Page 75 of Beautiful Defiance

24

LEIGH

Ipull my knee up to my chest and listen to the crickets and the frogs. Voices cut into my solitude and the delicious memory of Seven singing as he showered at my place after practice today.

Tomorrow, the team will be at an away game. Seven said he’ll be too tired to pay me a midnight visit. Good. I’d like to go hang out with Sorrow. Her dad should be passed out drunk. She said he usually is after dinner.

“Shay, why are you taking me away from the party?”

“To show you a magic trick.”

I roll my eyes. The guy with the “magic trick” is Rue’s friend Shay?

“That’s the dumbest pickup line.”

“It’s not a line.”

Poor guy, she completely plows past his growl of frustration.

“Why do you think you have a chance with me, anyway? Why would I go out with a guy who has a girl’s name?”

“It’s a unisex name, means hawk, and because my parents are fucking Irish.”

I can picture him jamming his fingers through his hair. Not wanting to get called out for eavesdropping—hello, I was here first—I rise and walk from behind the shed.

She’s gone, and he has his hands crammed in his pants pockets.

“Good riddance. She didn’t deserve you.”

“That so?” He pulls his shoulders to his core and looks me up and down, his gaze stuck on my boots. “What’s with the hardcore footwear?”

“In case I need to kick some girl’s ass for turning down a boy’s magic show.”

He laughs. “Gotcha.”

“I’d love for you to show me your magic trick.”

“Really? You don’t think it’s a dumb line?”

“Why? Was it a trick to get her to come over here with you?”

“I can get a girl to do whatever the hell I want without resorting to tricks.”

“Um, excuse me, but I just watched your ego crash and burn.”

“Not my fault she’s the new girl and doesn’t know when to bow to the king on campus.”

Wow, he is full of himself. Reminds me of another full-of-himself king on campus.

“Show me your trick.” Worst case, he doesn’t have one. Best case? I make a new friend. Shay can’t be that bad of a guy if he is friends with Rue.

“Cool. You won’t regret it.”

“You won’t either unless you try to stick your hands or your tongue anywhere on my body.”

He smiles big. “Noted. Okay, do you have two quarters?”

“Why would I bring change to a party?”

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