Page 171 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
I grabbed the bag and my backpack, put the envelope of pictures in it, and took off for Mercy’s. The building Verity and her pack lived in was close by–and fancy. They owned a two-story penthouse with a patio.
I texted her from downstairs and the elevator buzzed; the doors opening. The elevator went right into their living room like a TV show. As the doors opened, I saw Dean, Jonas, and Grif were watching TV together, drinking beer and eating something that smelled good. Their place was huge with the kitchen and dining room opening up onto a stellar view of the city.
“Hi, Ladybug. Mercy and Kaiko are upstairs,” Jonas told me. “What’s the plan tonight? You know, I’m still finding beads from all those bracelets you made for her birthday party.”
“I think we’re baking cookies.” I looked around. “Is Team Mom home?” I could ask Verity if I needed some dress help.
“She and AJ are on a date.” Dean’s voice grew sing-song.
“Nice. I get to go on one tomorrow with Tens.” I did a little happy dance. He’d texted me earlier. We were going dancing.
“So you are dating both of them?” Dean asked, leaning into Jonas as he gave me a teasing look.
“Yeah.” My cheeks warmed. I’d signed the papers in HR, so other than reassuring Coach K that I wasn’t being pressured into it, everything was fine.
With a wave I headed upstairs, where Mercy’s room and the living room we hung out in was.
Mercy and Kaiko sat in the living area, which had beanbags and cozy couches with pillows, along with a TV and her gaming systems.
“Gwenifer.” Kaiko stood and gave me a big hug. She was several inches taller than me, with light golden skin, killer legs peeking out of short shorts, and hair up in two little puffs. Pink streaked her black hair. She was nineteen and had joined the Maimers last year with Mercy.
“You’re back!” I put the bag and my backpack down, then hugged her. She’d gone back home to her parents for the off-season.
Kaiko was an alpha and played swing. That meant that mostly she played crusher like Mercy, trying to stop the other team’s bullet from scoring, but she could be tagged in as the Maimers’ bullet. You had to be versatile and fast.
She picked up a box. “I got you a present. I didn’t know these were your favorite, or I’d have my parents put them in their care packages.”
In her hands was a giant package of little bags of chocolate buttons, like the kind you’d get from a vending machine. “Shit, this is for me? Did you rob the business warehouse store?”
“My parents have a membership,” she told me.
I did a happy dance and opened it, pouring a bag into my mouth and offering bags to them. “Thank you so much. What do I owe you?”
This would keep me in buttons for a while. So many chocolate buttons!
Kaiko waved me off. “Don’t worry about it. How did I not know you were Canadian? Aren’t you from upstate?”
“Thank you. Um, that’s where I lived with my grandparents.”
“Are you from Kaiko’s part, Jonas’ part, or somewhere in the middle? Pretty sure you’re not from Quebec.” Mercy took ahandful of spicy cheese puffs from a bowl on the table. Jonas was from Toronto.
Kaiko opened her mini-fridge and held up a can of soda.
“I grew up close to you, Kaiko.” I caught the can she threw. “There was this dance shop I loved to go to because they had much better stuff than the one by us. Or so my tiny self thought.”
Kaiko grinned. “Is it the one between the bookstore and that little tea shop with the purple chairs? We usually go to one on the other side of town, but sometimes we went to birthday parties there.”
“They have the best mini swan cream puffs.” Usually my mom and sisters would have tea, while Babo went with me to the shop and got me what I needed. Sometimes I talked him into a trip to the bookstore. I took a sip of soda and plopped down on one of the couches.
Mercy took another handful of cheese puffs. “I feel like baking chocolate chip cookies.”
“Sounds good. Should we make food first?” Kaiko held up her backpack. “I brought back those ramen noodle packs you like.”
“Oooh, and rice sprinkles?” I grinned. Tenzin had like ten different types of rice sprinkles.
“Of course. Hot sauce, too.” Kaiko started pulling food out of her bag.
Tenzin had given me a new appreciation for hot sauce.
