Taken By A Werewolf

XIII

"This one is for ditching me for the new guy," Cooper declared as he threw the ping pong ball straight into the cup.

Indy laughed--everything was so much funnier after three beers. She raised the cup at Coop and drank it all at once. The people who had gathered around the beer pong table hooted and whistled, but Cooper continued unfazed.

"This one is for always turning me down."

He shot the ball effortlessly into the cup.

"Because secretly you find me very attractive and funny," he stated.

Indy nodded.

"It's true."

She didn't know why she said that, but the fog in her brain didn't know why she wouldn't say it.

Luckily, it was Slaide's turn to drink.

"And finally," Cooper said loudly, gaining everyone's attention, "this one is for saying we aren't friends."

The ball landed in the last cup standing on their side of the table. Everyone cheered loudly.

"Because we are, Indy."

For some reason, that remark warmed Indy's heart. Or maybe it was the alcohol as she emptied the final cup.

"Well played, Coop, well played," she admitted to him.

"Sorry I sucked," she apologized to Slaide.

"Oh that's okay. You warned me in advance," he replied.

"Besides, we could've known the basketball player would kick our asses."

Indy nodded in agreement, but quickly stopped when the world started spinning. She hadn't drunk this much in a while. She probably shouldn't have. She stumbled and lost her balance, but two strong arms caught her before she could fall.

"Thanks, Coop," she smiled back at him, only to find out it wasn't Cooper who had saved her.

"Ew, not you," she scoffed at Eloy. What was he even doing here?

"What are you doing here?" Slaide asked Eloy in a serious tone that sounded a lot more sober than a minute ago. So she wasn't the only one wondering why he had turned up. And by the looks of it, she also wasn't the only one with a strong dislike for the boy.

"I thought this was a party?" Eloy said in his cocky tone. He stepped forward, facing Slaide with a daring look. Suddenly, there was a tension in the air, almost as if thunder was about to break loose.

"You weren't invited," Slaide said through gritted teeth, glaring daggers at Eloy.

The two boys looked like they were going to fight. Cooper pulled Indy behind him, trying to protect her from the scene that was unfolding in front of her eyes. A circle of people had formed around them, whispering excitedly.

"I didn't realize I needed an invitation," Eloy smirked.

"Leave."

Slaide's hands were balled into fists. Indy could see the veins pop out on his muscular surfer arms.

"Why don't you make me?" Eloy said, taking another step forward.

Slaide raised his fist and Indy was certain he was going to punch Eloy in the face. And however much she would actually want to see that, it felt wrong.

"Please, don't!" she exclaimed before she could stop herself.

Slaide turned around to look at her, surprise and anger clear on his face.

"Are you with them?" Slaide asked, probably referring to the wannabe boy band, even though Eloy seemed to be the only one present.

"No, no no," Indy quickly shook her head. The insult.

"I'm definitely team Slaide."

Slaide nodded at her in approval. She heard a nervous chuckle escape from Coop's lips.

"Please just don't punch him maybe?" she pleaded.

"What do you care?" Slaide asked, and by the look on his face, Indy could tell that Eloy was also dying to find out the answer to that question.

"You might hurt your beer pong hand, and we need it for our revenge on Coop," Indy explained. She simply hated violence, but that wouldn't be a good enough reason for them to stop. No, but beer pong sounds like an excellent reason.

Slaide raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief.

"Bro," Coop said in a tone that did not allow for discussion. To Indy's surprise, Slaide nodded at his friend before facing Eloy again.

"You're not welcome here," Slaide simply stated before turning away from him.

Indy let out her breath after realizing she had been holding it in in anticipation. The people who had gathered around them scattered across the backyard and went back to their partying ways. The show was over. Indy scanned the backyard, but didn't see Eloy. He had vanished in the sea of people, and if he was smart, he had gone home. Indy wondered what the bad blood between Eloy and Slaide was about. The boy had only been here for a week, but he seemed to get on everyone's nerves. Indy caught herself searching the backyard for Ares. Usually, where Eloy went, he went. But she couldn't find him. Maybe Slaide had a problem with him too, and maybe Ares had been smart about it and stayed away. She hated to admit that after everything, including their not-so friendly encounters this morning and just a few hours ago, she was disappointed by his absence. He is dangerous, she tried to remind herself, but she had gotten it just as bad as her fellow female classmates.

"So revenge, you were saying?" Slaide asked, snapping Indy from her thoughts. She tried to smile at him, but wasn't sure if she succeeded.

He threw one arm around Indy's shoulder and the other around Cooper's, leading them back to the beer pong table as if nothing had happened. But something had happened already.