There was a rush of traffic as horns honked in the background. The steady movement of the wheels over the pavement halted. Cathryn looked outside and saw the people walking at the sidewalk stared over the positive tinted windows inside the limousine, curious about who was inside.
There was no need to worry because they wouldn't know that she was inside the limousine with the band members of Mild Savagery.
A stocked mini-bar and two TV sets sat across from her as all of them sat in wrap-around leather couches. The LED track lighting ringed the walls and the ceiling, casting her white shirt in a soft emerald glow.
Oh great.
Cathryn squinted because the glare hurt her eyes inside the limo as she looked over at the band members. Jason noticed her silly expression and said, "Are you okay?"
"Uh, no." Cathryn shook her head as she sighed heavily. "My eyes hurt like a motherf*cker."
Jason dimmed the switch for the lights and she couldn't have been more grateful.
"Want to drink?" Marco reached for glasses and cup holders from a mini wet bar.
"No, I don't drink." Cathryn waved a hand dismissively.
Marco smiled cautiously. "Oh, I remember at the Coachella Summer party that you don't."
"Hmm. I remember you drank with us last night though." Blake said as he rubbed his chin, thinking.
"It was a bet, Blake," Cathryn answered simply as she folded her arms across her chest. "A punishment is a punishment unless you want us to play another game."
"No, No." Blake's light blue eyes screamed horror, probably remembering some of his most recent embarrassing moments yesterday. Cathryn can't help but let out a huge belly laugh.
"What's wrong?" London said. "We have time to play a few games before we reach Xavier's University."
"What do we bet?" Garred asked.
"Money," Cathryn said excitedly.
Blake smirked, shaking his head at Cathryn. "Don't play with this girl. She will make you go broke."
"I will join the game if we played cards." Cathryn pouted cutely. She prayed one of the members would take the bait she had been throwing and bite the hook.
Alexander narrowed his eyes in suspicion as she gave him a small, innocent smile.
"Why don't you want to play, guys?" Jason asked, raising an eyebrow as he finally acquired a deck of cards in his hands. "It's just a game of cards. We play it all the time."
It was good that they have something ready.
It wouldn't be hard to milk money from one of them if they played more games.
Alexander shook his head as he took another swig of his drink. "You're going to regret suggesting that, London."
"Why?"
"Girl's a professional card player," Alexander replied, finally answering London's question.
"Oh?"
"Trust me," Alexander said seriously as if it was a warning. "Blake and I lost ten thousand dollars each and gained nothing but a massive headache."
Their eyes widened in shock when they heard that, mouth falling open. They stared at her incredulously as if they couldn't believe what Alexander had claimed.
Cathryn's eyebrows knitted together in disapproval. "Alexander, don't block my hustle over here."
Alexander had such a big mouth.
Cathryn wished he could keep it a secret for a while long enough for her to defeat the guys and give her some money.
"You're going to make one of our band members broke so HELL to the NO."
"We aren't going to let you scam our friends, Cathryn," Blake said.
Cathryn pouted. "Maybe, London wanted to test my skills."
"I can test your skills, Cathryn." Alexander leaned closer at her then whispered. "Anything but the cards, baby."
He softly blew in her ear as a parting shot and she turned her head quickly to glare at him.
"Anyway, I don't want to drink for real. I am a university scholar and I can't go to school and attend the Art class drunk so… No, I don't drink unless there was something at stake."
"Money, for example," Alexander said calmly.
"Yeah."
"Come on, you can taste a little bit." Marco clutched her hand to place the glass in her grasp.
"Leave her alone, Marco," Alexander said a little too sharply as he took it from her. "Cathryn had said no."
Garred opened an ice chest with complimentary water bottles and asked Cathryn. "Thirsty?"
"Water will do. Thanks." Garred gave one water bottle to him and she opened the cap and guzzled.
Their face was bathed in light as loud music burst from the speakers.
Marco fiddled with a knob on the sound system and music blasted, sending base notes thrumming up through the cushioned seats. Even better, the lights pulsed in time with the beat, turning the interior into their own private disco ball party.
Cathryn heard the whir of the automatic window as Marco opened the sunroof as a bottle of spirits, water, and snacks being passed around to the group. Ice cubes clinked against a drinking glass.
"Cathryn, you want to try?" Marco shouted over the music, standing up to look out the sunroof.
Cathryn didn't hesitate to try the experience. It was a rare occurrence that she could ride a limousine along with Mild Savagery so she quickly stood through the sunroof to feel the cool air rush against her face.
"WOOHOOOO!!" Cathryn let out an exhilarating yell which sent her blood pumping in excitement.
The limousine jerked and swayed as it turned corners and stopped at intersections, forcing Cathryn to get her ass back down to the smooth leather seats or she might have humiliated herself by falling on the car floor into an ungracious heap.
Alexander and Cathryn bumped against one another in the limo as she descended from the sunroof. He accidentally spilled a drink on her bare leg and he wiped it away with his hand. "Sorry."
"You did it on purpose just to touch my leg," Cathryn said sarcastically as she gestured through her wet thigh. Fuck, she smelled like alcohol again.
"Think what you think, Cat." Alexander just shrugged, smirking.
Even if she didn't participate in drinking, she would be sent to detention if she showed up to school in a male's large white T-shirt and boxers.
Ugh.
She needed to be dropped by the apartment to change her clothes. If her roommates were there, Edward and Justin would interrogate her like she was a criminal they had caught and they were the police.
These people drink too much.
"I'm feeling kinda sick." Blake groaned as he ran a hand through his thick silver blond hair.
Cathryn rolled her eyes at him and the tequila in his hand. Idiot. "I know you had a monster hangover, Blake, please don't flood the backseat with puke, okay?"