Page 6 of Beauty Sleep

I groan and roll my eyes as my friends all laugh.

“Damn it, I was going to say that,” Jeff smacks his arm and grabs the wand. “A year of… uh… good grades. Straight As!”

“Thatwillbe real magic,” mumbles Robby. I elbow him in the ribs and he laughs, grabbing the wand for his turn. “A year of always having perfect hair.”

I’m laughing despite myself, trying hard not to notice everyone else staring at us making a racket. But I kind of like that my friends don’t care.

Damn it. They’re assholes, but they do love me. Maybe I should just go along with them to Vibes tonight…

“Oh, that’s a good one,” Kurt admits. “I want that.”

My skin prickles. The hair stands up on my forearms, and a split-second later, I hear a familiar voice in my ear, feel warm breath tingling against my neck.

“Sleep-walking is no way to live, Beauty.”

Damn it. He’s right. I duck my head and blush furiously. I want to apologize, but I can’t even look him in the eye.

“Hey!” Robby whirls around and glares at him, puffing out his chest as he strides up to me again. “I told you before. You’re not invited to the party, pal. I can write it on a Post-It note if you need help remembering, old man.”

I wince, silently pleading with Robby not to be catty, but he’s not looking at me.

“He doesn’t want to talk to you, okay?”

I mean, it’s sort of true. I want him to take liberties without even talking to me. But he doesn’t know that.

The Daddy isn’t even looking at Robby. His piercing gray eyes are fixed on me again. I feel like a bug pinned to a card. I’m pretty sure he can hear every one of my thoughts—and it makes me squirm on the spot.

My friends are waiting for this man to talk. And he’s waiting for me to say it’s okay—to admit to them that I like whatever strange spell he’s casting on me. Or even to admit to them that I know what I want, and it’s not what they think I want. Or that I’m not as innocent as they all think.

But I can’t, and I don’t.

“My turn for birthday blessings,” the Daddy says at last, disappointment written all over his features. “May you wake upbeforeyou go out on the scene. Otherwise, you’ll wake up one day and find that they’ve plucked every... last... petal.”

Then, he zips up his leather jacket and walks away.

Shit.

I want to apologize, to run after him. But I’m frozen to the spot. A shiver runs down my spine, and I stare at the back of hisretreating head. He just walks straight through the crowd and out the door, disappearing into the night.

I can hardly breathe.

That sounded like… like some kind of curse.

“Well,” Robby finally says, a little too brightly and loudly. “That was weird. You all right?”

I shake my head and raise my shoulders in a littlewhat the hell?shrug, accepting the drink he presses into my hand. “Yeah…?” I murmur, even though I’m not sure.

Conversations are starting and drinks are disappearing, but there’s one thing I’m finally sure about: I don’t want to go to that party. And if I’ve learned one thing from tonight… it’s that I should say so, before it’s too late.

“You know, I’m going to go home, actually.” I’m braced for the groans and wheedling, and this time I don’t let myself give in. “I didn’t really sleep last night.” At least that’s the truth.

“Youneversleep,” groans Robby. “Are you sure, man? You don’t have to miss out on your twenty-first birthday. We can get you a Red Bull.”

“Believe me, I can’twaitto get in bed,” I promise them, laughing.

“It takes all kinds of people,” says Theo. “Even the weirdos.”

“And you guys should know,” I counter, kissing Robby on the cheek and hugging Theo. That starts the round of goodbye hugs, overruling their protests. “Enjoy the night for me, huh? Tell me all about it tomorrow!”

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