Chosen

for an element, or in your case all five elements, we better make sure everything goes smoothly when a non-gifted guy stands in."
    "You're not exactly non-gifted."
    "Well, I wasn't talking about my vast make-out skills."
    I rolled my eyes. "Neither was I."
    He pulled me closer so that my body was molded against him. "Guess I need to show you more of my talent."
    I giggled and he kissed me. I could still taste a hint of blood on his lip, which made the kiss even sweeter.
    "Guess you two made up," Erin said.
    "Looks more like a make-out than a makeup, Twin," Shaunee said.
    This time Erik and I didn't spring apart. We just sighed.
    "There's no such thing as privacy at this school," Erik muttered.
    "Hello! You're sucking face out here in plain sight," Erin said.
    "I think it's kinda sweet," Jack said.
    "That's because you're kinda sweet," Damien said, twining his arm through Jack's as they walked down the wide front stairs of the dorm.
    "Twin, I may vomit. How about you?" Shaunee said.
    "Definitely. As in projectile," Erin said.
    "So this lovey-dovey stuff makes you two sick, huh?" Erik asked with an evil gleam in his eyes. I wondered what he was up to.
    "Utterly nauseous," Erin said.
    "Ditto," Shaunee agreed."
    "Then you wouldn't be interested in what Cole and T. J. wanted me to pass along to you?"
    "Cole Clifton?" Shaunee said.
    "T. J. Hawkins?" Erin said.
    "Yep and yep," Erik said.
    I watched the twinly cynical Shaunee and Erin instantly change their negative attitudes.
    "Cole is so fiiiine," Shaunee practically purred. "That blond hair of his and those naughty blue eyes make me want to spank him."
    "T. J."—Erin fanned herself dramatically—"that boy can sing. And he's tall…Ooh, he's 50 damn fine."
    "Does all this drama mean you two are actually interested in some lovey-dovey stuff?" Damien asked with a smug raise of his eyebrows.
    "Yes, Queen Damien," Shaunee said, while Erin narrowed her eyes at him and nodded.
    "So did you have something you wanted to pass along to the Twins from Cole and T. J.?" I prompted Erik before Damien could fire back at the Twins, which made me for the zillionth time miss Stevie Rae. She was a better peacekeeper than me.
    "Just that we all thought it would be cool if Shaunee and Erin and you"—he squeezed my shoulders—"went to the IMAX tomorrow night with us."
    "Us as in you, Cole, and T. J.?" Shaunee asked.
    "Yep. Oh, and Damien and Jack are invited, too."
    "What are we gonna see?" Jack asked.
    Erik paused for dramatic effect, then said, "300 is rerunning as a special holiday IMAX event."
    It was Jack's turn to fan himself.
    Damien grinned. "We're in."
    "Us, too," Shaunee said, while Erin nodded so vigorously in agreement that her long blond hair bounced around, making her look like a crazed cheerleader.
    "You know, 300 may be the perfect movie. It has something in it for everyone," I said. "Man titties for those of us who like that. And girl boobies for those of us who like that. Plus a very large dose of heroic guy action, and who doesn't like that?"
    "And a midnight IMAX show for those of us who don't like the daylight," Erik said.
    "Sheer perfection," Damien said.
    "Ditto," said the Twins together.
    I just stood there and grinned. I was crazy about them. Each and every one of the five of them. I still missed Stevie Rae constantly, but for the first time in a month I was feeling like myself—content, happy even.
    "So it's a date?" Erik said.
    Everyone chimed in with their yeses.
    "Better get back to our dorm. Wouldn't want to be caught on sacred girl ground after dorm curfew," he teased.
    "Yeah, we better go," Damien said.
    "Hey Zoey, happy birthday," Jack said.
    Jeesh, he's a sweet kid. I grinned at him, "Thanks, honey." Then I looked at the rest of my friends. "I'm sorry I was such a butt earlier. I really do like my presents."
    "Which means you'll be wearing your presents?" Shaunee said with her sharp chocolate-colored eyes narrowed at me.
    "Yeah, you'll be wearing those totally hot boots we spent $295.52 on?" Erin added.
    I gulped. Shaunee and Erin's families had money. I, on the other hand, was definitely not used to owning $300 boots. Actually, now that I realized how expensive they were, I was liking them more and more. "Yep. I will be wearing those fiiiine boots." I mimicked Shaunee.
    "The cashmere scarf wasn't exactly cheap, either," Damien said haughtily. "Did I mention it's cashmere? One hundred percent."
    "More times than we can count," Erin mumbled.
    "I love me