The Thousand Year Curse (The Curse Books) by Taylor Lavati Read Free Book Online

with both hands up in warning. I do a full turn before bolting down the hall.  
    I keep running until I find another long hall way. I'm far enough away from the familiar stranger so I lean against a wall to gather my thoughts. Something crazy is happening to me. I can't even begin to understand what is happening to my life. My mind starts racing with crazy ideas and idiotic theories.  
    I walk away until I get to the stairs, taking them two at a time searching for Junior again. I need my security blanket. I decide that I'm going to tell him everything. He will believe me—he has to. I'm on the verge of tears unable to find Junior anywhere.  
    In an attempt to run, I turn on my heels but am halted by green eyes boring into my soul. Adrenaline shoots through my body. His eyes are hauntingly beautiful—intense and scary.  
    "Who are you?" I ask him. At first he doesn't say anything. His face softens for a moment but then the wall comes back up as his eyes glass over becoming hard. I want to reach out and beg to learn more about him but can't.  
    "Ryder!" Someone yells from across the room. I gaze towards the voice, my eyes landing on Ollie across the room. I start walking towards Ollie but glance back for green eyes. He's gone. I look around for him, thinking he walked away but he's missing.  
    Abruptly, I'm shoved in every possible direction by various people moving around. I try to find Ollie but I can't find his blonde head anywhere. I start walking towards the door to the outside but am stopped by Becca. Dread wells up inside me as I look for an exit.  
    "Hey there, gay girl." She snickers over at me. A knot forms in my throat and I start choking on air, panicking. I feel as if I might faint. "What? Are you scared?" She taunts me, twisting her finger in my direction as she closes the space between us zeroing in on her prey.
    "Please, I have to go." I mutter attempting to push past her. I don't care if I seem pathetic. My chances of running drop even lower when she has her friends step into the room, flanking her.
    "Sure." She takes a step back, her arm swooping out as if clearing a path for me. I don't know if this is a trick or what but I start to move forward. I get right by her. "Whoops." She sarcastically sneers, dumping her full cup of beer over my head. I turn to her in shock. Her other hand is playfully over her mouth as she laughs at me, the room growing silent. All eyes are on me.  
    I try to run forward to get away but as I pass by each girl they dump their cups on me as well. By the time I make my way out of the kitchen, I am drenched in warm, nasty beer. My black dress sticks to every part of my body like a second skin.
    I can't help the tears that start to run down my cheeks. I let them fall because I doubt anyone will notice whether the water is tears or beer.  
    I don't know where to go. I can't leave Junior but I need to get away. Two strong arms clasp around my waist and I jump thinking they're going to attack me.  
    "Get off me!" I scream at my captor flailing around as I kick and punch. I get spun around and am face to face with Ollie. I melt a little in his arms, realizing I'm safe.  
    "Shh. I've got you." He whispers trying to soothe me. "You're okay." I want to believe him but it's a little impossible when I am constantly being screwed over. He reaches for me but I brush him off.  
    "It's okay. I don't want to get you wet." I say because I'm disgusting. He shouldn't get drenched, too. He should be having the time of his life, not stuck here rescuing me.
    "I don't care." He says lifting me into his arms effortlessly. I clasp my arms around his neck, burying my face in his shoulder. He carries me away like I weigh nothing at all.  
    He carries me up the stairs but stops abruptly jostling me. I peek out from his shoulder and glance at the green eyed guy down the hall. I suppress the urge to run to him. I don't know why but I have this feeling that he'll protect me. I offer up a small smile to