Page 54 of Divine Oaths

“Jojo, you’re here!” I giggled. The world tilted beneath me as I snuggled against his shoulder like we always used to do. Laughter spilled through the room, and I frowned—confused.

“It’s Kasem,” he corrected me. “You must be beyond wasted, birthday girl.”

He sat closer to me in the circle—Kasem, not Jojo. His hand steadied me as I pulled my head back.

I smiled.

“I can’t believe you’re actually cursed.” I cupped my hands over my mouth, looking around nervously. But no one was paying attention. Everyone was drinking and enjoying themselves.

“You sound amused by that,” Kasem answered flatly.

I laughed and shook my head. “No, no. Of course not. Curses are bad.”

I tried to make my expression serious, but I couldn’t stop giggling. I’d only been drunk once before, when I was thirteen and at a party an executive was throwing after some awards show. The new manager my parents had hired promised that the event was a networking opportunity that could change my career. Instead, I’d spent most of the party hiding from leery strangers. Safe to say, that night had been the precursor of my early retirement from fame.

“Are you all right?” Kasem asked again. “You don’t look well.”

My memories of my childhood weren’t all like that. There’d been some happy times with me and my parents and performing. But then there had been nights like that one, where I’d locked myself in a bathroom and cried myself to sleep. The next morning, my manager broke through the door, took me back home, and told my parents that I’d never make it. That it was better for me to stay local and use my talent for party tricks.

Honey sat beside me.

“So what’s with you and Ojore—sorry, Jojo? I’m getting used to it. You know, he used to get so upset when people would pronounce his name wrong. It’s so odd how much he’s changed since we were younger.”

I hadn’t known that. But, again, as I was coming to learn, there was a lot about Jojo that I didn’t know.

“Nothing,” I said. “He used to rent the apartment above where my aunt and I lived. So we were neighbors for a little bit.”

“But you have feelings for him?” Honey giggled and reached for Kasem. “Didn’t you say she’s, like, in love with him?”

Heat burned through me, and I glared at Kasem.

“And what makes you say that?”

“Oh, she’s not denying it,” Honey teased. “How cute.”

Kasem took another swig from his flask. “You’re boring us all, Honey.”

But Honey ignored him.

“You know what you should do to get his attention?” she said. “Make him realize that he’s been in love with you this whole time and that he’d be an idiot to ignore his feelings.”

I laughed. “And how would I do that?”

Honey leaned closer, her drink nearly spilling on me until Kasem firmly adjusted it away. I whispered him a quiet thanks and he nodded curtly, taking another swig from his flask.

“You should screw his brother.”

At Honey’s words, Kasem nearly choked on his drink.

Honey and a few other girls who had started eavesdropping burst out laughing while I leaned over Kasem, instinctively patting his back as he regained his composure.

His toned muscles were firm against my palm, and for a moment, a vision flashed in my mind. It was him only a few minutes ago, locked in a room by himself while the party raged on. He rested his head against the bathroom wall, his eyes staring blankly ahead, empty. Someone called his name and there was that mask again. He unscrewed the flask and filled its contents with bottled water.

The vision dissipated, and I returned to the present, to Kasem and Honey arguing.

“Please spare us your dating advice, Honey.”

“What? It’s a good idea. You’d get back at Jojo and she’d get him to finally notice her. Besides, it’s her birthday tomorrow. And what girl doesn’t want a Saint James boy as a birthday gift?”