Prince Charming by Sara Celi Read Free Book Online

the bar. Laine stood next to her in a pair of dark jeans, but I didn’t let myself acknowledge anything about. If I did, I might lose focus on what I wanted to do next.
    “That’s me,” I said in their direction. God, that nickname was so uncreative. You’d think they might come up with something better. Couldn’t they get over that, and move on to something else?
    “What do you want?” Bruce asked again.
    “Well, this is a party, right?” I reached out to a table next to the steps, grabbed a beer, and popped open the can. “I love parties.”
    “You’re not invited.”
    A few murmurs spun through the crowd. Some people giggled. Others gawked at Josh and me. A few looked uncomfortable and some stepped backward, as if to give the showdown between Bruce and me more space. Everyone knew life inside Heritage High meant being a part of a hierarchy, just like I did. Blake and Bruce enjoyed the comforts of pseudo friendships with people they thought mattered while Josh, Nathan, Mark and I swam along the bottom next to the band geeks, computer freaks and poor kids. A fight between the two circles always made for good entertainment.
    “Sure I’m invited,” I told Bruce after a few seconds of stalemate. “This is my house.”
    He stood up from the couch and took a purposeful step toward me. “Get the fuck out of here, Geoff.”
    “I’m not going to—”
    “Get the fuck out of here, now.”
    “Come on,” I said locking my eyes with his as I took I sip of the beer. It tasted like sour water, and I wanted to spit it out, but I didn’t. “You don’t mean that.”
    “This isn’t a party for you, or assholes like you.”
    “Come on, Blake,” Bruce said, but he shut up when Blake shot him a glare.
    “You weren’t invited, asswipe.” His voice grew louder, until it made Kanye West sound like a whining child. “And if you’ll go on ahead and leave—”
    My laughter cut him off. He took another step toward me.
    “Seriously, you aren’t invited. And you know not to come in the basement. What the fuck do you want, Geoff?”
    “Oh nothing,” I said. “Just wanted to let you know—the neighbor was complaining.” I switched my attention to the rest of the crowd. “About the loud music.”
    Bruce crossed his arms and gave me one of those looks that told me he didn’t buy what I was selling. I had to try harder. A lot harder.
    “I think they called the cops.” I glanced back at Josh, looking for someone to back me up on my lie. He nodded in agreement. “Yeah. They did. Said they could hear the music in their kitchen.”
    “Which neighbor?”
    “The Andersons. Mrs. Anderson.” I looked down at my watch. “That was about fifteen minutes ago. I think—well, I wouldn’t be surprised if the cops showed up soon. She was really pissed. Like, really pissed.”
    “I didn’t think she was home.” Bruce sounded skeptical.
    “I took the call,” I told him, making sure I didn’t waver on my lie. “Didn’t I, Josh?”
    Josh answered my question with an emphatic nod.
    Bruce still didn’t seem convinced. “You don’t—”
    “I tried to stop her from calling,” I said. “But I don’t think she wanted to listen to me.”
    “Shit,” Evan said from the back of the room. “I gotta—I can’t get arrested again. I don’t want to risk my scholarship.”
    “I should leave, too,” a brunette junior girl who was sitting on the large leather chair near the sofa, said. “I can’t get arrested again—” She stood up and brushed pizza crumbs and marijuana off her skirt. “Oh my God. I really should go.”
    “Wait.” Blake held up his hand from his place by the stereo. He turned the volume down. “We don’t know she called. Geoff could just be lying.”
    “I’m not lying.”
    Bruce’s lips twisted. “I bet you are, you little piss ant.”
    “Do you really want to find out?” I asked.
    “I don’t,” said the junior girl as she pulled on her puffy red Columbia jacket. “I really