Page 112 of Pride High 2: Orange

“Let’s see,” Keisha said, leaning forward to eye her. “Hmm.” Silvia felt herself blushing the longer she stared. “Carrot cake.”

“Carrot cake?!” Silvia repeated incredulously.

“That’s right. You’re smooth and sweet, but you also have substance.”

Silvia’s blush graduated to a full-body flush.

“That’s so much better than mine!” Mindy complained. “I don’t want to be chopped liver. Even though IloveJewish people.”

“It’s not nice to judge anyone based on their religion,” Keisha taunted.

“Even if it’s nice?”

“Especially if it’s nice,” Silvia teased. “It makes them feel like a cause.”

“Oh yeah?” Mindy shot back. “My new cause is judging you guys, because you’re both terrible friends.”

“You know we love you,” Keisha assured her.

“We really do,” Silvia replied, thrilled that they had paired themselves up, even for something so small.

She forced herself to calm down, which wasn’t easy, because she’d been desperate to see Keisha again. She hadn’t thought to exchange phone numbers when parting on Christmas Day, and asking Mindy would have resulted in too many questions. But when Omar invited her to the party, and Mindy called to talk about details, Silvia had casually mentioned the possibility of bringing Keisha along. Then she had paced her room while waiting for Mindy to call back with the news that it would indeed be all three of them.

The world outside the truck grew darker as they left Pride behind. Just north of town was a swath of wooded land that surrounded Lake Integrity. On the water’s eastern shore, where the land climbed higher, Panorama Park offered a stunning view of the Kansas City skyline. They traveled along the road that snaked up the ridge, not seeing any cars ahead or behind them.

“This is starting to feel like a horror movie,” Mindy said.

“Don’t worry,” Keisha replied. “After an hour in this cold, if anyone tries to stab us, their knife won’t be able to pierce our frozen skin.”

“Omar promised we would stay warm,” Silvia said as she pulled into a parking lot. “I think he plans on building a fire.”

“He’s probably rubbing two sticks together as we speak,” Mindy grumbled. “Hey, there’s Cameron’s station wagon!”

The parking lot was a long and narrow single lane that curved away from the road. Cameron’s car was at the very end, where it was less likely to be noticed. They parked next to it and got out of the truck, bundling themselves up against the chill. Then they followed a path flattened by footsteps in the snow, leading them closer to music and a flickering light.

In an area of cleared land, walled in on one side by evergreen trees, was a small campfire. Half a dozen people were standing around it while talking. Silvia spotted Anthony’s tall silhouette and headed toward him. They were noticed along the way.

“Ladies!” Omar said over the thumping music coming from a battery-powered boombox. “Welcome to the coolest New Year’s party in all of Kansas.”

“Then what’s that over there?” Keisha said, pointing to a blazing bonfire not far away. Two dozen people, if not more, were dancing and shouting around it.

Omar snorted. “A bunch of jerk-wad college kids who gave me shit when I asked to borrow a lighter. But that’s okay. They set themselves up near the entrance. If the cops come snooping around, guess who’s getting busted first? We’ll have plenty of time to escape.” He squinted in the limited light. “Have we met?”

“Oh,” Silvia said. “Omar, this is my friend, Keisha.”

He held out a hand, and when Keisha accepted it, he added, “I’m her boyfriend.”

“Oh really?” Keisha said, as if surprised.

“Yeah,” Omar replied, his eyes flicking over to Silvia briefly. “I’m sure she mentioned me. Right?”

Keisha pretended to think about it. Then she laughed. “I’m just messing with you,” she said, boxing the air in front of him. “You’re all she talks about.”

“Oh good,” Omar said with a chuckle.

Silvia’s cheeks were burning when he walked over to her.

“Hey, babe,” he said before they smooched. “You’re wearing my Christmas present!”