Total pages in book: 209
Estimated words: 196141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 981(@200wpm)___ 785(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 981(@200wpm)___ 785(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
“I think you could be,” says Kaleb sweetly.
Raya peers back at him, pensive. “Play another one for me,” she says, “if you would.” Kaleb picks up the violin and obliges.
5.
The V Word.
—∙—
“Like, I dunno, when is it too soon to ask someone out?”
Kyle chuckles. The question comes from Leland. The two are hauling bags of trash from the party to the dumpster behind the bar. “If you’re feeling it …” starts Kyle.
“When did you get the balls to ask Elias out?” Leland takes one of the heavier bags over his shoulder and thrusts it into the dumpster with a grunt of anguish. “Shit, man, I’m outta shape.”
“Is this about Becks?” teases Kyle as he throws his own bag into the dumpster—with such incredible ease that Leland gives him a baffled look.
Then he straightens up. “Is it that obvious?”
“More than,” laughs Kyle. “Everyone knows. Cade’s seen the sparks since Fourth of July. Something about how you kept eyeing Becks over your plate of barbecue you barely touched.”
“Wow, I forgot about that party. Burned the fuck outta my hand like an amateur, flipping a burger.” Leland rubs his sweaty head of hair, wrinkling up his sleepy face. “Didn’t realize it was so obvious. Did you notice back then, too?”
“I wasn’t there.”
“Why not?”
“Party was in the afternoon.”
It’s slow to dawn on Leland. “Oh, right, because … right.” He lets out a flustered laugh that dances around his throat like a bird caught in a tight place. “Shoot, we should hold all of our parties at night. They’re more fun. Sun’s too hot, anyway. Hey, you haven’t been here more than six or so months, right? You haven’t even seen it snow yet.”
Kyle shuts the lid of the dumpster. “Can’t imagine a single flake of snow dropping in a place like this.”
“Well, they do. I mean, it isn’t Canada, but it snows. Did I ever tell you that’s where I’m from? Well, my parents, at least. I was born here. Not that you asked for my life story. Just, seeing as you’re opening up so much more to us now …”
Kyle can feel Leland’s emotions flying around wildly. He throws him a smile and puts him at ease. “I appreciate anytime you open up to me. I like learning more about my friends.”
“Friends? Yeah, of course, we’re friends.” Leland lets out another strained laugh. “I’m too damned insecure about Becks suddenly. Did you know I went a straight three months before I realized Becks was short for Rebecca? My dumb ass thought her name was literally Becks. If only I knew whether she—”
Something crashes loudly at the end of the alley.
Kyle turns at once.
Nothing is there.
Leland presses against Kyle’s back, his eyes wide. “Did you see something?” he whispers, alarmed. “What was that?”
“Don’t know.”
They remain still, neither daring to draw a breath.
“After that incident with the ring stuck on your finger last Friday,” Leland whispers, clinging to Kyle, trembling, “I’m a little freaked out by coming back here. I keep thinking—”
Kyle shushes him, continuing to focus. When nothing else seems to move, he uses his Reach, seeking any presences in the alley. All he finds is the rippling fear from Leland, still clinging to his back, and the cheerful energies from their friends inside the bar. He senses nothing else.
“Do you think it came back?” whispers Leland. “That dark, creepy ghost-thing you said you saw out here that one night?”
“No,” says Kyle after a pause. Then: “No,” he repeats with more confidence. “Because of the deal, we’re being left alone. We shouldn’t have any reason to fear. We’re safe.”
Leland nods. “Yeah, deal, right.” Then he squints, leans in closer. “What deal?”
Kyle lets out a breath of relief, puts on a smile, and turns to slap a reassuring hand on Leland’s back. “Don’t worry about it. It was just a mouse … or something heavy settling in the other dumpster. Didn’t Sylvia throw out her old TV yesterday? Let’s finish closing up and go home.”
Leland returns a nervous smile, not fully convinced, but the two head back in anyway.
It’s only half an hour later when Kyle and Elias are making the short drive home. The entire town is asleep, and the drive is slow, windows rolled down, radio off, nothing but the night in their ears. Kyle lets his arm hang out of the window, feeling the air brush over his fingers like soft hair. His Reach still senses no one but the quietly sleeping people of Nowhere between the vast, empty spaces of nothing at all.
“I should visit Patrick,” says Kyle suddenly.
Elias half turns to him. “The fuck …?”
“He’s an innocent participant in all of this. He’s suffering for no reason at all, sitting in a jail cell, worrying about his …” Kyle’s voice cuts off.
“His family,” finishes Elias, “which George already ate for a light supper.” When he reaches the next stop sign, he puts the vehicle in park and turns to Kyle. “Are we just gonna forget he shot you pointblank? In the face?”