CHAPTER 5

Initially they were going to take Lauren’s car, but Keegan’s father offered to drive them. Keegan didn’t know if it was because he was worried they would drink or he just really wanted to do something for his daughter. He dropped them off, fashionably late, of course. By the time they arrived, the party was in full swing.

Patrick’s house was in a big suburban neighborhood. It was a nice two story brick Colonial with lovely landscaping and enough space between the houses to justify a party. All the windows were alight and the solid thump thump of the music’s bass could be heard from the sidewalk.

When they walked through the door the first thing they saw was Patrick, obviously drunk and with his arm around some blond chick. He saw the girls walk in and sauntered over to them, leaving the blond pouting.

“You guys are going to catch this house on fire,” he said loudly, throwing his arms around Keegan and Lauren’s necks. The blond chick did not appear to be thrilled by the statement, her glare speaking volumes down the hallway.

Lauren and Anna looked at Keegan who just rolled her eyes, grabbed them by their arms and pushed past Patrick. He was officially off her list.

The speed at which Lauren found Josh was astonishing. No sooner had they found the mass of the party dancing in the living room then the two of them were off making out in a corner.

The music was blaring too loud for conversation. The room smelled like liquor and sweat as partygoers rubbed against one another in the dimly lit room. One of Keegan’s favorite songs came on, so she grabbed Anna and they went out and lost themselves on the dance floor.

Halfway through the song, Patrick danced his way onto the floor and screamed over the music, “Hey, I thought you were coming here to see me?”

Shooting him a disgusted look, Keegan turned away and pulled Anna further across the room. Guys are such jerks. She couldn’t wait until she turned 18 and didn’t have to deal with them any longer. She wondered what Rourk was doing at that very moment and whether he might have been at a party with a girl.

***

Why is she doing this to me? Rourk moaned inwardly. She seemed to be thinking of him often these days. It was driving him crazy.

He was playing “Left for Dead” on his Xbox 360 and the urge to throw his controller at the wall was mindless. He tried to continue slaying zombies but couldn’t stay focused. Frustrated, he tossed down the controller and got to his feet, just like a puppy dog obeying its master. At least, that’s what he felt like.

He closed his eyes to get a grasp on where she was. He liked the hunt and tried to figure out her location from her surroundings. Grabbing his car keys, he headed for the truck and set off in search of her.

The house was so loud he could hear the music from a block away. Once he was in front of the house, he closed his eyes but didn’t like what he saw. What is she doing at a place like this? he thought. There are so many drunk kids acting like fools, and she’s dancing like she doesn’t have a care in the world.

Rourk watched as a blond kid approached Keegan. The kid was obviously drunk, and it appeared he was trying to get her to dance with him but she turned away. The kid grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around, causing anger to surge up inside Rourk. When she pushed the kid away again, it was none too gently, and Rourk didn’t bother to suppress the smirk on his face.

Next, an orange-haired lanky boy approached her. She looked excited to see him. He started dancing with Keegan and her friends, but Rourk wasn’t sure if the kid was really dancing or just playing around; he looked like an imbecile. Unfortunately, he could tell Keegan liked the guy just from the look on her face.

His heart slammed in his chest and adrenaline raced through him. He couldn’t stand the thought of Keegan having a crush on someone. There was no getting over the effect the girl had on him. Even with all his training, he was not prepared for the feelings she evoked in him. Turn and leave, he kept telling himself, but his legs wouldn’t cooperate. He was captivated by her, and not just by her beauty; there was something more.

***

Keegan was relieved to see Donald approach them. She was getting sick of Patrick constantly annoying her with his disgusting beer breath and too-friendly hands. She smiled as Donald danced up to her and Anna.

“Where did you learn to dance, Donald?” she said, trying to suppress the giggles his gyrating instilled in her.

He grinned broadly, his chest puffing out like a rooster as his hips shook. “On TV, I practice at home in front of the mirror.”

Keegan laughed. She never quite knew if he was being serious or just trying to make them laugh, but he was dancing like a crazy person and she seriously hoped he was messing around.

