Intrigue (7 page)

Thrace saw Rafe and I chatting so he left the game to heckles and catcalls, so he could come mark his territory. He looked at Rafe and said, “Great idea, man. We were just sayin that we were all getting hungry again.”

Rafe smiled and said, “Glad to be of service, but it was Calli’s idea.”

Thrace put his arm around me and kissed me on the forehead, “She is definitely The Ringleader or a Mother Hen; depends on the day. You should join us for our monthly mystery destinations.”

Rafe looked at Thrace in a curious manner and inquired, “What’s that?”

Thrace laughed and tried to explain without slurring his words, “Bout once a month, Calli sets up a field trip for our group of friends. It’s always weird and
usually
fun. But she won’t tell us what it is until we actually get there, so she calls it Mystery Destinations.”

I smiled up at Thrace, but confessed to Rafe, “Not all my Mystery Destinations turn out to be fun. Some of them turn out to be just plain weird, but they are always memorable. Last month we took a road trip to Hell, Michigan. Got our very own Death Certificates at Screams Ice Cream, hung out in Hell in a Handbasket, checked out The Damn Site Inn, and got our college diploma at Damnation University, or as we like to call it, Damn-U. I really wanted to be Guest Mayor for the Day.”

Thrace laughed down at me and replied, “Yeah, who doesn’t want to be Mayor of Hell. Somehow we manage to put the fun in dysfunctional. Since you guys are setting up again, let me grab you something to drink. Miss Calli-No-Fun, I am sure you want Diet. Rafe, what can I get you?”

Rafe just shook his head and said, “I’ll take a water for now. It’s too hot around the grill, don’t want to get dehydrated and end up with a hangover tomorrow.”

For some reason, it took Thrace a good 10 minutes to grab a diet and water from the kitchen. My social butterfly must have stopped to chat again. He apologized, “Sorry Cal, we didn’t have plain diet. Mom got me that cherry diet stuff. It must have been on sale. I added a little grenadine as well because it tastes like crap if you don’t.”

I laughed at his attempt to make me the perfect drink, “Wow. You are quite the bartender, Thrace.”

Thrace seemed pleased as he said, “Just trying to make sure my girl has a good time tonight and relaxes for once instead of having to take care of me.”

Thrace then went and alerted his friends that food was available again. Jazz, Key, Thrace, Rafe, and the basketball players all sat at the patio table and discussed the upcoming school year. Thrace’s eyes started to lose some of the glaze, and I started to relax for once because Thrace finally had seemed to learn from his past mistakes. As we started the clean up from dinner, Justin grabbed the ketchup bottle and decided everyone was just buzzed enough to play spin the bottle. He called the group over for a mandatory once around. Thrace pulled me onto his lap, so we could free up another chair or to make sure I couldn’t get away. Jazz and Key followed suit with their basketball players, as did other couples. This inspired Justin to require everyone to sit two to a chair, so there were no awkward spins. I looked over at Rafe who had Siena on his lap, and I couldn’t help smirking.

The game was funny at times, awkward at times, and provocative at times. I ended up having to kiss, yes, you guessed it, Rafe. Not once but twice! He was a total gentleman and kissed my cheek—well one side for one kiss, one side for the other kiss. Thrace was pleased that Rafe didn’t try to encroach, while other people at the table didn’t seem so inclined to behave in way that recognized current relationships. However, I had to say that the way he kissed my cheek made my pulse race and my face go up in flames. Thrace ended up being kissed by Siena his ex-girlfriend who practically ate his face. Of course, Thrace didn’t seem to mind. The Flocker!

The first round ended and Justin decided that we all needed to play
I Never
, so everyone went off to refresh their drinks. Thrace popped up and said that he was going to get me a refill and Rafe ‘a real drink.’ He soon came back with my cherry diet and a beer for Rafe. I could have told you all the questions before hand. We learned who was a virgin and who wasn’t. (I could also tell you exactly who was lying on that question). Both Rafe and Thrace drank on that one unfortunately. We learned who had hooked-up with whom. Who had experimented with what. Needless to say, I didn’t have to drink much, but I kept sipping on my drink as people were thinking of the next question.

