The Latterson List

Chapter Two - The Host

Tom and I usually sat, just the two of us, in the corner of the dining hall. Today, that was not to be so. Rosella had already abandoned her usual group of friends in favour of Tom and I in my hour of need. But by the time we had reached our usual table, there wasn't a seat left.

"Is it true?" one girl asked me.

"Can I see it?" another asked as her eyes searched me wildly.

"I don't believe it," a boy said, looking me up and down. I reached around to my back pocket where the invitation was stowed, but Tom held my wrist in place.

Half of me was confused as to why he would want me to keep the invitation hidden, and the other half was very aware of how close Tom's hand was to my bottom.

"Do you mind?" Rosella snapped, waving at the people hogging my usual table. "We're just here to eat."

"And this is our table," Tom released my hand and took a threatening step towards our table. The group did not move. I could feel heat staring to rise in my cheeks.

"I don't see your name on it!" The first girl barked. "Besides, all I wanna know is how come he gets an invite to the party?! I bet he doesn't even know what a party is!"

"If you don't move this second," Rosella clenched her fists. "I'll make sure you won't be able to make it to any party ever again."

"Come on, I just wanna see it!" the second girl continued. I took a step back. I glanced around for places to hide, opportunities to become invisible. But I couldn't. Drawing breaths became harder, shallower, a fist compressing down on my throat.

"How much did he have to pay to buy an invite?" someone else joined in. A weight began crushing my chest. I couldn't deal with attention like this. Especially a confrontation.

I went to take another step back, but Tom squeezed by shoulder. I guess he was trying to be supportive, but all it did was prevent me from moving so I felt even more trapped. Rosella started screaming something at the first girl who'd even tried to get up within arm's reach, but her words sounded disjointed and dull like I was hearing them underwater. I yanked my shoulder out of Tom's reach and clasped my hands over my ears. I just wanted to run and hide. Invisible. I didn't understand why this was such a big deal. It's only an invite.

Everyone was now shouting. I was shaking my head. Please, stop. I was seconds from turning around and sprinting away as fast as I could before-

"Enough," Katie Latterson said, her voice barely above a whisper but still somehow audible above all of the commotion. Immediately, everybody was silent.

I'd never seen her this close before. I knew she was a brunette, but to just call her that was a huge understatement. Her ebony hair drifted around her in floating levels and layers, throwing glistening light off around her. Her flawless skin was smooth and almost white, punctuated by her thin red lips and round, totally black eyes. Her half Korean, half Caucasian heritage bestowed a stunning, full face atop a gorgeous, svelte figure. She was beautiful, and commanded an air of authority that you don't learn.

To her left stood her second in command, Holly Jones. None other than Rosella's older sister. She was every bit as tall, dark and flawless as her sister, with an even more cut throat sense of humour. Holly's hair was braided and pulled into a fountain of locks at the back of her head.

And to Katie's right was her boyfriend, and dear Lord when you look at him you truly understand the word 'adonis'. He was very tall, very muscular, and just stunning. As dark haired as the Jones', with eyes as dark as his girlfriend's. He had full, full lips that he had a tendency to bite gently, causing everyone regardless of gender or sexual attraction to lose focus on whatever it is they were doing. It didn't matter how uninterested in guys you were, you couldn't not admit that Counna Black was the most attractive man you'd ever seen.