Going Down in Flames (Going Down in Flames #1)(61)

Poor girl. “From one controlling male to another.”

By the time Garret was ready to start the race, there were dragons of every color waiting for the whistle.

“When you reach the finish line, be careful. There are only a few yards between yourself and the next dragon. Loop up like Bryn did, or use your wings to slow down. If you do anything fancy, you’ll run into your neighbor,” Garret said.

Keegan stood to Bryn’s left and Rhianna to her right. The whistle blew. Bryn took off, keeping her altitude low. Keegan fell behind first. Rhianna kept close. Bryn pushed hard at the end and shot straight up toward the ceiling. Rather than doing multiple loops, she used her wings to slow her flight. There was less clear space to land since so many people were near Garrett. She did her best to land softly, but stumble-stepped a few times before she could shift.

Garret didn’t seem to notice. He looked beside himself.

“How’d we do?” Bryn asked.

“You won by four seconds. Guess who came in second?”

“Keegan?”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Keegan said between panted breaths. “But I can’t keep up with you.”

“Did you have fun?” Bryn asked.

He nodded as he leaned forward and continued to catch his breath.

“Rhianna came in second, and Jaxon came in third.” Garret smirked.

Bryn turned to find Rhianna beaming. “Look at you.”

“That was so much fun.” She jumped up and down.

Bryn grinned and sidled closer. “How badly do you want to taunt Jaxon?”

“That wouldn’t be wise.” Rhianna ducked her head and laughed.

“Hey, Bryn,” Keegan said.

She faced him. “Yeah?”

“Some friends and I are going to Dragon’s Bluff for a late lunch today. Want to come?”

Keegan was much easier to be around than Zavien. He treated her like an equal, and he looked good in a sweaty T-shirt. “Sure.”

“Good.” He grimaced. “We’re taking the shuttle bus because my legs are killing me.”

She didn’t bother hiding her laughter.

Bryn sat out the third race, chatting with Keegan and his friends about lunch.

“It’s either Italian food at Fonzoli’s or burgers at Snacks Galore. Can you be ready in thirty minutes, or are you high maintenance?” Keegan asked.

“I can be ready in fifteen minutes.”

“I need thirty minutes,” one of the Red females said. “My hair takes forever to dry.”

“Cut it short,” Bryn said.

“No.” The Red male by her side reached out and ran his fingers through the girl’s thick, auburn hair. “That’s a terrible idea.”

The girl frowned at him.

“I love your hair.” Adoration was clear in his voice.

The girl leaned into him.

Keegan coughed. “Let’s get moving before he starts spouting poetry.”

The other boy punched Keegan on the arm.

Bryn was used to this sort of physical play. It felt comfortable.

After a quick shower, she dressed in her nicest pairs of jeans and a green V-necked shirt. Using Quintessence, she darkened her lips and cheeks.

Keegan and his friends waited at the shuttle stop. When he saw her approaching, his smile widened. He stepped back and made room for her in his circle of friends. On the shuttle ride, they talked about classes while everyone around them discussed the dance.

“Let’s go to Snack’s Galore,” one of the girls said. “I want caramel corn.”

The shop was busy, so they crowded six chairs around a table. Bryn and Keegan kept bumping arms. After the first few times, they stopped apologizing.

“What’s it like to be so fast?” Keegan asked.

“It’s fantastic. I love flying. There’s something about it that’s so—”

“Freeing?” He finished her thought.

“Exactly.” She was glad he understood. Did all dragons feel that way?

“Plus, you get to beat Jaxon at something after he’s been such a dick.”

Bryn tossed a piece of warm caramel corn in her mouth. “There is that.”

After lunch, they browsed in a sporting goods store. Bryn checked out yoga clothes while Keegan examined a weight rack. Footsteps sounded behind her. She turned, expecting to find Keegan. The sight of Jaxon threw her off guard.

“He won’t ask you,” Jaxon said in a smug tone.

“Excuse me?”

“Keegan won’t ask you to the dance.”

She knew he was trying to annoy her, but that didn’t stop it from working. “Why are you bothering me?”

He placed his hands in his front pockets. “He might want to hook up with you, but he won’t ask you—”

“Stop saying that,” she growled.

“I’m trying to give you a little helpful advice.”

Her temper spiked. “As if you’d ever try to help me. If I were bleeding to death in the middle of the road, I’d expect you to walk by and applaud. Don’t tell me you’re trying to be helpful.”

“Believe what you will.” He turned and walked off.

Fists clenched, she stood in the aisle, fuming. Smoke flowed from her nostrils while she mentally called Jaxon every vile name she knew.