"Um gross. Get a room," Piper spat out, strutting into the kitchen with a pissed off, constipated look on her face. The four of us moved so our backs were turned away from her, ignoring the demon's presence.
“Pick your poison,” Lane shouted, signaling to the countless choices on the counter. Where did he even manage to get all this?
“Vodka, por favor,” Gabby bursted, grabbing three cups and a bottle. "Where is the cranberry?"
“There is no cranberry juice,” Piper claimed, apparently still in the room.
“There is cranberry juice,” Lane corrected, opening up the stainless steel fridge. “Just not for you.” Still not bothering to turn around and acknowledge Piper, he grabbed a bottle of cranberry juice from the bottom compartment and handed it to Gabby.
“Why are you always such an asshole?” The four of us turned around to finally face Piper. Her hands were perched on her hips with hate lining her face. Damn, she was really pissed.
Without giving Lane a chance to argue back, Cora jumped off the counter quickly, getting in to Piper's face. "Happy Halloween, Skankenstein. Nice dream catcher belly ring, Piper. Your vagina must have seriously bad nightmares from all the guys it's been around." She let out a disgusted snort and my mouth fell open. I had never witnessed Cora being so nasty to anyone.
Piper grumbled out a sarcastic laugh. "Please. I don't even understand what he sees in you," she sneered, pinching her face together. Her voice had always been irritating, but adding alcohol to her system made it excruciating to listen to. She moved her vision from Cora over to Lane, giving him a sly smile. "I'll repeat what I've always told you. You definitely downgraded." Downgraded? Confusion smacked into me. Did Lane used to date Piper?
A crowd quickly formed around us, watching the heated show on display. Cora's fists balled up and I was positive she was gearing to drop kick the skank in front of her. Lane must have been thinking the same thing, because he raced forward, pulling Cora behind his broad chest. "Shut the fuck up, Piper," he warned the angry blonde, his voice ice cold. "Or get the hell out of my house. You're lucky I even let you step foot in here. But if you EVER talk to Cora like that again, you will be banned from every single goddamn party that happens here or anywhere else."
Damn, go Lane.
For the first time since I've known Piper, she was speechless. Her mouth was pressed into a tight line. She glanced around suddenly, realizing no one was coming to her defense. I spotted her groupies in the corner, refusing to look her way. They might want to be like her, but they weren't willing to get banned from parties for their ringleader. She pointed her perfectly contoured chin in the air, tossing her shiny hair over her shoulder and strutted out of the room, shoving through the crowd with her elbows.
"I can't stand that fucking chick," Lane bit out, his voice cracking with anger. "Shows fucking over," he shouted to the crowd, waving them out of the kitchen. They scurried away like ants back to the music gyrating in the living room. From the look on Lane's face, my ass would have scurried away too. So far, the party had been exactly what I assumed. Pure freaking torture-and I hadn't even started drinking yet.
Lane turned around, wrapping his arms around Cora and kissing her on the top of her head. Tilting her head up, she stepped up to give him a peck on the lips. "That made me feel better," she smiled, breaking away from his hold.
“Are you okay, girl?” Gabby asked Cora, pulling her in for a hug. “I am so going to plant bugs in that girl’s bed next time I'm forced to go over to her house for a dinner."
Cora let out a deep sigh and nodded. “I’m just going to run to your bathroom real quick and put my phone in your room,” she told Lane, turning around and walking out of the kitchen.
“Kay, I’m coming with you.” His voice sounded bossy, but caring at the same time. Grabbing her hand, he followed her out of the kitchen. When I could no longer make out their bodies in the crowd, I turned to Gabby and raised an eyebrow. It might have not been my business, but I was curious. “Did Piper and Lane used to date?”
Grabbing the vodka bottle, she let out a deep sigh. “Lane's going to kill me for this. Cora and Lane broke up for like a week during their junior year.” She held her cup and poured two shots inside before handing the bottle to me. “During those two weeks, he went to a homecoming dance with Piper. They didn’t do shit,” she explained, waving her arms. “But Piper enjoys giving Cora a hard time about it, saying she is getting her sloppy seconds when everyone, even Cora, knows that Lane would never do that to her. Break or no break.” She grabbed the cranberry juice and filled up the rest of her cup. “She’s just jealous because neither Lane nor his cousin want her for anything serious. She’s either a fuck buddy or a girl to take to homecoming to piss of the girl you’re in love with.”