Falling Darkness: The second book in the Falling Awake Series by T.A Richards Neville Read Free Book Online Page A

narrowing at the bottom, brushing against the backs of my booted calves. They shimmered with subtle, silvery glittering strands.
    “You look too sexy for a school dance, aren’t you scared they’ll throw you out?” Mellissa asked me.
    “What about you?” I said. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re wearing a bra.”
    “Hell yes, they better throw me out for being too sexy. That’s the plan anyway.”
    I grabbed my IPhone from the fireplace and threw it into my black, glittering clutch. Caleb had bought me a new IPhone after deciding my old smashed one was too unreliable to use anymore. There was a knock at the door and I went to answer it.
    A pirate and a… pilot? Stood on the other side of the threshold. Drake lowered his black, oversized tricorn hat and bowed down. He was wearing baggy, brown buccaneer pants, tucked into black, Caribbean boots. His off white, loose shirt was tucked into his trousers and left half open so I could see quite a bit of his solid, tanned chest. I had to admit, he was the best looking pirate I had ever seen.
    I put my focus to Ressler. "What are you supposed to be?" I asked.
    He lowered his reflective aviators. “Top gun,” he said. He was wearing a dark green jumpsuit with an array of different piloting badges. The top of the jumpsuit was open and he wore a white tee underneath, or a tank top, I couldn’t really tell. Yeah, I guess I could see the similarity there. Tom Cruise eat your heart out.
    "You look good," I said to both of them. "But Ressler, you don’t even go to school with us. Why are you dressed up?"
    "I'm your date."
    "My date? How do you know I don’t already have a date?” I asked. He was right, I didn’t have a date, but he was being far too presumptuous.
    "Well, I was hoping you didn't," he said, half smiling. He slowly looked me up and down. “Nice boots,” he said.
    Mellissa barged past me and looped her arm through Drakes. She held her overly tight skirt well above her knees with the tail cinched between her fingers. "Drake, you look great," she said. "Actually, you look really hot." Mellissa put her palm flat to his exposed chest and ran her finger over his skin. “I like you as a pirate. Shiver me timbers,” she said, in a weird accent, impersonating the voice of a pirate.
    I rolled my eyes.
    "Ressler," Mellissa continued. "You can be Pria's date because she hasn't got one, she’s just too proud to admit it, bless her." She clenched her fists tightly in excitement and grinned through her teeth. I guess I was going with Ressler then.
    We pulled up outside of school in Ressler’s Mercedes and everything from a giant Smurf, to Barbie, had turned up. The dance was being held in the school gym and the dance committee had done a great job. That was hard for me to admit considering Tamara was head of the committee. Black spider web was strewn from the rafters, cradling glowing, carved pumpkins. The DJ Booth was set up at the back of the gym hall and the DJ was dressed as Dracula with fake blood dripping from his mouth and fangs. Fake candelabras had been attached to the walls, giving off a dim flickering light, and a huge, silver disco ball had been hung. We found a table off to the side of the gym and Mellissa and I sat down while Drake and Ressler went to get us some punch.
    “This reeks of Tamara,” Mellissa said, with a look of distaste. “She’s so OTT. I bet this cost a fortune.”
    I glanced appreciatively at all the décor. “I hate to say it, but I think it looks good.”
    Mellissa’s eyes widened and she cleared her throat. “Speaking of OTT, here she comes with a H-O-T-T-Y.”
    I craned my neck to look over my shoulder and I automatically pulled my mouth into a hard line. Tamara was wearing a tight, red mini dress with a speared red tail attached at the back with red horns over her long blonde hair. Red ribbon laced all the way up to her thighs from the heels she wore.
    “Well she’s dressed appropriately, I have to give