When we got to the gas station, the sight was almost unbelievable. Twenty different cars were parked in the back lot and people were milling around. Bags were on the ground, some were being strapped on top of other cars, and then I caught sight of Adam's car. He had parked in the far corner, away from the frenzy. When Logan parked, I hopped out, but he hollered at me, "Don't go too far."
I turned around and kept walking backwards. "You aren't actually my big brother, you know."
He flashed me blinding smile. "Not my intent, Sam, not my intent."
I frowned and opened my mouth to ask what he meant, but he was pulled away by two of his friends. The smell of booze was ripe in the air and I knew the festivities had already started. As I got to Adam's car, Becky yelled my name and I turned around. She had two plastic bags in her hands and she ran the rest of the way from the station.
When she got to me, she started to jump up and down. Her hair bounced with her. "I'm so excited for this! You can't even believe me."
I grinned at the sight.
"My giddy radar exploded at the top. I had to beg my mom to let me come. She almost didn't, but I told her I'd do dishes for the rest of the year. I'm not sure if that was a good idea, but I don't care right now." She dropped both bags on the floor and grabbed my shoulders as she started to bounce around me. "I don't care if I look stupid. I'm so excited, so excited."
Adam's car door opened and he stood up. He was watching her with wary eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "You wouldn't be able to believe the sight I found when I went to her house. I swear the entire place had been thrown around. It looked like a hundred raccoons stormed through it."
She kept giggling and her eyes got bigger. "I don't know what I'm more excited about, the cabin, that it's a Kade party, or that we got invited and not Lydia and Jessica!"
"Yeah," I had to admit. "There is that." I glanced at Adam. "Your parents let you come?"
The small smile he'd had was wiped clean. His shoulders stiffened and I saw how his jaw clenched together. "They don't have much say in me anymore."
I was about to ask what had happened, when Becky gasped and stopped bouncing.
I closed my eyes. Oh no. It'd been too good to be true. A sense of doom filled me and I turned…
Becky's mouth dropped and she pointed over my shoulder. "Look!"
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Jessica, Lydia, Jill…and Ashley Decortts piled out of a car. Each of them had different expressions on their face, but none could hide their own excitement.
The ground fell out from beneath me. If they went, I wasn't. Bottom line.
At that moment, Mason's Escalade breezed to a halt. He parked beside Adam's car and when he got out beside me, he saw my face. "What is it?"
I nodded at them. "If they go, I'm not."
He followed my gaze and shrugged. "Consider it done." Then he nodded at Nate, whose grin couldn't be wiped off his face as he went in search for Logan. Mason stood next to me, but I couldn't look away from what was happening. Nate found Logan and the two bent their heads together for a second. Logan's head snapped up and he found me instantly. An evil grin came to his face and he snapped his fingers before he gestured to their car.
"Get 'em out," he hollered.
"No, no, no..." Jessica, Lydia, Jill and Ashley all started to shake their heads and hold their hands up in surrender. It didn't matter. They were ushered out of there in record time. One of the guys pounded on top of the car. Jill poked her head out and snarled at them, but the guys started laughing and chucking bottles at them. Garbage was thrown next. They hurried to raise their windows, but it didn't matter. Someone threw paint inside. Jessica was drenched and Lydia screamed from the back.
"Get out of here!" Jessica screeched at the top of her lungs.
Their car was soon out of there, but I couldn't look away. A tension had taken hold of me. Its grip was so tight, so powerful. I couldn't believe what had almost happened, what had just happened…because of me.
"Happy?" Mason asked in a quiet voice.
I jerked my head up and realized he had remained close the whole time. The rest of his car had vacated.
"Yeah." I nodded my head abruptly.
"You sure?"
He was so close. I felt his breath on me and it teased me. That same tingle started back, nagging me. It wouldn't go away… I shook my head. It had to go away. There was no other way.
"Sam?"
I choked out, "I'm fine." And I swung away. I needed to get away from him, from how he could pull me in, how I wanted him to pull me in.
Hell, I wanted to pull him in.
I closed my eyes, but Mason stepped back then. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. Goodness. I wanted to jump him right there and when I opened my eyes, under heavy eyelids, I saw he wanted the same thing. His eyes were dark with desire, but then he closed his eyes. As he opened them, he wore a mask once again. He was in control and he gave me a half grin. "I want your car behind mine or Logan's, okay?"
I nodded.
He nodded at Adam. "You got that?"
Adam gave him a nod from across the top of his car, with an unreadable gaze.
Mason narrowed his eyes and held his stare for a second. Neither said a word, but I knew there was some form of message shared between the two. The heated look was broken when a small girl with brown curly hair approached from around the side of Mason's car. She had bright almond eyes, a timid smile, and a white sweater that engulfed her.