Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“Of course it was.” Brad gazes at me for a few moments before scooting closer and hooking an arm around me. Despite how soothing his hold is, there’s a searing pain in my chest, one that doesn’t get better.
And the tears come again.
I turn to Brad, wrapping my arm around him and pulling him close.
He rubs my back. “I’m here. It’s okay.”
As comforting as his hold is, I know it’s not okay.
Nothing about losing them will ever be okay.
20
BRAD
On Tuesday the following week, after my second class, I head to the courtyard and FaceTime with Mom. It’s her day off, and I reach her while she’s catching up on some Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. I check in, asking about her symptoms. I keep waiting to hear about the tingling and fatigue, the usual signs that I need to make another trip home, but based on what she says, her MS hasn’t been bad since my last visit. I’m hopeful maybe we can make it to the holidays, at least.
I tell her about the test I just crushed when she suddenly eyes me suspiciously and says, “Why are you smiling so much today?”
I’ve noticed that look the last few times we’ve chatted, when she’s asked about my plans for the evening or if I’ve made any new friends—not the kinds of questions she normally asks. She’s probing for something.
“Guess I’m just feeling good today,” I lie.
I know why I’m feeling good. Because I’m only one more class away from meeting up with Luke at the library so we can chill…and, well, not chill together.
“Okay, it’s more than that,” I confess. “There’s a guy, since I know that’s what you keep dancing around.”
Her eyes widen. “A guy? Really?” she says, appearing genuinely shocked.
“Why are you acting surprised? This is what you’ve been hinting around all week.”
“I figured that’s what it was, but I wasn’t expecting you to tell me this soon. You’ve never mentioned a guy to me before.”
She grins like she already knows how into Luke I must be to tell her that. And I must admit, I’m getting pretty hung up on him.
Even with all the Sinners bullshit we have to navigate, I like spending time with him. Getting to know him better. Finding out the little things about him. Like how he needs his bangs to have that perfect curl in front. Or that he owns, like, five black thermal sweaters, which look the same, but I can see why they’re his favorite because they definitely show off his assets best. Or trying to guess how long I’ll see him with the book he’s reading—the one from last night might last until tomorrow.
And now that I’m thinking about those things, I’m smiling even more.
“So how do you know him?” Mom presses.
For some reason, that sets me on edge.
I met him because I’m part of a group that fucks around with magic, and we’re pretty sure between our botched spell and this guy arriving at the school, an evil monster has escaped from an alternate dimension, and we’re trying to stop it from going on a killing spree.
Not the kind of thing to tell Mom, you know?
“We go to the same school. Not a big mystery, is it?” I shrug.
“You planning to bring him home for Thanksgiving break or maybe Christmas?”
“It’s kinda early for that. He has an uncle he might spend it with, but…I’d like to introduce you two. I think you’ll like him.”
“Going by the good mood you’ve been in the past few weeks, I like him already.”
I can’t help grinning, a big, goofy grin, the sort only Luke can put on my face.
And really, it’s nice having this kind of conversation with Mom, when she’s healthy and in good spirits. Reminds me how far we’ve come from the bullshit Dad put us through.
*
“You guys gonna make out as soon as I leave?” Matteo asks as he packs extra clothes into his bookbag.
Luke scoops some pad thai out of his container with chopsticks. “You think we’re only gonna make out?” he asks before taking a bite, which makes Matteo laugh.
“Knew I liked this guy.” Matteo has quickly warmed up to Luke, and even now, on a Tuesday night, I know he’s made plans so we can have our space.
“You can stay, though,” I say.
“So you guys have to creep over to the showers and sneak around? Please. No. Besides, I’m really into this new girl, Lena. She’s a lot of fun, so for the same reason Luke would rather be over here, I’d rather be with her. And I don’t need to be around you now that I know about these mystical powers you have…” I tense up, thrown by the comment, before he goes on, “…to sway the straights into needing it up the ass.”
“What—I did not ever say that,” I tell Luke, hoping he knows I wasn’t going around blabbing about our private conversations. And especially not anything to do with powers. Or him bottoming.