Strong & Wilde Read online

  Damn, he’s good. Mandi was all about the guilt. No way she’d say no.

  Bianca looked at Mandi with huge, pleading light brown eyes.

  Mandi pursed her lips for a moment. “I’ll go if you go, Cassie.”

  I glanced over where Cody’s truck was parked. He was gone and so was Lynette. He wasn’t the type to go to parties and I doubted if he’d be there. I’d heard about the Koppe Bridge parties. It was just a bunch of kids getting together after the game, hanging out at the Brazos River and drinking. I wasn’t much of a drinker, but tonight, I could sure use one.

  “Why not?”

  “Okay, then,” Mandi said. “We’ll be there.”

  Bianca squealed, running back to Nic. “She said yes!”

  Nic gave us a huge grin and a wave as he walked with the rest of the team into the locker room.

  THIRTEEN: Cassie

  “Here take this!” Mandi yelled over the music that blared from someone’s truck.

  We were sitting on the hood of her father’s Pinto watching what seemed like the entire senior class of Koppe High celebrating the night’s victory over West Jasper. Everyone was wearing glow sticks. Florescent greens, pinks, and yellows bounced around in the dark to the beat of the music. When Seth and his brothers arrived in a brand new truck, I had had second thoughts about staying. Then I thought to myself, why should I let him ruin my fun. Besides, watching Mandi have a mini heart attack whenever a car drove up thinking it was Nic was fun to watch. So far, Seth and his friends stayed far away, preferring to hang around the half-barrel keg he’d driven up with.

  I took the plastic cup filled with red liquid from her and sniffed. “Eww, what is it?”

  “Trash can punch.”

  “You expect me to drink this?”

  “It tastes good once you get past the smell.”

  I glanced down at her empty hands as she twisted them nervously. “Why aren’t you drinking?”

  “Duh, I’m driving.” A pair of headlights appeared and she jumped down and took a step forward, peering into the lights.

  “Well, well, Cody’s here.”

  “Really?”

  The truck slowed and after a moment Cody stepped out of the truck. My heart pounded as I watched him pull down the tailgate, the movement emphasizing his muscular biceps. Then she popped out of the passenger’s side.

  “I swear that Lynette is like a tick on a hound dog.” Mandi placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll distract her. You go talk with Cody.”

  “No. Don’t. Apparently, he enjoys her company.” I took a sip and made a face—and it wasn’t because of the punch.

  “I told you, Cody can’t be dating Lynette. He’s just too nice to shoo her away. Let me do it.”

  “Shh. She’s coming over here.”

  Lynette walked past us and went straight to Seth. She grabbed a couple of glow sticks from the box near the keg. Then she said something to Seth. I couldn’t hear what she told him over the loud music. But he looked over at Cody and laughed. She whacked him on the arm and he shook his head, handing her a couple of plastic cups filled with beer.

  On her way back to Cody, she threw me a glance and gave me a wicked smile.

  “Oh no she didn’t.” Mandi took off her big hoop earrings and handed them to me. “Here, hold these.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “She’s keeping Cody away from you.” Carefully, she took off her headband.

  “How can you tell?” I took a hold of the feathers when she placed them in my hand.

  “Girlfriend. I can tell, and she’s not getting away with it.”

  I laughed. “Mandi, you’re being paranoid. Are you sure you didn’t have some of this punch?”

  “Aww, come on, Cassie. Let me just get in one swing. Please.”

  I glanced over at Lynette. She placed a blue glow stick around Cody’s neck, rubbing herself against him in the process. He looked really uncomfortable and seemed to slide away from her.

  That made me feel better...but just a little.

  “Leave her alone, Mandi.” I handed the earrings back to her.

  She pouted, put them back on. “You don’t let me have any fun. I wasn’t really going to hurt her...maybe just make her cry and—”

  “Hello, beautiful. Are you enjoying our ‘not-a-date’ so far?”

  Mandi twirled around, her eyes as big as saucers. For a moment there, I thought she was going to pass out. I wouldn’t blame her. Nic looked gorgeous. Perfect white teeth flashed down at her. His damp hair was combed back away from his face. The red light from the glow stick around his neck highlighted his high cheekbones and stunning hazel eyes.

  “I...uh...I...” she glanced over at me, her eyes begging me to help her.

  “That was an awesome game, Nic. You’re really good,” I said.

  “Thanks. I didn’t know what to expect. I heard Texas teams were pretty good.”

  “They’re the best.” I took another sip and glanced over at Cody. My heart sped up when I noticed he was looking in our direction.

  “What’s that in your hands?” Nic asked.

  I was about to answer when Lynette placed her hand on Cody’s thigh. She slowly moved her hand upward. I was about to turn away in disgust when Cody placed his hand over hers and took it off his leg, shaking his head. Lynette jumped off the truck bed and her hands started waving angrily.

  Yes!

  “What?” Nic looked at me puzzled.

  Holy crap! I said that out loud.

  I turned my attention back to Nic. “Oh, sorry about that. They’re feathers that attach to Mandi’s headband.” I showed him the red band.

  Before I could hand it back to her, Nic took the feathers and band from me. “Allow me.”

