Killer Teens

Party Animals

Jason’s POV

I just told Kate to call him so he’d chill. I did not want to go on another double date with that psycho.

It wasn’t necessary. Why did Kate have to agree to it? I really don’t get it. So what if he seemed suicidal? We already knew the guy had issues. Us going through the miserable process again isn’t going to help him any. 

My day has gone from bad to worse—running into Milo, world’s biggest douche bag, didn’t help, either.

“Stop stressing, Jase,” Brooke tells me, massaging my shoulders in a way that feels way too good. “It’s not like last time. It’s a party.”

That’s true. Instead of dealing with awkward dinner talk, we told Kate to bring Cole to our friend’s party. It isn’t Kate’s style, but at least she won’t have to be with him the entire time; this way she’ll have an excuse to mingle with other people. As for me, well, this kind of party is right up my alley—especially with Brooke as my date.

There’s nothing like being Brooke’s date at a party. She’s never been the It Girl as far as popularity is concerned, but she is as far as guys are. It used to bug me, but now that I know how loyal she is, I don’t mind. It’s nice to have every guy in the room be jealous of me. She dresses the best, looks the best, and dances the best. Besides, she’s more into me than ever at parties.

“I just hope he doesn’t freak out again,” I tell her. “I want you to myself tonight, babe. Don’t rescue Kate the whole night.” I’m tired of hanging out with Kate and Brooke together; Brooke worries way too much about Kate. I want her to myself.

Because, as much as I hate it, I love her.

Okay, I don’t hate it. It’s actually the best thing for me. Except for the one thing that’s pretty hard to forget: s*x. Before Brooke, I was able to float around with whatever girls were willing to be with me—in a much less committed sense—without a second thought. Now I’m committed, and to someone who won’t be with me, in the biggest sense of the word. I could get past that if it wasn’t so frustrating—not only the guys constantly telling me how whipped I am, but the fact that wherever I look, I see the picture of her and Milo in my head.

I really hate Milo.

“God, you’re tense,” Brooke says as she continues to work her magic on my shoulders. “Chill, boyfriend.”

“Chill?” I repeat, reaching out and tackling her. She shrieks as I plop her down in front of me and tickle her. I really don’t mind; it’s good to see her laugh, and a few seconds later, she brings her lips to mine.

There’s nothing in this world like kissing Brooke. It’s as if she knows every possible way to make it the best experience of my life. I could do it for hours, if I didn’t get so into it and try for more—which I always do. But how can I not? If kissing her is this great…

We make out on her bed for half an hour before I start getting a little too handsy and she pushes me away, telling me we should start getting ready. It’s hard to not try for more, but I don’t want to get into an argument with her right before the party, so I don’t. Instead I grin as she hops off me and strides over to her closet, pulling off her shirt as she walks.

“I really don’t get why I can’t take your shirt off, but you can take it off in front of me,” I whine.

She smirks. “Because it’ll tempt you too much. And anyway, I let you take my shirt off occasionally.”

True on both accounts. Both of our hands and clothes wander when the fooling around gets heated from time to time, and it’s hot as hell, but it almost always tempts me for more than she’s ready for and leaves me feeling even more frustrated.

I don’t let it get to me this time, though. “You should let me pick what you’re wearing,” I suggest cheerfully. 

“Thanks, but I don’t think it’s clothes optional.”

I gasp, faking hurt, and stand up and walk over to the closet. “I resent that. I could totally pick something tasteful for you.” I scan the vast sea of clothes in her closet until my eyes rest on something that I absolutely have to see on her.

“This,” I say, pulling it out. It’s a jet black, slinky dress that looks more like lingerie than clothing.

She frowns, eyeing it with interest. “I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought that. It’s not exactly appropriate, is it?”

“Are you going to put it on, or am I going to put it on you?”

She rolls her eyes and snatches it from me, shedding her pants (revealing very cute polka-dotted underwear) and slipping on the dress. I zip it up for her, and she trips her way over to the mirror to examine.

“Damn,”I say, nodding. “I’m definitely not letting you take that off. And that’s saying something.”

She rolls her eyes. “Can you not think of something other than my body for five seconds?”

I groan, knowing that this is the start of a fight. The smallest of things set her off these days, I swear.

“Stop being dramatic,” she says when she sees my expression. “You know I’m right. Can’t we just have a normal conversation for a change?”

“We can talk about whatever you want, babe.” I mean it. It’s not like I don’t enjoy talking to Brooke—it’s just that I like to let her know when she looks nice. When did that become a crime?

She sighs. “I don’t even know what I want to talk about,” she admits. “Sorry, Jase.”

I smile. “No problem. I’m used to it.”