Keegan noticed Anna had left her for Xavier, and they were deep in conversation in the corner of the room. In the meantime, Spencer and Sam approached her and Donald and they all danced together.

Keegan yelled in Spencer’s ear. “Does Donald know he dances like a crazy person?”

Spencer laughed, “The insane thing is he really thinks he’s a good dancer.”

They glanced over at Donald; he had sweat pouring down his face. He was dancing away not paying attention to anyone. They all shook their heads and laughed.

The guys eventually moved on trying to flirt with other girls at the party.

Keegan felt left out. Lauren and Josh were still in the same spot, lips locked, while Anna was flirting relentlessly with Xavier on the couch. She wanted to leave, but knew she couldn’t without the others. Gazing around at everyone, Keegan felt like they were all having more fun than her so she decided to go outside and get some fresh air.

Keegan stepped outside into the still night, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. The porch was empty, the single lamp of the porchlight illuminating the white railing and the mismatched furniture. She leaned her elbows on the railing, taking a deep breath. Someone in the neighborhood had a fireplace going; the smell of burning wood filled the air. Keegan squinted out into the street, the light at her back inhibiting her from seeing very far, and noticed someone standing across the street. She couldn’t make him out because of the glare from the street lights, but it was obviously a man. Instead of being chilled by a stranger watching her, she had an odd urge to walk over and talk to him, but she knew she couldn’t do that; her father would kill her if she talked to a stranger in the middle of the night. Why is he just standing there? She wondered.

***

Rourk couldn’t believe it when she walked out the door. The light of the porch gave her a kind of halo as she gazed out across the street, her auburn hair like fire when lit from behind. She looked amazing in the dress she had chosen for the party; her bare shoulder was delicate and pale. When she kept looking in his direction, his heartbeat sped. It was the closest he’d ever been to her and he wondered why she was outside all alone by herself at night. Didn’t she know it wasn’t safe?

As if she could read his mind, Keegan turned around and went back inside the house. Thinking of the blond boy, Rourk thought maybe she would have been safer outside. This is getting ridiculous, he told himself. He needed to stay away from her. He couldn’t keep stalking her for another two years. Rourk found some relief in knowing he would be 18 in less than a year and then he could follow in his father’s footsteps and join the military. He needed to be away from her until it was time to meet—seeing her like this couldn’t be healthy.

***

The girls called Keegan’s Aunt Katrina to pick them up. They each had a couple of drinks and Keegan didn’t feel like listening to her parents’ lectures. Plus, Aunt Kat was cool. She had an open-call policy. If they were ever in trouble or just needed a ride home, they could call anytime day or night. As long as they were not in danger, she would not tell anyone’s parents. Katrina was a terrible liar and Keegan was convinced her mom knew every time.

Kat was a mind reader so she always knew if the girls had done anything majorly bad. She pulled up in her dark green Subaru Outback and had Cash Cash blaring. The girls piled in the car, talking a mile a minute.

“I love picking you guys up,” Aunt Kat said. “It reminds me of all my crazy times as a teen. Of course, you guys are mild compared to me and Keegan’s mother.”

The girls laughed, the three of them piled in the backseat together.

“I doubt my mom was all that crazy,” Keegan said.

Kat smirked as she pulled away from the curb. “Oh, you’d be surprised.”

“Tell us some stories.”

“No way, I keep your secrets and I’ll keep hers as well,” Kat said sternly, her eyes twinkling at them in the rearview mirror.

Kat pulled into the driveway at Keegan’s and said, “Hey Anna, maybe you should get it over with and put the moves on Xavier and see what happens.”

Anna’s mouth gaped open. “There is something funny about you, Kat. I was just thinking the same thing.”

Kat just gave her a mysterious smile. “Get out of here. Have a good sleepover, and I’m glad you called. It makes my day when I can help you guys.”

The girls blew kisses to her as they ran up the doorstep.

The next day everyone headed home at lunchtime. Keegan was already dreading the rest of the afternoon. Today would begin her training with her brother, and she was not looking forward to getting her butt kicked by a twelve-year-old.