Saturn and Her Rings (Mended Universe Book 2) Read online

  I tip my head to the side. “Thanks.”

  I grab the bottles and a towel, then walk out of my room and down the hall to the bathrooms. I’ve never shared anything of mine. Ever. For Alex to give me her stuff, it’s weird. Maybe she hasn’t had it as bad as me, so she doesn’t understand the importance of having things of your own, or maybe she just doesn’t care.

  I shake the thoughts away and step into the shower. When I turn on the water, it’s cold and wakes me up. After a minute, it finally warms. I wash my body and hair quickly, then step out. I wrap the towel around my body and run my fingers through my hair. Thank God for conditioner. My hair feels smooth now.

  I gather all the bottles and pad back to my room. Alex is sitting on her bed scrolling through her phone. “Thanks,” I say, handing the bottles back to her. She nods.

  I reach into my drawer and grab my black shorts and AC/DC shirt. I cut the sleeves and back, so now it’s more than some baggy shirt. It hangs off my shoulders and laces up the back like a corset.

  Alex pays no attention to me, so I slip everything on push my feet into my Chucks, then fluff my wet hair. “I’m ready,” I say on a sigh. I don’t own any makeup or any nice clothes. This as good as it’s going to get when it comes to my appearance.

  She looks up from her phone to me and lets out a laugh. “I wish I could look that good with nothing but a shower.”

  I just grin and shake my head. “So where is this party?”

  “Six’s house. He’s definitely someone to stay away from. He was in the system with some shitty parents or something, but now he lives with the McKinneys. They’re loaded, but don’t let that fool you. He hasn’t forgotten his roots, so to speak. He throws these parties and always invites all his old friends, and us rejects.”

  “How generous of him,” I say sarcastically. “And what kind of name is Six?”

  She shrugs her shoulders and laughs. “You got me. Let’s roll.”

  I follow her out of the room and down the hall all the way to the front door. Once we’re outside, she lingers in the driveway and types something into her phone, then looks to me. “Katie will be here—” Headlights shining on us cuts her off. “Now.” She smiles, then bounces down the driveway to the waiting car.

  I follow and crawl into the back and buckle my seat belt. Safety first.

  The girl driving turns to me and smiles. “Hi!” she squeals. “I’m Katie.”

  I give her a tight smile. “Sonni.” I nod.

  “Good to meet ya! Ready to party?” she asks, turning back around and putting the car into drive.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I deadpan.

  If this party is any reflection of Katie and Alex, I know I’ll hate it. They’re too bubbly and cheerful. I mean, Alex isn’t too terrible, I guess. She’s actually kind of laid-back. But Katie… This chick needs a chill pill. Literally.

  She pulls away from the curb and floors it. Within minutes, we’re pulling up to a huge house with an iron gate surrounding it. There are different colored lights flashing from the windows and numerous cars lining the curb and driveway.

  Katie pulls behind a beat-up minivan and throws the car into park before stepping out. Music is spilling out of the house, and people are lingering all throughout the yard. I step out after Alex and follow them up the long-ass driveway, hoping this won’t be a bust.

  Alex pushes open the big wooden door and the music gets louder. “Situations” by Escape the Fate pulses through my body. At least whoever is throwing this thing has good taste in music.

  Katie spots another friend of hers and runs off, leaving me and Alex standing by the door. I look to Alex and shrug, then walk farther into the house. The place is completely open with windows lining almost every wall. The kitchen is right next to the living room, and there is a set of stairs tucked off in the corner. The floors are a shiny white marble, and everything else is black. Black couches, black picture frames, and black appliances in the kitchen.

  I walk to the kitchen with Alex in tow and pluck two red Solo cups from the pile on the counter. I fill them both from the keg sitting on the floor and pass one to Alex.

  She scrunches up her nose. “I’m not really a beer girl.”

  “Seriously?” I roll my eyes.

  “Alex! Come here!” Katie screams from a circle of people in the living room.

  Alex tips her head to me, then scurries off. I shrug and take a sip from one cup, then from the other. “Fuck it,” I whisper to myself.

