Page 62 of A Perfect World
“Um, hi,” Serina said, giving a tiny wave. “Thanks for coming with us.”
Ollie cocked his head, studying her.
Jack flashed her an apologetic look. “Don’t mind him, he’s kind of sour, but I promise he’s sweet and chewy inside- maybe not chewy. Anyway, welcome to the Band of Merry Mutants!”
Serina nodded along with wide, confused eyes. Miranda shook her head, brunette curls dancing over her shoulders. My grumpy boyfriend glared at Jack, leaving the confused blond to shift awkwardly from foot to foot.
I stepped forward. “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Courtney.”
Her eyes lit up, flashing a bright smile. “Serina,” she said, grasping my hand in both of hers. Her skin shimmered for a moment, and she giggled. “Sorry, the glow comes out when I’m nervous. It’s sort of like a defense mechanism.”
“The glow?” Ollie asked, intense gaze trained on Serina’s hands holding mine.
She released me immediately, stepping back as if sensing the unspoken threat.
“That’s what I’ve always called it,” she said, blushing as she looked at her best friend. Miranda nodded in encouragement. “It only really works if someone is attracted to me. Otherwise, it just gives people migraines.”
Jack bent over her shoulder, scrutinizing her skin. He poked her. “What’s it do?”
She laughed nervously. Miranda yanked her twin away. He stumbled, cursing her. “She’s a person, asshole, don’t poke at her like one of the rare lizards you collected in middle school.”
“They happened to like those pokes,” he snapped back.
Ollie’s lips twitched. I rolled my eyes, unable to fight a laugh.
The tension in Serina’s shoulder eased a little.
“It’s kind of like hypnosis, but it only lasts while the glow is out,” she explained. “Miranda compared it to a siren and I thought that sounded pretty cool.”
Jack whistled. “An ancient Greek myth on the team? Shit, that’s like scoring a holographic Pokémon card.”
Serina gasped, “Oh can I be a water type? I mean sirens are commonly depicted as mermaids.”
“Fuck yea.” Jack beamed.
Ollie, Miranda and I stared at the two of them in stunned silence.
“Right,” Miranda drawled. “Can we get this show on the road now?”
The group of us headed towards the thumping base emanating from the AEP house at the end of the street. Surrounded by Jack and Serina’s animated babbling, Miranda’s sassy remarks and Ollie’s reserved presence, the heaviness of earlier lifted.
I was lighter than air.
30
Ollie
Withinthefirstminuteof crossing the threshold into the AEP house, I stepped in a sticky, questionable puddle, had my ass grabbed by some drunk bitch and spotted a group snorting tempting lines off a coffee table.
I wanted to get the fuck out of there.
Unfortunately, we had a mission to accomplish.
Miranda allowed me into her head to see the face of the suspicious guy and I passed it around in their minds, aside from Courtney, to aid their search. We split up: Jack to the back half of the house, Miranda and Serina upstairs where the crowd was thinnest and Courtney with me near the stairs- the perfect vantage point to scan the main hoard of partiers. Everyone was instructed to attack first, ask questions later. Whoever found the bastard first was to detain him in one of the bedrooms and text the group.
The plan was simple enough. The cleanup would be the messy part.
An arm slung around my shoulders, shooting me into defensive mode-
