The Certainty (Book Four in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Moment of Clarity

“Dude your sister is hawt!” Dean said.

I smacked him on the arm. “Watch your mouth!”

He grinned. “Thirsty?”

“Yeah but I’ll get my own drink thank you!”

“I’ll go with you,” Sophie said.

I took her hand and we headed for the drink station. We were almost there when the music was abruptly cut off and a light came on at the “front” of the dance floor.

“Oh god,” I said. “What is Mark up to now?”

Mark was standing there with a microphone in his hand.

“Hello fellow students!”

The whole crowd cheered and he grinned bigger.

“The last time he had that smile he was about to tell me he wasn’t a virgin anymore. This isn’t good,” I murmured.

“Nope.” Sophie motioned for the guy at the drink station to give her two sealed drinks.

He handed her two waters and she handed me one.

“Now. As you all know my boy has come back to campus!” More cries of happiness. “Where are you, man? Get up here!”

“Why did I let my brother talk me into this?”

Sophie squeezed my hand. Aidan made his way to the stage. I had no idea where he’d been but when Mark spotted him he smiled.

“There he is! Ok. So…my man is newly single, ladies!” Basically the whole female population of our school cheered.

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

“It’ll be over soon.”

“And he’s looking for a dance partner,” Mark said.

Aidan just grinned and shook his head. “Dude, stop.”

“So if there are any takers out there, get your sculpted butts up here!”

“This is a nightmare. Can I go home now?”

All the girls rushed forward whether they had dates or not, all except Sophie and me. Mark motioned for the music to start again and the light to be cut off. I looked at Sophie, panic rising in my chest.

“Told you it’d be over quickly.”

“I think I’m…”

“No, no, no,” Sophie said. “You’re here to have fun. Not sulk. Let’s go back and get you a new dance partner! Sebastis made sure all of his friends knew to keep you dancing.”

“Great. So I’m one of those charity cases.”

Sophie towed me back to where we’d left my brother and his friends. A unanimous cry went up when we got back. Sophie laughed and I just blushed. I was getting claustrophobic with all these people. There was nothing more I could possibly want other then to bolt.

I felt a hand on my hip from behind me and I tensed.

“Dance with me?”

I turned around and found Gregori standing there. I couldn’t help the grin that slid over my face. I hadn’t even noticed the heat he usually brought. Maybe it was the fact that my skin already felt like it was on fire.

“What are you doing here?” I called.

“Technically I’m supposed to be shutting you guys down. But I figure what the hell.”