  The music changes and “Heaven Knows” by the Pretty Reckless starts beating through the house, echoing off the floors. I bob my head to the beat of the drums and smile to myself. Even if nothing else, I got some free drinks and can listen to good music.

  A body presses against my back, and arms wrap around my waist. My mouth gapes open. I spin around, careful not to spill a drop from either cup in my hand, and see a boy towering over me. He has dark hair that’s trimmed short on the sides of his head and longer on the top, chocolate eyes, and pale skin. His chest is hugged by a crisp black V-neck that is just tight enough to show his sculpted frame. And his tattered, but clean, blue jeans hang off his hips lazily.

  He takes a minute to stare at me as I stare at him, then he finally speaks. “Oh. You’re not Britney.” He grins.

  I scrunch my forehead and curl my top lip. “Who the fuck is Britney?”

  “No clue.” He shrugs. “I just thought it could work as a pickup line.” He smirks, showing the tiniest bit of his perfectly white teeth.

  I roll my eyes. “Original.”

  “I’m Six. And you are?” he asks, extending his hand to me.

  Six… Alex’s words ring in my mind. He’s someone to stay away from. I may not know Alex well, but I have a feeling she’s right and I should trust, just a little bit.

  I plaster on a fake smile. “Not interested.” I turn on my heel and walk into the living room.

  Six… If his good looks didn’t already tell me, his name says it all—trouble. Six has always been my unlucky number. When I was six years old, the visits from Mr. Barbie started. I was stuck dealing with that perv for six months before my caseworker finally believed me and moved me out. And apparently, I was born at six o’clock on the dot. That’s more than enough to make me hate the number six.

  Now some gorgeous guy comes along, and his name is Six? I don’t think so. I shake away all the thoughts and try to focus on the music. “It’s Over When It’s Over” by Falling in Reverse starts up as “Heaven Knows” fades out.

  I rock my hips and whip my head to the beat, letting my long blonde hair fly around me.

  “That’s no way to treat the host.”

  I open my eyes and see Six staring down on me. “Can’t take a hint?” I ask.

  “I don’t do hints well. Never have.” He shrugs and pulls a cigarette pack from his pocket, then a lighter, and lights one.

  “That’s sucks,” I say with no emotion before turning my back to him. I continue moving my body to the beat and sipping from the cups in my hands.

  I see Six from the corner of my eye as he moves in front of me slowly. “Just tell me your name,” he says with the same smirk and a cigarette dangling from his lips.

  I sigh. “If I tell you, will you leave me alone?”

  “Maybe.”

  I roll my eyes. “Sonni.”

  “Sonni,” he repeats like he’s testing the taste of my name on his tongue.

  “Yep.” I pop the p. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m trying to enjoy the music.”

  He squints his chocolate eyes at me. “Let me enjoy it with you.”

  “Look.” I down the rest of what’s left in one cup, then shove it into his chest. “I don’t do this.”

  “Do what?” he asks with a chuckle, taking the cup.

  “Whatever it is you’re trying to do. I don’t do relationships, I don’t do feelings, and I definitely don’t do boys named Six.”

  He lets out a barking laugh. “You’re probably the only girl at th
is party who ‘doesn’t do boys named Six.’”

  I crank my fake smile back on. “Great! Then go find one of the ones who do that.”

  “I’d rather do you.” He shrugs.

  “Too bad I’m not do-able.” I frown sarcastically.

  “Nah, you’re definitely do-able. I wouldn’t mind proving it to you.”

  “I’d rather be gagged with a rusty spoon.”

  “I could arrange that. Can I watch?” He grins.

  “You’re disgusting.”

  “And you’re a bitch.”

  “I’ve been called worse.” I push my hair behind my shoulder, then turn away from him and walk into the kitchen.

  Once I refill my cup, I glance over my shoulder and see him standing in the same place I left him. He winks, then blows me a kiss before disappearing into the crowd. Yep, Six is definitely trouble—trouble I don’t need.

  I stay in the kitchen the rest of the night, enjoy a few more drinks, and listen to the music. After what seems like ages, Katie and Alex come up to me laughing.

  “Ready to go?” Alex asks.

  “Already?”

