Flame of Frost (The Caelestian Chronicles: Book #1)

Chapter 18 - The School Graveyard

"Hey, that guy's cute!" Grace jumps.
I turn to look at where she pointed. A golden haired guy leans idly against the wall near the massive door. Canaque Park.

"Are you sure?" I ask her. "He's a bit on the emotional side."

"He's perfect and he is alone." She grabs my arm and pulls me along with herself.

"Hey! Canaque, isn't it?" Grace bats her lashes.

"Uh, h-hey. Yeah," he stutters out his answer.

"I'm Grace, and this is Kate."

"I know yo—"

"Are you here with a date?" I should give her credit for her boldness.

"Yeah. Natalie." He points at an auburn haired girl.

Grace looks at her left. Natalie has her arms draped around Michael Wrore's neck and is grinning sloppily. "Her?" Grace scrunches her nose. "Is she drunk?"
Canaque shrugs.

"Do you know Kristina Simpson?"

"Kristina. Dark hair, blue eyes?"

"Her." Grace smiles and nods. Then she points at Theora who has a glass of punch in her hand and is talking to Lupus.

Canaque blinks, dumbfounded. "Yeah."

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Grace winks and elbows him in the gut lightly. "Go ask her for a dance. Likes science, maths and Midnight Wind songs."

"Are you sure?" Canaque narrows his eyes.

"Yes, just go and ask her, politely."

"But—"

"Go, go, go!"

Huffing, he nods and approaches Theora. Grace and I watch him talk to her. All I hear is the booming bass and the loud music. Theora raises a manicured eyebrow and says something that makes Canaque laugh and he nods. Theora shrugs and says something to Lupus. Smiling to himself, he walks away.
Grace squeezes my arm. Canaque holds his hand out to Theora and she places hers on his. And they walk together to the dance floor.
Grace squeals and I chuckle.

You guys are so silly, it makes me laugh. I hear Theora inside my head.

I look at Grace. "She knows."

Her jaw drops but she recovers quickly. "Doesn't matter. Canaque is —" then she whispers " —her childhood crush. Don't mention it to her, she'll kill me."
This time my jaw drops. Crush — and Theora?

Stop your goddamned thoughts for today and enjoy the night. I tell Theora.
There's no reply.

"I think I settled it," I tell Grace. She nods, giggling.

Lupus taps on Grace's shoulder. "Do you want to dance?"

She looks at me as if asking my permission. I roll my eyes and say, "Go. I'll find Austin."
And so she does.

Navigating through the pool of swaying and dancing bodies, I try to find the food table. I serve myself some punch, grab a sandwich and find a quiet corner, to eat without any interruption.

"Look at her." I hear a girl snigger, not from very far away. "Her own date left her alone."

"Well yeah," said another voice, not even bothering to lower their volume. "I mean, who would even want to be her date? He must have escaped when he saw the chance."

"Poor guy." I immediately recognize it as Jenna's voice. The most popular and despicable of our school who goes to lengths to stop me from getting good marks. "What even is she wearing? Does she have any idea of today's fashion?"