She shoves me playfully, and we’re just getting back into our usual routine when we hear the front door open and Brooke spirals away from me.

“One sec,” she says with a sheepish grin that means she knows she’s going to pay for this one. It isn’t a big deal, of course, but she promised me that Kate would get here on time for a change instead of crazy early. Kate is early, but I understand. Brooke has an obsession with perfection. She wants to make sure Kate’s date is as close to perfect as possible.

With Cole West, she’s going to be severely disappointed.

“Hi, Jason,” Kate says a few minutes later as she and Brooke enter the room.

“Hey,” I reply a little more curtly than usual.

Kate senses it. She’s always been eerily good at that—sensing things that no one tells her. Kate has a lot of quirks like that—hard to explain, and not bad, but… different. “Listen,” she says to me, “I’m really sorry.”

I glance at Brooke, whose beautifully sculpted face instantly shadows with worry. “What do you mean?” I ask Kate, secretly feeling quite deserving of the apology. 

Brooke smiles gratefully at me before diving into her closet to find something for Kate.

“I’m just sorry you have to put up with Cole again,” Kate explains.

I am, too. “Don’t be. Everyone deserves a second chance. And anyway, it’s a party. I’ll be in my element.”

Kate smiles at that. She can be cute when she smiles—little dimples; pink cheeks; the whole sweetheart look. Not my thing, but I do think she deserves someone better than Cole West.

“I’ve got it!” Brooke exclaims, coming back into the room. She holds up a short denim skirt and a baby blue top, shoves them at Kate, and sends her to change. When she comes back (looking pretty good, I have to admit), Brooke brushes some makeup on her face, and then, finally, we’re ready.

Maddy, the host of the party and a friend of Brooke’s (not to mention an ex-girlfriend of mine—cute, but annoying), lives close to Brooke’s, so the ride isn’t long—which is good, since we’re almost half an hour late. Brooke hates getting to parties on time.

“I hope Cole thought to be late,” Kate says meekly as we step out of the Lexus. “I forgot to warn him.”

Brooke says nothing, but I can tell what she was thinking: trouble. And it starts the minute I ring the doorbell.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Maddy tells us. “That guy you set up with Kate? Yeah, he’s a psychopath.”

Brooke bites her lip. “What’s he done?”

“He’s a freak. Like, he’s asked every person here about Kate, for starters. Not just where she is, but, like… weird questions. He’s starting to scare people.”

“Who, Cole?” asks another girl nearby. “Yeah—dude seems pissed. So loud. Watch yourself around him, Cat.”

“Kate,” Kate corrects quietly.

“Jase,” Brooke says to me, “we’re going to find Cole. Can you grab me a beer?” She gives me a short kiss to silence my protests, then takes off with Kate.

I groan and head over to the keg, noticing with annoyance that Maddy is following me.

I fill two plastic cups from the keg and glance around, looking for Brooke. Before I even lift a foot, Maddy attacks. 

“Jason,” she says drunkenly. It’s ridiculous—I know she hasn’t gotten this drunk in the last two seconds; she must be faking. “You look so good tonight.”

I glance around again, and this time I see Brooke. She’s saying something in a very shrill voice to Cole. “Thanks. Look, I have to go.”

“Do I look good?”

“You look fine, Maddy.” Why does she have to decide to want me tonight? She’s so hard to shake off. I spot Ryan Dumas, a guy from the baseball team, trying to straighten things out with Brooke and Cole. I also notice that he’s a little too close to Brooke for my comfort.

“Why don’t you like me?” Maddy whines. I roll my eyes again and shoved her away, heading over to Brooke, Cole, Kate, and Ryan.

“Jase!” Brooke squeals when she sees me. The relief in her voice is refreshing, and I don’t mind when she grabs me and hugs me. “Tell Cole to stop being a jerk.”

“I was handling it,” Ryan informs me. What a douche.

“Oh, good,” I say. “You’ll take Kate for a dance, then? C’mon, Brooke.” I take Brooke’s hand and ignore Ryan’s scowl as he reluctantly takes Kate’s arm.

“Sorry,” Kate says meekly to Cole. “I’ll… see you in a bit.”

Brooke downs her beer quickly, and I pick her up another on the way to the dance floor. People make way for us—and Kate and Ryan by association—and some even hoot and holler. Brooke, who appears to have gotten a lot more loose from the beers, immediately starts swaying to the beat of an R&B song I’ve never heard before. It’s easy for me to be her partner—all eyes are on her, so it doesn’t matter what I do.

I feel bad for Kate. When Brooke moves her body, she looks like she belongs in a music video, but Kate just looks out of place. Luckily, Ryan seems to be enjoying himself.

