Exaltation (Insight #11)(44)

“Turn it up DJ! Whoop whoop!” Raven said into the echo of the room.

All at once loud music, that was the perfect, beat pounded through the room. The lights went down and the spotlights started their dance with the music.

The twins had skates now and they were soaring across the floor with the beat. Soren was spinning the girls, chasing them. They were trucking, in and out, backward skating. It was heaven to Raven.

The bad guys manifested then.

At first it was too easy because they were not on skates so rolling by and pulling that black smoke, their soul, was a breeze. But then they had skates, and they were good at skating—it became a war then. But it was a fun war. Music was playing, Raven was on wheels, and her best friends were there. Bad guys were evaporating. The Fun Bus had returned—Score! That’s how she felt just then.

***

Rydell was furious. Raven wasn’t at this party, or the rink. She was still under some shield, which was ridiculous. She was the one who’d came after him. Then again, it did back up his theory that this girl had no idea who she was or what she had done to him.

Dagen was sure the girls would show up to meet his boy eventually, so Rydell hung around, sat in his car, and watched the field party. Kids were drinking and lounging on the tops of their cars, waiting for a race to start. The energy was wild. Exaltation was swimming in the air. It was a sweet taste for the only reason these kids were looking for it was to have fun. It wasn’t the same with adults; their reasons always seemed more selfish, at the very least they were looking for some material power.

Rydell was leaned back in the front seat of the Trans Am, he was rebuilding for the hell of it, when Dagen walked over with his boy.

“You racing tonight?” Rydell asked him as he cocked his head up to look at him.

“Naw, man. I came in fourth last night. Not good enough to make it into the lineup tonight.”

“You made it off the starting line,” Dagen said as he playfully slugged him in the arm.

That heap of metal, that might as well have been towed to Rydell’s garage, was lucky to make it to fourth. Rydell kinda enjoyed working on Kade’s car. It wasn’t the same year and model he wrecked the night Raven was born, but close enough.

He clenched his fists. Where was she?

“I thought that’s why you invited your girl out here—to watch you race,” Dagen said. Rydell respected his roundabout way of interrogating people.

Kade shrugged. “Just wanted to hang with her.”

“Where is she?” Dagen asked.

“Not here, I don’t think. They usually make a grand entrance.”

“Meaning?” Dagen pushed.

“Meaning when three hot girls roll up in a Jeep, acting like they own the world, people pay attention.”

“Who was that guy who rode off with them last night?” Dagen asked.

“Skater boy? Soren. He’s all right. He’s always near them.”

“Is he into them?” Dagen asked with a lifted brow.

“You know, I don’t know. And he never boasts about it. I know he skates with all of them, Raven the most.”

Rydell gripped the steering wheel so hard he was sure it would crack at any second. That was another red flag he had a fever for this girl—insane jealously, like primal jealously.

“I think he’s hitting up Ash hard core now. Apparently they ended last night with some hot dance,” Kade added.

Good, Soren gets to live, Rydell thought to himself, then cursed himself for doing so.

“Give them a call. I wanted to introduce Rydell to them. Seems like there is one of them that’s not taken. We’ll flip a coin,” Dagen said with a wink to Rydell.

Rydell’s glare told him he was walking a dangerously thin line.

Dagen was still convinced that Raven had not put a fever on Rydell. He’d declared it hours before when the pair of them were walking the river just to be outside, and Rydell stopped to look at the lilies growing out of the mud.

Dagen slapped him on the shoulder and laughed a relieved laugh. Rydell had no idea what it was about and asked Dagen what the f*ck his problem was.

Dagen grinned. “Raven is not fierce enough for you, man.” When Rydell pointed out how fierce she had been thus far, Dagen shook his head. “You still look at these f*cking flowers like you miss someone.”

Right as he said that Rydell had an ache rip in his chest. He didn’t know why, didn’t care to know. He flipped off Dagen then vanished to check on his line.

Now here he was, at another dead end, having to listen to this Kade kid and Dagen go back and forth.

“Dude, that is not how you play the game,” Kade said. “I call her and I look like a lovesick pup. I stroll by her house tomorrow or Monday and act like I forgot I invited her and tell her about how awesome my weekend was, and I’m in the game.”

Rydell moved his head side to side, not believing this kid thought like that.

“Call her friend then, the one who’s not hooking up. Tell her you want to introduce us since this is our first year in this town.”

“Raven? Yeah right. Not happening,” Kade said.

Before Rydell could say anything Dagen halfway positioned himself between the pair, clearly trying to save the boy’s life.

“Why is that? You’re hurting our ego,” Dagen teased.

“Meant no foul. The girl will not sit still long enough for anyone to hit on her—on or off skates.”