Delta: A Spy Novel

Chapter Sixteen

            Still, it certainly did nothing to boost my morale as I lay on the couch in the front room of my mom’s house that night. I still felt sort of awkward about staying in this place, but as long as it was free, I could deal with it. Mom did say we could use it, and so despite all my premonitions of G7 coming to destroy it, we were staying in the house.

            Pierre was pacing the room, occasionally running his hands through his dark hair and glancing towards Astrid’s door, which was shut tight. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a white dress shirt, carelessly un-tucked but very obviously designed to make girls like Astrid drool. I scowled to myself, staring up at the ceiling. As far as I was concerned, a club was a club. No reason to get all dressy, which was why I was simply wearing jeans and a polo shirt – about as formal as I got.

            Josh was leaning back in an armchair, his earphones snaking out of his ears as usual, and his eyes half-closed. He hadn’t bothered to dress up either, seeing as neither of us was attempting to entice Miss von Shauff. Well, I was, but seeing as Mr. Pretty Boy was still completely in love with her despite their earlier argument, I figured it was a lost cause for the time being. We’d just have to keep waiting…and seeing…

            “Where is she?” Josh demanded from the armchair, seeming to read my thoughts. “What is it with girls and dressing up?”

            “Well, we do like to look as good as possible,” Astrid’s voice came from the doorway, “unlike some people, Josh.”

            I sat up as Pierre turned around – and both of our jaws dropped at the same time. Astrid stood in the doorway of her room, leaning against the wall casually and smiling faintly at us.

            For a moment, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

            She was dressed in a simple white strapless dress, coming to a few inches above her knee. A silver pendant sparkled on her neck, accentuated by a pair of dangly earrings. Her hair was down, obviously straightened, and hung around her shoulders in a dark waterfall. Just the tiniest bit of lipstick brushed her lips, along with a stroke of eye shadow and mascara bringing out her amazing eyes.

            She looked breathtaking.

            Astrid was beginning to blush at the way we were all staring at her. Josh had even taken his earphones out to look openly at her. “You don’t think it’s too slutty, do you?” she asked anxiously, smoothing her skirt.

            “Not a chance,” we chorused, and I winced as I realized we had said it in unison. Astrid rolled her eyes. Evidently, this show of support hardly made her feel any better – if anything it proved her point.

            “You can stop staring now,” she said in an impatient tone. “I wouldn’t do this, but I thought I might have to resort to some…you know…”

            “Yeah,” Josh said dreamily, dragging his eyes away from her.