  “We have curfew. Don’t want to piss off Gloria. She may seem like a sweet old lady, but when she’s mad, she’s worse than a wild rhino. She’s vicious,” she laughs.

  “A rhino, huh?” I laugh and shake my head. “Okay, let’s go.”

  Katie leads the way to the front door as Alex and I follow. Once we reach it, I take one last look behind me and see Six in the middle of a circle of girls. They all seem to be trying so hard to get his attention, but his eyes are on me. I turn back around and hurry out of the door.

  Trouble, Sonni. He’s trouble, I tell myself.

  When Alex and I walk inside, everything is quiet. It’s only a little past eleven, but everyone is already tucked away in their rooms or asleep. We creep down the hallway and into our room and close the door before flipping on the light.

  “So, what did you think?” she asks, pulling off her shoes and sitting on her bed.

  I shrug. “It was okay, I guess. Six wouldn’t leave me alone.”

  “Wait.” She stands from her bed and levels her eyes with mine. “Six?”

  I nod. “Yeah?” I raise a brow at her.

  “Oh, Sonni. You’re doomed.” She laughs.

  “Doomed? Why”

  “Six, aka Silas fucking West, is trouble. Trouble you’ve seemed to catch the attention of. I tried to warn you.”

  I chew my lip. “I figured that much. But I’m not interested. He can try all he wants, but it will never happen.”

  She chuckles again. “You say that now, but he has a way of always getting what he wants.”

  “Yeah?” I say a little too defensively. “Well, I’m not some fucking toy. He’ll have to find someone else to keep him busy because it won’t be me.”

  She just shakes her head and mumbles, “If you say so.”

  I plop onto my bed and scoot to the middle, throwing my feet over the footboard. “I don’t see what the big deal is about him anyway.”

  “Have you seen his face?” she asks like I’ve grown three heads.

  “Yeah. Still don’t see the big deal.”

  “Sonni, Silas—or Six as he likes to go by—is prime fucking real estate around here. Everyone wants a piece of him.”

  “Well, I’m not everyone.” I shrug. “If you’re so interested, why don’t you go for him,” I say, bored.

  “No one just ‘goes for him.’ He has to want you. And obviously, he wants you.”

  “Too bad I don’t bother with relationships or feelings.”

  “Neither does he. He only fucks, and fucks hard from what I’ve heard,” she giggles.

  I roll my eyes. “Whatever. I’m going to try and crash.” I push my Chucks off and let them fall to the floor before crawling back to the top of my bed.

  “Hey, Sonni?” she questions quietly from her bed.

  “What?” I ask, annoyed.

  “Thanks for coming with me. I knew it was at his place, but I never thought we’d see him. Just be careful around him. Okay?”

  “Anytime, Alex. Now go to sleep.” I ignore her last statement. I want nothing to do with Six, whether he “wants” me or not.

  She doesn’t reply. I hear her move around her bed before her feet pad across the floor and the light flips off. I release a deep breath I didn’t know I was holding and turn onto my side. Since I didn’t wake up from my nap until a few hours ago, I know I won’t be falling asleep anytime soon. I try to turn to my other side and then to my back, trying to get comfortable, but it doesn’t work.

  As I’m tossing and turning, our door opens and the light is turned on. I jump straight up and squint at the figure standing by the door.

  “Didn’t I say curfew was ten, Sonni?”

  My eyes finally adjust to the light, and the old woman from this morning is staring down on me. “Um, yeah.” I look down.

  I don’t even know this woman, but the disappointment in her voice makes me feel some sort of way.

  “Then why are you coming home past eleven?”

  Fuck… “I… I’m sorry. I forgot—”

  I’m cut off by Alex. “It was my fault, Gloria. We went to see Katie. I forgot newbs have the ten curfew and not midnight like me. Totally my fault. It won’t happen again,” she says with a sincere smile.

  Gloria just shakes her head. “It better not. After the stunt you pulled with Dr. Keller, you have no room for mistakes, Sonni.”

  I push my hair back and play with the ends. “It won’t happen again,” I whisper.

  “Good. Get some rest—breakfast won’t be waiting on you tomorrow like it was today.” She flips the light back off and backs out of the door, then closes it shut.