Thrace stayed in his Dr. Jekyll persona, so that more than anything really allowed me to chillax for practically the first party ever. Since Thrace had to drink more than I, some of the glaze starting showing up in his eyes again. He kept holding my hand or wrapping his arms behind me in a hug as he leaned his head against mine. After the game was finally concluded, I got up off Thrace’s lap and my balance was all funny. It was like for a split second the room spun, but Thrace put his hands on my shoulders to steady me. It was about time to start to clean up, make sure all our DDs were good, and sheppard our classmates out the door with minimum fuss before Thrace’s parents arrived. However, I was still feeling a little fuzzy. I looked up at my boyfriend and asked him politely if I could steal him for a second to help clean up. He said sure in a good guy manner, and we headed into the house. I led him to the den.

I wasted no time in firing my accusation at him. “What the
Flock
did you put in my drink, Thrace?”

He realized my Irish temper was in effect, so at first he played it off as nothing, “What are you talking about Cal? You were just havin a great time for once. Chillax.”

He tried to grab my hands from my hips and kiss my neck to turn the tide of my anger, but instead it got my Irish up even more.

“Thrace, I’m gonna ask you one more time, and if you lie to me, we are over for good,” I threatened ominously.

He seemed to finally take me seriously, so Mr. Hyde came out to defend his actions. “What’s your problem, Cal? Afraid to let go of an ounce of your self-control? You didn’t have to drive. What was gonna be your big excuse this time, Ms. Ice Queen? You finally relaxed, and we had a good time.
Finally
. Now, you gotta go and ruin it by actually being pissed that you had fun. You need a therapist.” He stormed out of the den and made his way back outside.

I hated causing a scene and being a drama queen usually wasn’t on my radar. So I quietly slipped out of the den, found Jazz and Key, and asked them to walk me home. In front of the guys, I told them I got a headache and wanted to run home to grab some aspirin. The ladies told the guys they should start to get ready to bail so they could be out by the time Thrace’s parents got home. I scanned the room for Rafe and subtly waved good-bye. He looked puzzled but didn’t try to follow.

As the girls walked me home, I told them a brief version of the scene in the den. They were about as pissed as I was. Jazz remarked, “Why can’t he just accept you the way you are?”

Key seemed concerned, “Did he ever tell you what it was that he put in your drink?”

I just shook my head and said, “No. He was too busy making this all my fault. It probably had something to do with the cherry taste in my drink. It couldn’t be that strong because I’m still walking a straight line, and I only feel it a little.”

Jazz gave me a hard look as we reached my door. “If you don’t kick his ass for this, I will. I promise you.”

I laughed as I opened the door and remarked, “Well, without us there to clean up and herd everyone out for him, I think his parents are gonna suspect he had more than a few people over.”

Key hugged me and said, “Done and done. We’ll just call the boys to come pick us up here unless you want us to stick around for a girl’s night?”

I told her thank you, but no. I definitely needed a little ‘me time’ to process the latest drama.

Key dialed Tre and sweetly requested him to come pick her and Jazz up because my headache wasn’t going away. Tre and his friends dutifully arrived five minutes later.

Jazz announced, “We’re probably going to hang somewhere and watch a movie. You can come with.”

I smiled and reminded her, “No, I’ve got a headache, remember?”

It had only just turned 8:30 when they took off. I was less befuddled and more pissed, so I decided to go hit my bag around for a while. I changed into my workout clothes and threw my hair up in a ponytail. I put on my gloves and started to take my frustration out on the bag. I needed a clear head to decide what to do about Thrace’s latest stunt. I was in the middle of pouring out my frustrations and batting questions around in my head when someone said, “Knock. Knock.”

Rafe was leaning against the door jam looking way too yummy for a person who had been manning the grill all day long. His hazel eyes seemed to search my face to try to figure out what was going on. “Does this headache have a name?”

I smiled at his question, but kept hitting the bag as I replied, “I will give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.”

“What did he do?” Rafe asked in an understanding voice. “Or let me guess. Based on how you stood up after the game and Thrace fetching your drink, I’m assuming the cherry flavor was Sloe Gin and not grenadine.”

“What is Sloe Gin? And why didn’t you warn me if you knew,” I grumbled.

