deep slash marks across the chest—and fake blood’s been applied to the exposed skin under the slashes, and our hair messed up, exactly as instructed.

The only time I saw her and Jenica today was when Ellery delivered the costumes at breakfast. After that, the two spent the better part of the day at the mall, and once they got home, headed straight for Jenica’s room where they’d been ever since getting ready for the party.

I’m used to the girls being attached at the hip when Jenica’s in town, but something feels off. Her greeting this morning was cool, and she didn’t come down to my room last night as usual, and I have a feeling I know what it is—that body back in Cherry Cove. I’m looking forward to tonight so we can spend some time together and I can reassure her there is nothing to worry about.

When the girls do finally make their way down the stairs, both my mouth and Cruz’s fall open.

“Cheerleaders?” He grins as Ellery twirls around in front of him.

“Not just cheerleaders,” she drawls. “Zombie cheerleaders.”

“Zombie cheerleaders?” He repeats with a laugh. “What the hell?”

Ellery and Jenica love horror movies. The campier, the better. The last time Jenica was here they made Cruz and I go to Blockbuster and rent one of their favorites, Night of the Comet. It was ridiculous, but they insisted it was the best.

“Zombies never go out of style,” Ellery smiles. “In fact, I think there’s going to be a resurgence someday.”

“Whatever you say baby.” He leans in and gives her a kiss. “I suppose Jake and I are your victims then?”

“You got that right.” She wraps both arms around his neck and pulls him closer. “So, do you like it?”

He grips her sides, and drags his eyes down her body, nodding enthusiastically. “Want to know how much?”

“No!” Jenica and I call out in unison.

Cruz and Ellery are insatiable. Thank God we no longer lived in the apartment. The very thin wall that separated his room and mine left nothing to the imagination, and the limited time the four of us lived there together, Cruz had made good on his promise to pay me back for all the night’s I’d kept him awake in the past.

Ellery shoots Jenica and I a playful scowl, as Cruz leans in and kisses her neck. “Stop,” she giggles. “You’ll ruin my makeup.”

Jenica looks over at me and shakes her head. “How do you put up with them?”

“I don’t know,” I admit with a laugh.

“Hey,” Ellery smacks me on the arm. “You adore me, and you know it.”

Before I can respond, Cruz is hiking Ellery over his shoulder. “We’ll be right back.”

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