  “Oops,” I chuckle.

  “Don’t even worry about it. Gloria is a sweetie; she just has to show her granddaughter she doesn’t play around.”

  My eyes adjust back to blackness. I look to Alex. “Granddaughter?”

  “Mhm.” She nods. “She lives on the other side of the house. You probably won’t see her much, but she’s a bitch. She thinks because Gloria is their grandmother, she can run this shit, but Gloria won’t let that happen. She’s always putting her in her place.”

  I nod at her and hope she can see it, then turn my back to her and hope sleeps comes.

  “Come on, Sonni. Breakfast is ready.”

  I roll toward the voice and open my eyes. “Alex,” I deadpan.

  “What?” she asks with a smile.

  I let out a sigh. “Just because I went to a party with you and we share a room, doesn’t mean I won’t murder you for waking me up all cheerful. Loose the bubbly shit, and save it for someone else. One,” I start again, standing from my bed. “I don’t even have a one,” I huff.

  She tries to hide her laugh. “Okay.” She holds her hands up in mock surrender. “I get it. You’re not a morning person.”

  I nod, then pile my hair into a bun on top of my head and secure it with my hair tie I wear on my wrist. “So, what’s for breakfast?” I ask, changing the subject.

  Alex smiles. “French toast, a fruit bowl, and some granola, if you want it.”

  My mouth salivates at her words. “I could seriously get used to this,” I whisper, more to myself than Alex.

  “Right? Took me a solid week to realize the real meals weren’t going anywhere. Fuck those nasty Salisbury steak TV dinners,” she laughs.

  I shudder. “They’re the fucking worst.”

  She stares at me longer than she should before she snaps her head away, plasters on her smile, and leads me from the room.

  When we walk into the common room, all but one table is full. Alex hurries and plants her ass in the wooden chair and pats the one next to her. I drag my feet, not really wanting to sit next to her, then fall into the chair.

  “Don’t worry,” she says. “I don’t like to talk when I eat.”

  Relief floods me. “Thank god,” I murmur.

  “Rude mu
ch?” She laughs.

  I just shrug. Gloria comes out of the door from the kitchen with two plates and walks toward our table.

  “Girls,” she greets with a smile. “Glad to see you on time, Sonni.”

  I give her a tight smile and nod.

  “Enjoy your food. Dr. Keller will see you at three today. She won’t be in this morning, so you’re free to do whatever you want until then.”

  “Okay.” I nod, grabbing my fork from the plate, then hover over the french toast for a split second before digging in and cutting it up.

  “Oh!” Gloria exclaims as she’s walking away. She turns her head over her shoulder. “I decided, if you’re with Alex, your curfew is midnight. Ten if you’re alone though. Alex has been here long enough; she knows the rules.” She gives me a wink and smile, then scurries off.

  I look to Alex and question her with my facial expression. I think she picks it up because she just shrugs.

  “Fuck it. Just roll with it,” she says between swallows.

  I shrug back at her and get to work on my food.

  Once our plates are clear, Alex stands from the table and nudges her head the direction of the hallway. “Come on. You need to get dressed.”

  I stand and follow her out of the common room. “Where are we going?”

  She grins over her shoulder at me. “You’ll see.” She pushes open our door. “Get dressed.”

  Usually I’m not one to let someone lead me blindly anywhere, but whatever Alex has planned has to be better than just sitting here. I walk past her into the room and grab my only other pair of shorts and my alien crop top.

  I hurry and put them on while she types away on her phone. I don’t even bother trying to tame the mess on top of my head. “Ready,” I say on an exhale.

  Alex looks up from her phone and shakes her head with a smile. “You seriously look so good without even trying. I wish I was a blonde.” She stares into space before snapping her head back to me.

  “You’re so weird,” I mumble.

  “Better than being a bitch.” She raises one shoulder, then lets it fall with a half-smile.

  I roll my eyes. “Whatever,” I laugh.

  I didn’t think when I came here that I would like it. It’s only my second full day, and I guess I’m getting used to it. The food is great, there is hot water, and honestly, Alex isn’t so bad.