“Sloe Gin is kinda like schnapps, so not much alcohol, but it tastes like cherry. I didn’t realize what he did until you stood up all wobbly, and then you took off,” Rafe explained.

“Well that is one mystery solved. He wouldn’t tell me what he put in my drink. The last mystery is what I do about it.”

“It seems to me like you generally only have two options when you get in an argument with your boyfriend. Break up or forgive him. Which side are you leaning to?”

I sighed and looked at his tempting face, “It’s more complicated than that. Our parents are best friends, or at least our moms are. When he’s not acting like a flocker, he’s my best friend. I left the party so he would have to clean up his own mess, which he won’t. So he’s gonna get busted and grounded. He’s gonna blame me until I threaten to tell my dad how he slipped something in my drink. He will grovel a bit, and then we will be fine again until he pulls his next stunt. I just don’t know whether it’s worth it this time to forgive, or if there is anything to forgive because I am a control freak and an Ice Queen.”

“Calli, you do realize you guys are almost at the Dr. Phil level of drama with this latest stunt,” Rafe commented.

“Exactly. Had it been GHB or X, we could have been in one of those cheesy Health videos. I have spent so much of my life trying to get his attention that sometimes I lose my backbone.”

“You want me to knock some sense into him?” Rafe growled.

“You would have had to get in line this time. I just feel like now that he’s a senior, he wants things that I still can’t give him. Essentially, he wants the slutty party girl and that is not me. It’s never gonna be who I am. But, he will convince himself that is not what he wants, and he’ll persuade me. Then, we’ll be right back here a month from now when he does this again.”

“Why don’t you just agree not go to the same parties. Skip the ones he’s at and your problem is solved.”

“Maybe. He says he needs me at his friends’ parties to fend off the other girls, which unfortunately is true. Boys suck sometimes. Of course, I am gonna exclude you from that statement right now, and thank you for only kissing me on the cheek during the game of spin the bottle. You saved me a much bigger fight with that piece of chivalry,” I flashed him a grin.

“You have no idea how much that chivalry cost me,” he replied in a lofty manner.

“What? Your cred with the ladies blown all to hell because they found out you’re a ‘nice guy.’ Or did you have to fend off Siena for the rest of the night?” I teased.

“I
did
have to fight off Siena all day
and
night. You have no idea how badly I wanted to dip you back right in his face and kiss you for real after Thrace’s antics.”

“I’m glad you abstained from that one—it would have been ugly.”

“I promise you, the kiss would have been worth it, and you owe me not one but two kisses someday when you are free of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Rafe said in a husky tone as he took a step closer to me.

I looked at his golden brown hair, infectious smile, and dazzling hazel eyes and wished I could be that girl that said, “What are you waitin for,” or even “Sure.” I finally said with enough regret in my mixed message, “Rain check—if things don’t end up working out with Thrace, after an official mourning period, and then only if you convince me that you are not looking for Ms. Slutty Party Girl.”

Rafe shot me a devilish smile and promised, “I’m going to hold you to that rain check, Calli. Don’t worry about the rest. I’m only a junior. Only senior guys want Ms. Slutty Party Girl.”

I laughed and thanked him for that clarification. Finally, I told him I was ready to go in, take a shower, and then vent to my girl, Clio, who I definitely needed to call. He gallantly walked me to the door and gave me a body-melting hug with another tempting kiss on the cheek.

“Am I going to see you in class tomorrow or will you be there in the morning?” Rafe asked right before I shut the door.

“I am sleeping in tomorrow, Mr. Overachiever.”

He laughed back at me and his eyes met mine while he said, “Keep believing that is my motivation. Sweet dreams, Calli.” Well, he definitely had me beat for mixed messages—hands down, no contest.

After I showered and calmed down, I threw on my pjs before I called Clio to unburden my soul. Cinderella, Ariel, and Belle were not supposed to dump their Prince cause he was too boozy—that was
not
the ending!!! I knew my lifelong fairy tale that I built up in my head was too good to be true. I definitely needed Clio’s advice to sort this out. Although we only talk a couple times a month, our conversations tended to last about two hours. I filled her in on the evening, then backtracked and gave her the scoop on Rafe and his sudden appearance in my life. I finally asked her for advice about Thrace.