  What happened next was something that I’ll never forget. An unusually quiet Mandi stood mesmerized as a smiling Nic placed the headband onto her head. With gleaming eyes, his long fingers slid along her forehead as he adjusted the band. Her breath quickened as his fingers weaved the band’s feathers into her dark tresses. They stood staring at each other for a moment, his hands gliding down her long hair caressing it. Then he rested them on her shoulders. His eyes held such deep longing I could almost feel physical pain for him.

  I watched how he looked at Mandi and I wondered if Cody would ever look at me that way. The expression on Nic’s handsome face was so sweet and tender.

  I sighed, taking a sip of my drink. Oh well, at least one of us could be happy, if only she’d stop fighting her attraction to Nic.

  Mandi took a step back from Nic shaking her head as if trying to lift herself from a trance.

  “Smooth moves, Marcelli.” She gave him a skeptical look.

  What was wrong with her? Nic was practically worshipping her in front of every student in Koppe High and she was brushing him off.

  “I have my days.” He grinned. “You know, Die Hard is playing at the drive-in. I didn’t know they still had drive-ins. I was wondering if you’d—”

  Something caught Nic’s attention and he looked over Mandi’s shoulder scowling. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back.”

  He charged in the direction of where Seth and his brothers were talking to Bianca. Seth had his arm around her, encouraging her to drink from a large plastic cup.

  Others at the party must have sensed trouble was brewing because suddenly everyone was circling near them watching Nic and Seth.

  Seth’s body loomed over Nic by at least three inches. But Nic stood his ground. Over the music, I could hear Bianca yelling at Nic to mind his own business. Then out of nowhere, Dillon and Chase took a hold of him, knocking him to the ground. Seth straddled Nic as he tied his hands behind his back.

  “Let go of him!” Mandi ran toward them.

  I was startled, not sure what to do and feeling a little dizzy as I watched Seth and his brothers drag Nic toward the bridge.

  “Chill, Mandi. We’re just taking him to the bridge,” Dillon said. “Everyone from Koppe’s jumped from there. It’s trad
ition.”

  The dark shadows of Koppe Bridge loomed over the river. During the day, it was really pretty with its large brick-red arch and crossbeams. Even though we were told it was a dangerous thing to do, especially because of the river’s strong undercurrent, kids swam in the river every summer. They’d walk up a narrow beam onto the bridge and dive off of it into the river.

  I glanced over at Cody. His hands were balled into fists. In the blue glow, his face was a mixture of emotions. He took a step toward Seth and then stopped himself.

  “Not in the dark with your hands tied up!” Mandi pummeled her fists against Dillon’s arm. He scowled, shoving her away.

  “Leave her alone, asshole!” Nic snarled when Mandi hit the ground hard. He twisted and pulled, trying to get lose of their grip.

  I ran to Mandi, helping her up. I held onto her as we watched, horrified as they took Nic. A handful of guys went with them, laughing and drinking. The music continued to blare in the background as they disappeared into the dark.

  “Oh my god! They’re really doing it.” Mandi pointed to the lone red glow that appeared to climb up the bridge. “Let go of me, Cassie. I’m going to get him.”

  Then I saw a blue glow moving slowly near the foot of bridge. “No wait. Cody’s over there.”

  There was a loud yell. And I watched horrified as the red glow dropped off the bridge followed by a splash.

  “No!” Mandi wailed.

  We ran to the bridge with Bianca close behind us.

  “Get him out of there, Seth!” Bianca cried when he appeared with his brothers.

  “Don’t you worry your pretty little head. He’ll be all right. He could use a little cooling off.” He laughed as he walked back toward his truck. “Chase, Dillon. Let’s go!”

  His brothers jumped into the truck bed, then he rolled down the window. “Give me a call when you get rid of your babysitter.”

  “Not even!” she screamed after him, throwing a rock at his truck as he and his brothers sped off.

  I searched frantically for Cody. I’d just seen him a moment ago. Where’d he go?

  I caught the flicker of a blue glow at the edge of the riverbank. Quickly, it disappeared into the inky black water. Then I heard another splash.

  “Mandi. Quick. Bring your car over here and put the headlights on. Cody went after Nic.”

  She ran to the car as I went to the place where the blue glow disappeared. “Somebody turn off the music. I can’t hear them.”

  The music stopped and it grew eerily quiet. A group of girls huddled along the edge of the water peering into the darkness. A few of the cheerleaders hugged a sobbing Bianca.

  “Cody! Nic!” I yelled.

  There was a sound of splashes as if someone was struggling. “Cody!”

  Then there was nothing.

  Lights flooded where we stood and Mandi ran to my side. “Where are they?”

  “I don’t see them.” They were taking too long. Way too long. “How long can a person hold their breath under water?”

  “I don’t know. A couple of minutes maybe.”

  “Cody! Cody!” I yelled frantically. “Somebody do something!” Frightened faces surrounded me. No one made a move.

  I kicked off my shoes.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going after him.”

  She wrapped her arms around me. “Don’t be stupid, Cassie. You can barely swim.”

  “I don’t care!” Tears streamed down my cheeks. I couldn’t lose Cody too. Not here. Not like this.

  I struggled against Mandi and she held me in a death grip. Finally, I gave in. Fatigue washed over me. Too tired to breathe. Too tired to fight. Too tired to care whether or not Cody was with Lynette. I fell to my knees. I couldn’t go through this again. Cody had touched my heart and was an important part of my life. He was my friend; he was family. And now, he might never know how much he means to me.

  PART II

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