Four Doors Down(53)

I turn back to Katie feeling a bit bewildered. “Please, Becca. I really need you. Pretty please?”

I sigh and shrug in defeat. “Yeah, I guess I’m free,” I say.

She claps her hands in victory and flashes her perfect teeth in a blinding smile. “Great. We’ll have so much fun.” I nod as Jake comes and stands beside me and I notice Ryan watching us with interest. “What about in the evening? Are you free then too?”

“I guess,” I reply lamely. I have no idea what I’ll be doing, but something tells me once Katie has decided she wants something, she gets it.

“So you’ll shop with me during the day and then hang with me that night?”

“Sure?”

A smug smile crosses her face and then she drops the bomb she’s been setting me up for. “Great, because that night I’m hosting a party at my parent’s place at the beach. There’s tons of space, everyone can stay over.” She raises an eyebrow. “We’re all going,” she says waving her hand around to include everyone in the vicinity and then stopping and pointing directly at Ryan, “and now so are you.”

My jaw falls open in surprise. She tricked me! I just stare at her speechless as Jake bursts into loud laughter next to me Katie grins triumphantly at me. She knew I’d never agree to go to a party with this crowd and conjured up that whole shopping scenario so that I wouldn’t know this is what she was after. Liking my style? I should have known! This is the “something else” she was talking about when I said I wouldn’t go to Jake’s party. The last thing I want to do is hang around these people all weekend. And why the hell would she want me there?

“I don’t think—I mean, I can’t,” I say backpedaling.

“But you just said you were free, didn’t you?” Katie asks sweetly, a mischievous grin on her face. She’s got me and she knows it.

I stand there in silence, trying to come up with something to say. I glance at Jake, who looks like he’s about to keel over from laughing. “Shut it,” I mutter at him. He throws his arm around me good-naturedly. “She’s got you there, McKenzie!”

“Oh come on, Becca,” Katie continues. “It’ll be fun. We’re not ogres. You can bring some friends if you want to. Sam’s really cool and some of the other girls you eat lunch with.”

I narrow my eyes at her. She doesn’t know what my other friend’s names are, but she’s smiling at me with such genuine hope that I can’t be mad at her. Apparently she really wants me to come.

“Can I bring Charlie?” I ask and I immediately hear stifled groans of annoyance from Jake next to me and some of Ryan’s other friends. Katie’s smile wavers just slightly.

“What?” I demand. “He’s my boyfriend. He’s a really nice guy.”

Katie glance over at Ryan, and I immediately know what this is about.

I whirl around to face Ryan. “You better not have been talking shit about him again Ryan!” I snap angrily.

Ryan shrugs. “Bring him along. Let everyone form their own opinion on your perfect boyfriend.”

“You have no right to talk about him. You don’t even know him.”

“Maybe he could bring his guitar and sing to us all?” he suggests mockingly.

“Stop it!”

“Just giving you my opinion, friend to friend,” he says sarcastically.

“I don’t care about your opinion and you are not my friend” I hiss back vehemently.

“What you getting so worked up about?” he asks smirking, trying to get a reaction out of me.

My blood boils. “YOU ARE SO ANNOYING!” I explode. “You have no right—” I stop suddenly, remembering we have an audience and glance around, embarrassed. Katie looks concerned, but most of the guys are snickering at my expense. Ryan’s grinning too, knowing he’s riled me up again. He’s made me look stupid for his friend’s amusement again. I am not going to make a public spectacle of myself. Well, at least not again.

I take a calming breath. “You know what? It’s fine. You’re entitled to your opinion,” I say, my voice back to its normal volume.

Ryan cocks an eyebrow at me, still smirking like an idiot. “Really? That’s very mature of you, McKenzie.”

“Isn’t it?” I reply, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I turn to leave, then face him again. “You can think whatever you want. I couldn’t care less about your opinion. You’re not even a blip on my radar.”

Something in his eyes flashes but he doesn’t reply.

“Stay out of my business, Ryan. And stay away from me,” I demand.

He nods at me and holds his hands up in defeat. “Hey, no problem. Well, at least for the next couple of hours, anyway.”

This stops me from moving. I look at him and the cocky look on his face tells me he knows something I don’t. My curiosity gets the better of my want to storm off. “What?” I ask after a pause.

He grins, knowing he’s winning whatever stupid fight we’re having now. “Didn’t you know? I’m coming over to your house tonight for dinner.”

My eyes blaze. He’s doing what? While it’s not unusual to see his mom over at our house, and even his dad every now and again, Ryan hasn’t been over in years as far as I know. “You’re what?”