After a few songs, Ryan and I leave the girls to get them drinks. I’m still pretty annoyed with him, but at least he’s enjoying Kate’s company. Cole is lingering by the keg, but I try to ignore him.

“So,” Ryan says to me, “dude, Maddy’s all over you tonight.”

“Yeah, well, so is my girlfriend.”

“Nah, man, I’m talking seriously, dude,” Ryan says unintelligently. “She’s been bragging about how she plans on jumping your bones.”

“Seriously?” I might be loyal to Brooke, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t spark my interest.

“Totally. I’d be down to help get you two together tonight if you wanted to lend me Brooke. Sure, you’ll go farther than me, but…”

I snap back to reality like a rubber band. Sure, I want to get laid as much as any other guy, but I want Brooke more. And I sure as hell won’t give her to Ryan. “No way, man. Take Maddy.”

It’s about then that we notice Cole staring at us.

“Dude, what’s your problem?” Ryan demands.

“You’re sick,” Cole tells us. “You’re bad people.”

“What did I just say?” I ask him hotly. “I’m sticking with Brooke, aren’t I? I’m not sick. I’m committed.”

“What you do with Brooke doesn’t matter to me. She’s trash. I’m talking about Ryan. I’m telling Kate about this.”

As if Kate would care what Ryan said. They’re not even dating.

Still, apparently Ryan is concerned, because he groans and follows Cole to the dance floor. I do, too, not wanting Brooke to know about Maddy’s pursuit of me.

When we reach the girls, Cole stops short. I can’t blame him, really. Brooke and Kate, as they do at most parties eventually, are in the middle of a nearly R-rated dirty dance with each other as the crowd cheers them on. I’m used to it, but Cole looks shocked.

“Hey, baby,” Brooke says to me, taking her hands off Kate’s waist and beckoning me to join her.

Cole looks like he’s about to explode. “Kate… what are you doing?”

Kate giggles. She looks tipsy, to say the least. “I’m having fun. You should try it sometime, grumpy.”

Kate and Brooke have stopped dancing by now, though they both looked annoyed about having to do so. Brooke takes my arm and pressed herself against me, still pouting.

“Kate,” Cole says, “what’s going on with you? You’re acting like they do. You’re not supposed to be like this.”

Kate just giggles again. “He thinks he knows me,” she says to Ryan, probably because he’s the only one pretending to care. “I don’t even know why he likes me.”

“I love you,”Cole says sharply. 

Almost all the sound in the room seems to disappear. Someone even pauses the music. I’m almost too shocked to notice. I always thought Cole was a freak, but this?

“And I do know you,” Cole continues. “Better than any of these people. I watch you—I see you. You’re not like this, Kate.”

Kate isn’t giggling anymore; now she’s shaking. Her brown-hazel eyes are clouded with fear. She parts her lips to speak, and it takes a second before sound escapes them. “What do you mean, you watch me?”

Cole’s determined expression doesn’t falter. “I mean what it sounds like. I watch you. I learn about you. For example, I know about Bruce. I don’t like him, either, Kate. He treats you badly. But maybe he was right not to trust Brooke.”

My grip on my girl tightens at about the same time her grip on my hand tightens. I see her other hand take Kate’s. So, apparently, does Cole.

“She’s not good for you,” he tells Kate. “She’s just like them. Worse. You’re better off without her, Katie, and without Ryan. You belong with me.”

My heart rate is starting to quicken, and the alcohol is suddenly collecting in my brain. I’m overcome with the urge to hurt him. How dare he talk about Brooke this way?

“I think you should leave,” Kate mutters.

Cole lets out a fierce groan. “No, no, no. You don’t think I should leave. It’s her.” He jabs a finger inches away from Brooke’s face.

Naturally, I grab it and bend it backwards.

The weird thing is that he hardly even flinches. I mean, I literally feel his bones break. But he just stands there, glaring at me.

“I blame you, too,” he snarls.

I snarl back—and throw a punch.

He hardly even stumbles. I can’t believe it. He lifts a hand to punch back, but a few of my boys from the team hold him back as I get a few more in. 

Okay, yes, I know it’s an unfair advantage, but hey, I’m not myself.

It takes a lot of punches and several kicks to really knock it out of him, but once I start seeing blood, I force myself to stop. I glance over at Brooke, whose lips are tightly closed. She doesn't want me to stop.

“That’s enough, Jason,” Kate sighs, reluctantly taking Cole’s arm. I nod to Ryan, who takes his other arm, and I follow the three of them as they head out the front door. Brooke joins me, still clinging to me for support.

“Kate,” Cole says as she and Ryan drop him outside the front door, “I’ll see you at school?”

Kate swallows and says, in a cold, hard voice, “Stay away from me.”

I will never forget the murderous look in his cold, black eyes.