Cardinal Read Online Free PDF Page A

your hair –”
    “What’s
wrong with my hair?”
    “Nothing.”
She shrugs. “But, I’m a stylist. If you want to take advantage, let me know.”
    I pull my
straightened dark brown locks over one shoulder. I have a lot of changes going
on in my life right now. I think I’ll keep my hair the way it is.
    I keep
Juliana company in the bathroom while she finishes up. During the process, loud
music starts to play above us.
    “See? 
There.” I point up. “That’s what I was talking about. How do you and Pete put
up with the noise?”
    “We’re
usually at my place. Besides, the owner tends to warn us when he’s having
parties.”
    I groan. “It’s
coming from Latson’s?”
    She nods.
    “I was
dancing to his music earlier?”
    She nods
again.
    That’s
not awkward or anything.
    Finally,
she’s ready to go. We emerge from the bathroom to find my brother sprawled out
on the couch.
    “It’s
about time.” He raises the remote and turns off the T.V. “I was going to leave
without you.” He stands as I turn to grab my purse off the table. “Jen. Where
is the back of your shirt?”
    I look
over my shoulder. “It’s right here.”
    He lets
out a heavy sigh.
    “Do you
want her to wear a turtleneck?” Juliana asks.
    “No. It’s
just…”
    I set my
hands on my hips. “It’s just what?”
    “Haven’t
you shown enough skin today?”
    I scowl. “It
wasn’t intentional.”
    He
doesn’t look amused.
    “Can we
get out of here?” I ask. “There’s a party going on and I need a drink.”
    “I second
that.” Juliana loops her arm through mine.
    The three
of us leave the apartment and take the stairs up one floor. When we get to the
top, I see a hallway similar to Pete’s. Three apartment doors span one wall
while, opposite of my brother’s floor, the other is wall is empty. I assume
this is how Latson gets away with loud parties. No one lives across from him. He
must warn his neighbors on either side like he warns Jules and Pete. I can’t
imagine they would be happy with a bunch of people over all the time.
    Juliana’s
arm remains entwined with mine and I let her pull me toward the door that’s propped
open. When we step over the threshold, my jaw drops. I expected a replica of
Pete’s place. This looks nothing like the apartment my brother rents.
    Juliana
grabs my attention. “Nice, huh?”
    I nod. “Is
it always like this?”
    “Do you
mean crowded?”
    “No. Big.”
    She
smiles. “Latson owns all the apartments on this floor. He knocked down the
walls in between to create a suite.”
    He
renovated an entire floor?  I look around the room. He has enough money to do
that but he can’t he afford his own beer pong table?
    Speaking
of, the game is in full swing to my right. Behind the two teams bouncing ping
pong balls back and forth I see the kitchen, which is separated from the living
room by a breakfast bar. There must be an island past that, because people have
congregated there. In front of me is a living area with a sunken center; you
have to walk down two steps to get to the main floor. Couches and chairs have
been pushed to the perimeter and a DJ is set up at the far end near the sliding
balcony doors. As Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” morphs into Rihanna’s “Umbrella”,
my eyes continue to roam. A fireplace is tucked away in a corner a few feet
from a mounted flat screen and then, further to my left, I see a hallway.
    “Pete!”
    I turn to
see a guy clap my brother on his shoulder.
    “Hey,
Carter.”
    “Juullles.”
He draws out Juliana’s name, then kisses her on the temple. He pretends to
whisper in her ear. “When are you going to dump this loser and go out with me?”
    She
laughs. “Carter, this is Pete’s sister, Jen. Jen, meet persistent Carter.”
    Carter
looks at me, intrigued.
    “Hi,” I
offer.
    He
flashes a white smile to match his surfer boy looks. “Hello.” He takes a step
toward me, then hollers over his shoulder. “Felix!”
    I see a
guy with tan skin