The Girl Who Chased Stars

IV

"So... You live in a tree house?"

Schools over, and Skai and Wolfe follow me into my backyard. I've decided that I trust them enough to come over, and do whatever normal kids do after school.

"It's my hang out, I live inside the actual house. Duh." I laugh at Skai's ridiculous question, and unravel the rope ladder. As I lead them up, and into my old tree house, I can hear the two of them muttering compliments about the "structure", and "paint job."

I grin as I reach the last step, already predicting their reactions.

"Oh my God." Whispers Skai. "Jeez." Says Wolfe.

My tree house is probably one of my most prized possessions. Not because its cleverly built, and not because of the paint job. My tree house is basically my library. The interior walls are not walls at all, but actually just bookshelves lined with rows and rows of books. When my dad built it for me a while back, he decided to throw down this fancy carpet and an old leather sofa in the center. Just like under the bleachers at school, I had strung up a set of plain white christmas lights, to give the room a dim lighting at night.

"Well God, damn. I'd live here if I didn't already have a house of my own!"

I grin at Wolfe's comment, and watch Skai run her finger along the spine of a book.

"You've read all these?" She asks incredulously. "Pretty much...I mean, there's a few I still haven't gotten to. That one,"

I point to the book that Skai's hand lingers on, "That one, Pride and Prejudice, I still haven't read it yet."

"This is amazi-"

"Hey losers."

Suddenly Paris appears at the trap door of my hideout, with only her head and body visible, her legs and feet still most likely on the rope ladder.

"Hi!" Skai practically shouts.

She pulls her hand suddenly off the bookshelf, knocking over my Pride and Prejudice book.

"Oh. Sorry."

She blushes like a lunatic and I send Wolfe a what the fuck? look.

"Hey, Skai. Can I steal you away for a sec?"

Oh man. She used the voice. THE voice.

The voice, I've heard Paris use it on a countless number of hopeless boys and girls. It's the seduction voice. It always works for her, And she's using it on Skai.