Don't Even Think About It (19 page)

She was wearing black pants and a black blouse, and she was sitting at a table across the room.

Pi had spent the past week ducking in the hallway whenever the woman was near. We all had.

Pi pushed her chair back and snaked her way to the other side of the room. She wanted to get close enough to the woman to find out who she was and what she wanted, yet stay far enough away that the woman didn’t see her.

There were many people in her way. Pi struggled to get close enough to hear without being obvious and without being interrupted by random partygoers’ dumb internal and external thoughts.

Suzanna:
 … at least fifteen of them seem to have it …

“This party is the best!”

… I think Sadie forgot to wear a bra …

Suzanna:
 … eyes are definitely turning …

She was definitely referring to the Espies! She had to be!

… shouldn’t hug people when he’s so sweaty. It’s disgusting! …

“I love this song!”

“Why aren’t you dancing?”

… have some vodka in my purse …

… I think I just swallowed a toothpick …

Pi’s schoolmates were officially driving her crazy. She squeezed her way closer to the woman and heard:

At least we should have more of the antidote by Thursday.

Pi steadied herself on a table. Was the antidote for them? Would it get rid of the telepathy?

The woman turned around and saw Pi.
Why is she staring at me? Oh! Her eyes are purple! She’s one of them! If she’s one of them, she can hear me. Hello? You can hear me, can’t you?

Pi felt numb. Then, without thinking, she turned and ran out of the room.

*  *  *

Mackenzie was pretty sure it was the best party ever. Everyone was having a great time. The dance floor was packed. Even Olivia was dancing. Olivia! She’d never seen Olivia get down before, but there she was, partying it up.

“I am so sweaty,” Cooper said. “Am I smelly?”

“You are not,” Mackenzie murmured. “Trust me.”

I wish I could.
Cooper froze.

Mackenzie froze. She deserved that. She put her hand on his shoulder. “You will. Maybe not today. But you will.”

He looked into her eyes.
I hope so.

“Let’s get something to drink?”

He took her hand and they walked back to the bar.
I’m going to get over it. I’m going to get over it. I need her.

I need you,
she thought. “I’ll have a Diet Coke, please,” she told the bartender. “Coop? What do you want?”

Romy Brohman, Jordana’s mother, approached her. “Happy birthday, sweetie. I haven’t seen you in ages! You look all grown-up and gorgeous!”

“Thank you! Thank you for coming,” Mackenzie said. The woman’s cotton candy perfume was overwhelming and almost choked her.

The woman motioned to Cooper. “Is that your boyfriend?”

“He is. Cooper, do you know Romy? Jordana’s mom?”
We had our first kiss in her office.

“Of course,” he said. “How are you?”

“I haven’t seen you in years! You’re so handsome. You look just like your dad.” A smile danced on her lips.
I haven’t seen him in ages either. Since that time I bumped into him and his wife at Odeon. He was so smooth too. Considering our history.

Mackenzie bit her lip. She prayed Cooper hadn’t heard that.

Cooper’s eyes flashed. He had definitely heard.

“Cooper, let’s go dance,” Mackenzie snapped. She wanted him out of there before he heard anything worse.

His hand gripped his glass like he was trying to squeeze the life out of it. “Not yet. I have a few questions.” He was definitely not singing now. His voice was cold. “What exactly is your relationship with my dad, Romy?”

Romy’s eyes widened and she shrugged her thin shoulders.
Does he know about our affair?
“What do you mean?”

Cooper was about to blow. His face was turning red and it wasn’t from the colored strobe lights.

“Cooper, let’s get some air. Now.” Mackenzie yanked his arm, causing his Coke to splash over the edge of his glass and onto her dress. It didn’t matter. She needed to get him outside.

“I want to talk to her,” Cooper protested as she pulled him through the room.

“No, you don’t. You want to talk to your dad.”

