The Wolf Cave

CHAPTER 9

           

"Are you coming to Toby's party tonight?" Tasha asks, sitting down on my bed. She turns to me, a wicked smile on her face. "You know he fancies you, right?"

I roll my eyes. He does not.

I'm in the middle of cleaning my room, but hearing the prospect of a party, I abandon putting my laundry away and sit next to her. "Why am I only hearing about this now?" And how does she know Toby's throwing a party?

She shrugs. "He invited us. Vicky told me, she's been texting him. I thought I told you?"

Vicky's texting Toby now? When did that happen?

I sigh. Maybe Tasha did tell me, but I wasn't paying attention. I haven't been myself for the past few days—a certain someone refusing to leave my thoughts.

It's been a week later and nothing interesting has happened. Ray finished college for the summer, and while he's home more, we've been doing our own thing. Thankfully he dropped what happened that night, and I spent most of my time sunbathing in my back garden and hanging out with Tasha and Vicky.

It's also been a week of not hearing from Colton.

I thought I would have. His car is still sitting in my drive, and I've been joy riding it all week, secretly in love with it. It drives like a charm. But it makes me wonder why he hasn't come to get it back, or at least phoned the police to tell them that I stole it.

The car isn't the only thing on my mind, and I'm embarrassed that I can't stop thinking about our kiss. It makes body ache in a way I've never felt before. Not with Kyle, or anyone else. It's confusing. I'm angry at him, but also weirdly empty since I left him and came home. I frown at my thoughts. I need to forget about Colton Dawson. Whenever he decides to come for his car, I'll simply hand over the keys and send him on his way.

"Are we going?" Tasha asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"Oh." It takes me a few moments to remember what we're talking about. "Yeah. Why not?"

A party sounds like a good way to take my mind off him for sure.

My neck stings a little and I hide my reaction from Tasha by turning away. The damn bite he gave me hasn't stopped stinging for days. Thankfully my hair has done a good job at hiding it from Ray and my friends. I've also been using concealer and powder because I don't want anyone to see it. Those are the kind of questions I want to avoid. Why I have an over-excited hickey on my neck.

"Awesome!" Tasha beams excitedly, "Toby's going to be over the moon that you're coming."

She waggles her eyebrows and I shake my head. There's no way. We've never spoken a word to each other, and it's always weird. Surely you can't get with someone who makes you feel weird?

"I just want to do something," I admit, knowing I need the distraction.

"I just need alcohol," she sighs.

In that moment, my bedroom door flies open and Vicky saunters inside. "Did I hear someone say alcohol?"

She waves two large bottles of alcohol I'm sure she stole from her parents in the air, and Tasha giggles excitedly, jumping up from the bed and running over to her. She takes a bottle and twists the cap, knocking it back.

"It's a little early, isn't it?" I question, but Vicky shrugs.

"Not early enough," she mumbles, opening the other bottle. It's then that I hear the doorbell ring and I hear Ray call me a moment later.

"What?" I call out of my bedroom door.

"It's for you!" he shouts back, which makes me frown. Someone's at the door for me?