King of Spades |Book 1|

Chapter 33 • Good Thing I Can

****

I search around the entire building and still find nothing. Salem is supposed to give me a ride home, and yet he's nowhere to be found. When I finally walk out of the building there's only one car in the parking lot.

It's Clayton's car, from what I can tell. Before I can even start walking over to it I hear a voice.

"We've been looking everywhere for you! Now we only have three hours and thirty-seven minutes to get you ready for your date!"

Blythe's voice makes me jump. I whirl around an see her, Olympia, Petra, Elijah, and Clayton standing there. They all have smirks on their faces, each one looking like they want to laugh.

"Don't scare me like that," I hiss, holding a hand over my heart. Elijah jogs the distance to me an ruffles my hair, pulling me in for a short hug. When he releases my mind actually processes what Blythe had previously said, making my eyes grow wide.

"Uh...date? What date?" I say with a nervous chuckle. I didn't think Salem was going to tell them, but boy was I wrong. Playing dumb to get your friends off your back usually isn't my thing, but hey, gotta do what I gotta do.

"Cupcake, I can catch the lie of a sociopath, let alone a little girl like yourself," Clayton says in a duh tone. I roll my eyes an slump my shoulders, feeling amusedly defeated.

"Lets go, babe, we got work to do," Olympia adds. She doesn't hesitate to grab my hands and drag me towards Clayton's car.

****

My face scrunches up in pain as Petra pulls my hair harder. Normally, I wouldn't trust her within ten feet of me, but I'm letting it slide for today. The guys fight over what nail color I should have as the other girls pick out my outfit. My eyes quickly dart to Navy, who stands in the doorway of my room with his arms crossed. He was completely opposed to the idea of having everyone in my room, but he soon got over it.

"Stop moving or I'll chop it all off," Petra warns. She pulls my hair to its max, before finally feeling satisfied an starts to coat it with hairspray. She lets me go for a minute, disappearing into the bathroom, then she comes back out with a bag.

"I'll be doing your makeup too, no if, ands, or buts," she says. I just shrug my shoulders and sit there as she makes me look amazing. Halfway through, the burning question I hold inside flows from my mouth.

"Why are you even helping me with this?" I ask cautiously.

She doesn't even look up from putting my concealer on. "For some reason you make Salem—whom I look at like my brother—happy. Therefore, I'm going to do anything I can to keep him happy, since he must live through his fucked up life."

I don't have any words to meet that, so I just sit there, staring off into space. When she finishes I go to stand up but she stops me with a single finger. I watch as she walks over to my dresser and picks up two things.

Harriet's hair comb, and Elyse's necklace. I look down at the bracelet that Salem gave me on my birthday an see how perfectly they belong together. The most important people in my life can be apart of me tonight.

Petra walks behind me an places the hair comb in, then puts the necklace around my neck.

"They both deserve to be present somehow for this," she mumbles more to herself than to me.

"It's funny actually, both of them predicted this," she also adds. My eyes snap up to hers in confusion.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She shrugs lightly. "Harriet knew there was a connection before you guys even connected, and Elyse just had a feeling."

She walks out of my room before I can even say anything to that. Navy side steps her as if she's a poison that would burn his skin, making Elijah laugh.

My eyes wonder towards the outfit Blythe has finally chosen. A rust colored mid-thigh skirt that has black buttons down the front. The top is an ivory color, cropped at the stomach, long sleeved, and an oval neckline.

"Now that is perfect," I say happily.

****

Just as I'm slipping on my converse there a knock at the door. My eyes look over to the clock, and it is in fact seven sharp. Olympia, whom is the only one in the room with me, jumps up and down in happiness. I roll my eyes and grab my leather clutch off my pillow.

My heart starts to race as I take every step slowly. The reality of what I'm doing hasn't hit until now. I'm going on a date with Salem Wyatt. Our relationship has turned into something giant. It's funny to look back a little over two months ago an see where we were at. I had simply bumped into him, which then changed my life forever.

"C'mon, dear, we don't have all day," Blythe hurries me. When I walk into the living room Salem is already there, his back towards me. He's making small talk with Elijah and Clayton. Navy stands in the corner of the room looking highly pissed. Petra isn't here anymore, I was told she left a half hour ago.

The guys turn their eyes to me, both their jaws dropping. Then, Salem turns around.

His eyes meet mind first, then they take a scroll down my entire body. He looks at me. Really looks at me. He studies the edges of my hips, his eyes roaming the curves the tight shirt I wear give. He takes his time getting back to my eyes, and when he does, it's breathtaking.

His chestnut eyes hold so much emotion, and the green shining from where I stand. A smile I've never seen before spreads across his face. It's genuine, with a little bit of mischief.

"You look beautiful," he says simply.

"Not so bad yourself," I comment, checking him out as well. He wears a black leather bomber jacket with a dark grey v-neck underneath. His jeans are black and his boots are the same, leather work boots.

I notice a hand behind his back. His eyes catch mine again as he moves it out in front of him.

A single, short-stemmed rose is lightly held between his thumb and forefinger. The dark crimson petals soon lead to a bright green stem. It almost looks fake, because of its ravishing beauty.

"This is for you," he hands me the rose and takes a step back. The only sound in the room is our breathing as I twirl it in my fingers.

"Thank you," I reply quietly. Blythe walks over to me an takes it from me.

"I'll place this in a glass."

I say a quick thank you and walk over to my coat hanger. I pick up my black bomber jacket, one that used to be Talus's when he was really young, and go to take it off the hanger. A hand reaches it before me, though. When I look behind me I see Salem, who puts it on my shoulders.

"Lets get going, shall we?"

I nod an lightly laugh. We say goodbye to the guys an I hug both of the girls.

Before I can slip out of the door Navy approaches me an places something in my hand, leaning in my ear and whispers, "use it if you need to."

I look down in my palm and start to laugh. A miniature green case of bear mace is there with bright letters explaining its severity.

"I'll keep it in mind," I whisper back. He knows my joking from the way he rolls his eyes.

Finally, after all the good lucks and see ya laters, Salem and I are headed out the door. He leads me to his car, opening the passenger side for me and letting me slip inside. When he comes around and starts the care my curiosity gets the better of me.

"So, where are we going?" I say excitedly, bouncing up and down in my seat.

"You'll see," he says as he starts to drive.