“I want to punch my dad, not talk to him. Do you know what this means? The Chicago person isn’t even the first time he cheated. He’s such a bastard. I’m glad my mom’s divorcing him.”

He looked back at the bar, but the woman was now approaching Cooper’s parents.
I can only imagine what she’ll say. Or what she’ll be thinking about. What my dad will be thinking about. What my mom won’t know.

“I’m sorry,” Mackenzie said. She didn’t know what else to say.

I hate them all. I hate his father for being a dick, I hate Jordana’s mom for sleeping with him, and I hate his mom for divorcing him.

Mackenzie pulled open the door to the room and stepped into the hallway just as someone else was coming inside.

Bennett.

Mackenzie gasped.
Oh shit. Shit shit shit.

Cooper turned to her. “What?”

She looks hot. Even hotter than she did in that black bikini,
Bennett thought.

Cooper looked at Bennett and then back at Mackenzie.
Who is that?

Mackenzie didn’t want to say. She didn’t want to think. Didn’t want to move.

I guess that’s the boyfriend,
Bennett thought.

Shit, shit, shit.

“Is that him?” Cooper asked, his voice rising. “Bennett?”

“The one and only,” Bennett said.

Cooper’s fists tightened.
Are you freaking kidding me?

And then, surprising us all, he punched Bennett in the face.

*  *  *

Tess and Teddy were holding hands and on their way to get a drink when they ran into Sadie. Sadie, who was looking gorgeous.

She was wearing a loose silver dress and silver heels. Her hair wasn’t even done; it was just tied back. It screamed,
Look how pretty I am and I don’t even have to do anything.

Teddy stopped walking.
Sadie! And she’s alone.

Tess looked around for Keith but didn’t see him.

“Keith’s not coming,” Sadie said.
We broke up.

“You guys always break up,” Tess said, tightening her grip on Teddy’s arm.

“This time it’s for real.”
I just couldn’t stand kissing him anymore. Or listening to him
.
You know what I mean
. She looked at Tess meaningfully.

Tess did know what she meant. Because right then she was listening to Teddy.

She’s single? Does that mean there’s a chance for me?

He let go of Tess’s hand.

Tess couldn’t stand hearing Teddy think about Sadie right then.
She
was the one who was supposed to be with him. Tonight, Sadie was not getting in the way! Tess gave Sadie a look of desperation.

I’m not getting in the way,
Sadie thought back.
I don’t like Teddy!

But he likes you!

But I don’t like him! So it doesn’t matter! I’ll just walk away and you guys can be together!

I don’t want to be someone’s second choice!

Sadie shrugged.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to that.

Can you just go?

Sadie nodded. “I’ll see you guys later.” Before Teddy could react she disappeared into the crowd.

Now what?
Tess looked at Teddy.

Teddy looked back at Sadie.

It’s never going to happen with Sadie,
he thought.
But maybe … well, maybe Tess and I can … I don’t know. Tess is the best. We like so many of the same things. She gets me. Should I see where this is going?

Yes!
Tess almost screamed.
Yes, you should. Let’s see what happens.

Another slow song came on.

Her heart hammered in her chest and she tried not to think about what she was about to do. She was going to kiss someone she knew didn’t feel the way she did.

She hated the stupid telepathy. If she didn’t have it, then she would never have known Teddy had feelings for Sadie. They’d have had their dance and they’d be walking off into the sunset. She should just pretend that she hadn’t heard his thoughts. That was what she should do. They would kiss and to hell with Sadie. Who cared if Tess wasn’t his first choice?

“Let’s go dance again,” she said. She pulled him back onto the floor, and before she had a chance to think things through, she pulled him closer.

She smells good. Like vanilla,
she heard him think.
I should kiss her. No. Yes. No.

Yes. It’s a good idea. It’s a very good idea and it’s going to happen right now.
She pressed her body firmly against his. The music coursed through them both. It was going to happen. It was definitely going to happen.

