Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies 2)

“Look, I…uh…found it on a waiter. I think it’s a cigarette…” Dylan mumbled.

“Sure you do,” Jenni answered. She inhaled deeply and handed it to Juan.

“I’ll pass,” Juan said, and handed it back to Dylan.

“Shit,” Dylan whispered in awe, staring at the doorway to the ballroom.

Jason looked up to see Katie in the doorway. She was wearing a very slinky purple halter dress with high heels. She looked absolutely hot. He must have been staring, because Shelley smacked his arm.

Katie walked over to join them, her heels clicking on the patio.

Dylan was openly gawking. Juan looked over and whistled. With a grin, Katie sat next to Jenni and tucked her legs to one side.

“Katie, you’re totally hot,” Dylan said in awe.

“Thank you!” Katie beamed.

Jason noted she was actually wearing makeup and had let her hair fall free and curly to her shoulders. “Yeah, totally. ” Shelley smacked him again and he looked at her and said, “Well, you are, too.

Seriously, you are. ” He kissed her cheek. Her smile was a relief.

“Yeah, I put on her makeup and fixed her hair. She has a hot date tonight,” Jenni said.

“Yeah, who?” Melanie looked very curious. “I didn’t think there were other gay girls. ”

“Travis, actually. I’m…” she faltered, “open-minded. ”

Jason knew this wasn’t the case at all, but figured Katie didn’t feel like going into the details of it all. He was glad Katie was looking happy. For a long time, she had looked rather sad.

“Cool,” Dylan said with a wide grin that had Melanie glaring at him. “Wanna smoke?”

Katie took the joint and arched an eyebrow. “You do realize I was a prosecutor before the zombies. ”

Dylan blinked. “Oh. ”

Katie shrugged. “Oh, well. I haven’t done any since college. ” She took a drag and handed it back.

Jason couldn’t help, but stare as the smoke unfurled from her lips.

She was really, really hot tonight.

Ricky, again, reached for the joint. Shelley smacked his hand.

There was a brother/sister tussle and lots of giggling over it. The world on top of the hotel was full of laughter. Jason found himself smiling more than he had for a long time.

When his Mom and Juan helped Katie to her feet so they could go join the other adults inside, he stood up and hugged them all again.

“Travis is pretty lucky,” he said to Katie.

“So is Shelley,” Katie answered back.

Jason blushed and sat back down as the adults left.

“Super damn hot,” Dylan said, watching Katie leave.

Jason laughed as Melanie smacked him. He turned to Shelley and kissed her very firmly on the lips.

It was an okay birthday after all.