Cloud Walking (Find You in the Dark #1.5)(3)
Author: A. Meredith Walters

It was really annoying. Mostly because Maggie wasn’t the type of girl to go on and on about some guy she liked. I didn’t like the minute changes I was seeing in her. Or maybe I just never saw this side of her before. Whatever it was, it was just plain weird.

Plus this guy, Clay, seemed like a f**king nut. What person comes to a new school and refuses to talk to anyone? I understood people could be shy. But he kind of freaked me out. He had this intense, angry vibe that bugged me. But obviously, Maggie didn’t get the same vibe from him that I did, because whenever she saw him, this is what happened.

I put my hand in the center of her back and gave her a push. She stumbled forward and glared at me over her shoulder. “Watch it,” she growled. I waved her forward.

“Well if you wouldn’t take up the whole sidewalk while you drooled over the new guy, I wouldn’t have to,” I pointed out. She gave me the middle finger but kept on walking. Though I noticed her glancing his way a few more times until he finally got into his car and pulled out of the parking lot.

When we finally reached our respective vehicles, we stopped. “So, you coming?” Maggie asked, throwing her bag into the ugliest car I had ever seen.

“Is this piece of crap still running? Wait…is that duct tape holding the side mirror on? You’ve got to be kidding me!” I teased, smirking at her.

Maggie muttered something under her breath that definitely sounded like f**king ass face. I never missed an opportunity to mess with her about the junk heap she drove. Probably because she had been ridiculously stubborn when she bought it. I had told her it was a pile of garbage and wouldn’t last six months. Her dad had encouraged her to shop around. But she had refused, saying she knew a good deal when she saw it. And what had happened?

Oh yeah, it had fallen apart.

And I was never one to pass up on an “I told you so” moment.

I flicked the mirror with my finger and laughed as it wobbled. I can’t believe she actually drove around in that thing. Rachel nudged me with her elbow and shot me a look that said, shut the hell up. I rolled my eyes. Rachel was the natural mediator in our group. Even if lately, it was she and I that could use the mediating.

“If you’re going to be a dick, you can move along, Danny,” Maggie growled, crossing her arms over her chest. I pulled on her rigid arm until she relaxed.

“I’ll keep my dickishness to a minimum. Promise.” I held my hands up in mock surrender. The girls each gave me an exasperated sigh but it was followed by smiles. I loved these chicks. They kept me in line. And I didn’t know what I’d do without them. There were many times when I felt like they were the only things keeping me together.

Particularly after my parents had gotten a divorce two years ago and my mom started shacking up with her boss. That had been a brutal period in my life. Rachel and Maggie had made sure I was okay in the way only they could. It was a nice feeling to know you were loved like that.

“Okay, we’ll see you at Maggie’s in five,” Rachel said, moving around to her car. I watched her walk away, a cute grin on her face. Shit. How was I going to disappoint her? Then as if on cue, my phone beeped in my pocket.

I pulled it out and saw it was a text from Kylie.

My parents are gone until tonight. Wanna come over ?

My groin tightened in anticipation. I looked up at my friends. Rachel was talking to Maggie and she looked all smiley and happy. I was already planning to blow her off tomorrow. I couldn’t go uber ass**le and do it two days in a row. So even though my dick would complain about it later, I declined the invite, telling Kylie I’d call her in the morning.

And what does she text back? Fine. Logan wanted to come over anyway. I could practically feel the bitchiness from here.

I grit my teeth. Logan Helsley was Kylie’s fallback guy. The guy she used to make me jealous. Kylie was seriously immature when she didn’t get her way. I recognized the manipulation for what it was. And for once, I wasn’t having it. So I ignored the text and stuffed my phone in my pocket. If she wanted to play that game, she could have at it. I was going to purposefully sideline myself from the game.

Getting into my truck, I watched Rachel climb into her Volkswagen Bug. The skirt hiked up her thigh and I couldn’t stop myself from watching the way her leg muscle flexed as she swung inside the car. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and I was finding it strangely hard to breathe.

Rubbing my hands over my face, I tried to stop the buzzing in my head. Pulling out of the car lot and following my friends, I wondered what the hell I was doing with Kylie at all.

Chapter Three

~Rachel~

Daniel was trying to steal M&Ms from the bowl I was holding and I was making a show of holding them away from him. He growled and lunged for them again as I slowly dropped a few in my mouth. “You are a serious tease, Rachel Bradfield.” He sighed, choosing to steal one of Maggie’s chips instead.

I rolled my eyes and gave him a handful of chocolate, which he took with a big smile on his face. I always gave into Daniel Lowe. He knew it. I knew it. One day it would be my undoing.

Maggie was downloading a bunch of new music onto her computer, while I was painting my toenails. Daniel was lying on Maggie’s bed, flipping through a magazine. It was the perfect Friday afternoon. There was nowhere in the world I’d rather be than with the two people in this room. If I could freeze time in this exact moment, I would. Because sooner or later, things would change. Daniel would go back to being the pretentious, self-serving butt that he’d become as of late and Maggie would start obsessing over the new kid again. And I would be good ol’ Rachel. The girl no one looked at twice but everyone felt they could walk over. It was my role in life. Whether I wanted it to be or not.

I could taste the momentum shift in our tiny group. And I hated it. But for now, it was like it always had been. The three of us, comfortable together.

“So, Rach,” Daniel said suddenly, sitting up on the bed. Maggie looked up at him from the computer screen, her brows knitted together. I didn’t like the expression on either of their faces. So I knew I was about to be blown off.

I arched my eyebrow in Danny’s direction, but otherwise didn’t say anything. Daniel cleared his throat and I could tell he was struggling with something he needed to say. So much for the lack of discomfort. I watched our easy good time float right out the window.

“About the movie tomorrow. Can we rain check?” he asked, not meeting my eyes. Normally, I would let him off the hook without a second thought. Of course, he could rain check. I had never been able to say no to him. It was like a disease where my mouth and mind were unable to formulate any thoughts but those that would make his life easier.