Raise The Bar

chapter twelve

"Turn here."

"You fucking idiot, you can only go straight."

"I told you not to listen to him."

"I didn't, none of you assholes put the GPS on."

"There's no service here."

"We're right next to a cell tower lazy ass. We're in the middle of a bunch of fucking cornfields."

"I know where to go."

"Shut the fuck up Luke."

"I knew he wouldn't be able to remember he was drunk before and after this party for 3 years in a row."

"We've been sitting here for 5 minutes just keep driving."

"Goddamn."

We go down the dark road, probably leading us to a dead fucking end until I see a turn and there appears the haunted house. Tons of cars outside the building with lights strung around it and clamoring sounds of pandemonium.

"There's your angel," JJ says patting me on the back as we walk in the door.

Genevieve is in red leather pants and a matching lace corset. Including devil horns and all. Luke's already on his way to Madison in her white leather dress with angel wings and a halo on her head.

She turns her head to see me, "Who tipped you off?"

"JJ.'

"Emma must've told him." I wanna kiss her again so bad but before I can say another word Kenny shows up.

"Hey man." He shakes my hand and pulls me into a hug. "And who's this?"

"Gigi, it's nice to meet you," she introduces herself.

"Kenny, cool to meet you." He tells me he has Bailey's stuff in his car and then excuses himself.

"Bailey?"

"Our dog." Suddenly a smile spreads across her face, reflecting in her eyes. "You have a dog?"

"English bulldog. We have joint custody." We move to the porch when the keg gets set up.

"You kissed me."

"I kissed you but I wanna do so much more to you." She lets out a laugh, sounds like church bells ringing. It's the best sound I've ever heard. "I wanna take you on a date. Saturday, I'll pick you up at 8 pm. Wear something formal Cherry."

"Do I get to know what we're doing?" My smirk says enough. "I hate surprises."

"Tough times baby."

- Genevieve -

My first date in six months. The first one with the potential to be a relationship.

I need to tell Mads.

I rack my brain walking back into the main room of the haunted house. I deduce that she went into the actual attraction side of the house and will myself into the horror-filled room.

The party is known for a chilling fright exhibit and getting scared shitless isn't on my bucket list tonight so I decide to sit it out and wait for her to come out.

Low and behold, fifteen minutes pass, and out she walks looking utterly horrified.

"I'm never eating rice again after that," do I wanna know? No. "All those fake worms, they looked so goddamn real."

Luke right behind her looks practically green, ready to puke at any time so I take a few steps back.

"And the fucking fake dungeon. They just locked us in there and filled the place with cooked rice," he shuddered.