The Merciless (The Merciless #1)(17)

“What?” I shout.

He grins back at me, and even in the dark I notice the dimple in his cheek. Pushing the hair from my neck, he leans in close enough that his breath warms my skin.

“It’s loud,” he says. “Wanna go outside?”

“Sure.”

Charlie takes my hand, and we head for the back of the apartment to a smudged sliding glass door. I crack open my soda as Charlie pushes through the door and we slip outside. Cold air rushes to greet me, and I shiver, almost glad the can is warm, even if the soda tastes terrible.

“You seem to be the only other person here not trying to get completely hammered,” Charlie says once we’ve left the pounding music behind.

“I’m not a big drinker,” I say. Charlie nods.

“Me neither.” He smiles at me again, that dimple appearing in his cheek. My stomach flips.

“I’m glad you’re here. I don’t really know anyone else.” Charlie glances around at the kids sprawled on lawn chairs and hovering near the apartment door. At first I don’t recognize any of them, either, but then I spot Tom wearing a backward baseball cap. He leans forward, passing his cigarette to a cute girl with black dreadlocks and thick glasses. The girl giggles at something he says, then leans in to kiss him. I cringe. Grace would be devastated.

Charlie sees him, too. “I know Tom, I guess. But he’s been preoccupied. Josh said he was coming, but I haven’t seen him. And now I know you.”

“Josh is coming to this party?” I didn’t think this was Josh’s scene—he seems so preppy, like Riley. Charlie shrugs.

I glance around at the patchy grass and dirty white lawn chairs. Beyond them, I see the outlines of a slide, a swing set, and what I assume is a pool surrounded by high wooden fencing. Despite the cold weather, I hear giggling and splashing.

A smile creeps across my face. I pull on Charlie’s sleeve. “Come on. I have a plan.”

“Are we going swimming?” Charlie asks when I start to lead him toward the pool.

“It’s, like, fifty degrees out!” I pull my sweatshirt tighter around my shoulders. “Besides, I don’t have a suit.”

”Why should that stop you?”

I groan and push him toward the slide instead. The playground equipment is made of that old steel that isn’t used at schools anymore, because people are afraid kids will impale themselves on the sharp metal while playing. I approach the slide hesitantly and test the bottom ladder rung to make sure it’ll hold my weight.

“Are you serious?” Charlie says. I raise an eyebrow in challenge.

“It’s either the slide with me, or you go back to the party to hang out with people who don’t even remember their names. Your choice.”

Charlie purses his lips, pretending to think this over. “Which people, exactly?”

I pick up a rock and threaten to throw it at him, and he raises his hands in surrender, laughing. “Kidding, kidding.” He jogs to the bottom of the slide and crouches down. “Okay, go. I’ll catch you.”

“I don’t need you to catch me,” I say. I set my soda down on the ground and climb up the ladder, perching on top of the slide. Charlie grins.

“Of course you do.” He grabs the sides of the slide with both hands and shakes, causing the entire thing to rattle. “This thing is a death trap.”

Despite the coolness of the night, the metal is warm beneath my hands. I push myself down, and as I start to gather speed, I shriek. Charlie grabs my shoulders before I hit the dirt and holds me steady.

“You okay?” he asks. He actually looks concerned. “I can’t believe they let kids on that thing.”

“Your turn,” I say, pushing myself back to my feet.

Charlie grins and races around to the ladder. The entire slide rocks as he climbs, the metal creaking so badly I’m convinced it’s about to fall apart.

“Shit,” Charlie says as he settles at the top. “Now I have so much more respect for you for going first.”

“Well, I’m a rebel.”

“Here goes nothing.” Charlie pushes off and shoots down the slide. Somewhere along the way he goes into warp speed, and then he’s not sliding anymore—he’s flying—and I can’t move out of the way before he tumbles into me. We both roll backward, hitting the dirt in a tangle of limbs.

“I’m so sorry,” he says, pushing himself onto an elbow. He doesn’t roll off me right away. “Did I break you?”

“No.” I keep my arms still because I don’t trust myself not to grab his sweatshirt and pull him even closer. I clear my throat. “You’re . . . fine.”

Charlie tilts his head, and I wonder if he can tell what I’m thinking. “I’m really glad you’re here, Sofia,” he says.

“Yeah, well, I did break your fall,” I say. He still doesn’t move away from me. He brushes a curl off my forehead and shakes his head like I’m missing something.

“It’s not just that. I’m glad to see you.”

The night instantly grows ten degrees warmer. “Why?”

“You’re joking, right?” Charlie eyes lose focus. He’s about to kiss me. I inhale, hoping the warm soda hasn’t made my mouth taste gross. But he just runs his thumb along my jaw, tracing from my ear to my chin, like he’s memorizing my face.