Tower Of Bones

Chapter 11: Party Crasher

Alice was next door, having dinner with her family, while Dex and I sat quietly at the table together. The dishes clanked quietly against my utensils.

I licked at my lips and looked up at the clock on the wall. Almost six. I set down my fork, beside my plate and look up at my uncle.

"So, Dex. Luke is having a party tonight at his house, you mind if I go?"

He stops chewing to look up at me. "A party? I didn't take you for a party girl, Max."

I shrug my shoulders. "It's the weekend and Luke asked me to, so why not?"

"Well, will there be parents there?" He asked me. "Any drugs?"

I stood to take care of my plate. "Well, honestly, I have no clue. But I won't be doing any drugs, Dex."

He sighs and joins me at the sink with his own empty plate in his hands. "I don't know, Max. I don't like you being out so late alone."

"I'll be with Alice Divine," I tell him.

The plate slips out of his hand and clatters loudly in the sink. His head nearly whips toward me. "Alice Divine, the girl who lives next door?"

"Yeah."

"She wants to hang out with you?"

"Gee, thanks, Dex."

"No, sorry. I didn't mean it like that, I was just a bit surprised, I haven't seen her hanging out with anybody in a while. Her dad was actually just telling me a couple of days ago about it."

"I didn't know you were pals with her dad."

He peaks over at me, a smirk on place. "I'm not. But that's aside the point, Max, how long will you be out?"

Hook, line and sinker, I thought smugly. Alice Divine is a great way to get Dex to melt in my hands.

"I can be back by 10."

"Make that 9:30 and you got a deal."

I grin, nodding my head and turning on the tap water. "Awesome. Let me handle these dishes and then I'll head over to her house."

---

The sky was dim by the time I made it over to Alice Divine's household. I had spent nearly 20 minutes getting ready. Pulling on my favorite lesbian flannel and a white t-shirt. It was a simple enough outfit, but I just hoped in the back of my mind I might be able to impress her.

Doing what, I wasn't sure. But I wanted to look good doing it.

This isn't a date, Max. Chill out. I thought to myself, with a shake of my head.

The front door to the house creaks open and Alice Divine emerges. Wearing a grey sweater and a pair of blue jeans. It looked so casual, yet so damn good at the same time.

Her blonde curls were tied back behind her head, leaving only her bangs to dangle around her pretty face.

She spots me walking across the lawn of her house and she gives me a polite smile and a nod.

However as soon as she steps off of the porch, another figure appears behind her.

This one is a man and he is ungodly tall. I felt my step falter when I saw him and knew immediately that he was her father.

"Evening, Maxanen," Alice says, formally and then waves towards the silhouette of the tall man behind her. "This is my Father. Father, this is Maxanen Lane, the Sheriff's niece."

Mr. Divine comes walking toward me and when I finally caught sight of his face thanks to the little bit of sunlight still peaking over the edge of the horizon, I saw the friendly smile on his face.