Auras-Book One

Chapter 2

"Green is your color. It brings out the warm undertones in your skin." Dani brushed green eyeshadow over the lids of my blue eyes. "And with your honey blond hair, it really pops." She finished my makeup and moved on to my hair. "Hmmmm, maybe some loose curls?" A curling iron was heating up on the desk.

"What should I wear?" I tested the heat of the iron. "Is this fancy or casual?"

"I have the perfect shirt for you," Dani jumped up and headed for her closet. "This will look awesome on you." The shirt she held up was a dark purple wrap around that looked just tight enough to highlight my ample chest. I had been self-conscious of my curves when I was younger, but as I got older, I began to be proud of my athletic, hour glass shape. "Do you have a pair of denim shorts?" she asked.

I pulled open one of my dresser drawers and grabbed a pair of shorts. "Shoes?" I questioned her as I changed my clothes.

"Here, wear these." She tossed me a pair of cute wedge heels. "You'll look great!!" My inner girly-girl was nodding her approval. Dani dragged me back to the desk to finish my hair.

Half an hour later we were ready. I turned to grab my purse as a knock sounded at the door. Dani glanced over her shoulder, a worried look flashing across her face. "Who is it?"

"Me," I heard a deep voice. The door opened and a handsome blond guy walked into the room. "You look beautiful, sweetheart!" he exclaimed when he saw Dani.

She smiled and crossed the room to him. "Shawn, this is Katie, my roommate. Katie, this is Shawn Douglas, my boyfriend."

I smiled and gave a tentative wave. If this was her boyfriend, then his roommate was the famously icy Dustin. "Nice to meet you."

He held out his hand and flashed a set of dimples. "Katie, nice to meet you too. Are you girls getting all settled in?"

"Slowly but surely." I followed them out the door and down the hall, thankful that Shawn didn't seem to suffer from acute douchebaggery like his roommate.

"Phi Beta is a couple streets over. We can walk." Shawn draped a muscled arm over Dani's shoulders.

I let them lead while I concentrated on not falling in the tall wedge sandals that Dani had loaned me. We could hear the party before we could see it. The music was bumping, and people were littering the lawn of the huge frat house. As we approached the mayhem, I couldn't help but hear my mother's voice in my head, lecturing me about frat boys and spiked drinks.

"Most of the guys here are friends with Shawn and Dustin, so they are good guys. Mostly football players and basketball players." Dani smiled up at Shawn.

As we approached the door, that nervous fluttering in my stomach picked up its pace. I grabbed Dani's hand. "Do not ditch me in here. I don't know anyone."

She tugged me along with her. "I'll introduce you to some fun people. Right Shawn?"

"I'm sure Dani will introduce you to all the cool people. I'm gonna go look for the guys."

Dani looked at him, a hint of nervousness darkening her green eyes. "Don't be too long?" She pleaded.

"I'll be back in just a few." He kissed Dani's hand and headed off towards a group of loud toga-clad boys.

"Do you want something to drink?" Dani had to yell for me to hear her over the music.

I nodded, and she led me over to a table that was serving as a bar. "Andy! Two rum and cokes!" she ordered from a blond guy manning one side of the table.

"Are you sure we should trust these guys not to spike our drinks?" I glanced at Andy, who was dressed in an ill-fitting blue bed sheet.

"They won't spike them. They know who I am."