Page 43 of Icarus

West

After four days of silence, on Friday a small cup was placed in front of him.

Espresso, bitter and dark.

Icarus drank it all.

He looked up into brown eyes and saw divinity in the quirk of a smile.

“That’s all you get for now, until I’m happy with you again.” Julian slid into his seat.

“Are you going to homecoming?” Icarus asked.

“Does it matter? You’re not going to see us there. I might see you at Luca’s party,” Julian said without turning around. “If you’ll deign to show your face there, at least.”

“I’m showing up,” Icarus admitted quietly.

“Which is weird to begin with, but I’m not going to bust your balls about it. It’s not every day Queen Celestina walks up to you and begs you to do her the favor of showing your face at an event. My curiosity was piqued,” Julian said, looking to the side, but still not facing him.

“Hmm.” Icarus sat back.

“I’m not really mad at you,” Julian mumbled. “If that means anything.”

“I did miss it. The drinks. It really helps,” Icarus replied. “I can pay you back for it.”

“No, dude.” Julian crossed his arms. “Stop making it weird, just like . . . get over yourself about it. Consider it my investment in not having to come back here after college and see you working at the factory with my dad.”

Icarus frowned.

“Shit would be so depressing I’d set myself on fire,” Julian mumbled.

“Uh . . . okay. Well. I’m half done on my outline for the project. What step are you on?”

Julian snorted. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

He didn’t turn around, but the side of his cheek rounded, and Icarus knew Julian was smiling.

Ripped

Everyone was buzzing with energy, but Icarus was just nervous.

Luca gave him his address and warned him that the fun wouldn’t start until 11 p.m. because the dance ended at 10, and if he got there early he would have to help set things up.

Apparently, Luca’s parents were out for the evening to give everyone some space, which sounded as exciting as it did dangerous.

To Icarus’s surprise, Aspen and Sorrel were both going to the dance but not Luca’s party. Aspen was bringing a girl she’d met online who lived in a different town. She seemed wary and a bit disgusted that Icarus was going to a “popular kid’s house” and warned him that it might be some kind of trap.

Sorrel told Icarus that he hadn’t been invited to Luca’s, and when Icarus insisted that it was open invitation, he still turned Icarus down.

“I wouldn’t know what to do there. I’d feel out of my element,” Sorrel had mumbled.

Celestina sat behind him and dragged her nails up and down his back until he bent like a willow and pressed his cheek to the desk. Tremors of pleasure turned his spine to liquid.

“It will be okay,” she sighed. “I’ll drive you back home in the end.”

“Even if you can’t come upstairs?” Icarus’s eyes were hazy. He was falling apart in the middle of chemistry and he didn’t care. He didn’t care.

Celestina’s laugh sounded like wind chimes. “Keep your secrets, love.”