The back of her head was against his neck, but she turned so she was facing him, facing his neck. If she opened her mouth, she could lick it. Not that she would lick his neck—that would be weird. But she opened her mouth a little so he could feel her breath.

His heart beat louder.
I should do it,
he thought.
Why not?

Exactly,
Tess thought.
Why not! Do it! Do it! You should do it!

Ever so slowly, he lowered his head down to hers. A second more and their lips would be touching.
Don’t think about it,
he thought.
Just do it.

She agreed a hundred percent. She closed her eyes, waiting.

His lips touched hers. Soft at first. She pressed back. So soft. She hadn’t expected his lips to be so soft. Sweet, even. It was weird to have known someone for so long, to know him so well, but not know what his lips felt like. To not know such an important part of him.

They were kissing, their lips opening and closing, so soft, so sweet, so gentle. It was all she had expected and nothing she had expected wrapped together in one feeling. It was everything.

When the song ended, he pulled back, blinking.

She was about to burst with happiness. “Hey,” she said shyly.

And then he thought,
I hope Sadie didn’t see.

Tess’s heart exploded.

*  *  *

Murmurs of a fight spread through the party and we all came to see what was going on.

“Cooper!” Mackenzie yelled as she watched Bennett go flying back.

“What the fuck?” Bennett yelled from the floor.

“What do you expect?” Cooper yelled. “You hook up with my girlfriend and then show up here and don’t expect me to punch you in the face? Are you an idiot?” Cooper was furious. He wanted to do more than hit the guy. He wanted to kick him. He wanted to kill him.

“I didn’t know you knew, asshole.” Bennett stood up and rubbed the side of his face.

Cooper lunged to hit him again.

Mackenzie grabbed his arm. “Stop it. What are you doing?”

“Why the fuck is he here? You invited him?”

“I invited him before!”

“Before what? Before you hooked up with him or before I found out?”

“Before … anyone found out.”
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have invited him. I don’t know why I did.

Cooper couldn’t take it anymore. “I picked out the invitations with you! I picked them out and then you sent one to him! What were you thinking?” He heard his voice crack.

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered.
Please, Cooper, not here.

“You’re always sorry. Just not sorry enough.”

To make things worse, that was when Cooper’s mother and father walked over to them, looking stern.

“Cooper, what’s going on?” his dad asked.

“Are you fucking serious?” he yelled. He knew he was losing it. He knew, but he couldn’t stop. He felt like the Hulk just as he was about to turn green. “I’ll tell you what’s going on!”

Mackenzie grabbed his arm. “Cooper! Stop it!”

“Calm down,” his father said.
What the hell is wrong with him?

“Nothing is wrong with
me.
Something’s wrong with all of
you.
I don’t want to calm down. I want everyone else to stop being such fucking liars.”

Is he drunk?
his mother worried.

“No, Mom, I am not drunk. I am pissed off. At this jerkoff for showing up. At Dad for screwing Jordana’s mother and some woman in Chicago. And at you for calling a divorce lawyer. Although Dad definitely deserves it.”

His mom gasped.

We all gasped.

His dad shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do. I know what’s going on. Mackenzie knows what’s going on. Everyone in this whole fucking room knows what’s going on, because we can hear everything you’re all thinking.”

Shit.

Uh-oh.

Here we go.

He’s definitely drunk.

Everyone at the party who wasn’t us looked around in confusion.

“I think he’s high,” one of the party guests said. “Do you see his eyes? They look weird.”

Nick and Isaac came up beside him. “Hey, man, let’s go outside and get some air, okay?”

Cooper looked around at all of us. And then he deflated like a popped balloon.

Mackenzie reached out to try to touch him, but he stepped back. “No. Everyone leave me alone.”

He pushed his way through everyone and into the stairwell. He ran down the one flight and ended up in the hotel lobby. He stood still for a minute trying to calm down. No one even wanted to hear what he had to say. No one cared. His father had practically dismissed him.