My legs quiver as I climb under the covers. I try to go to sleep, but I’m too wired after what just happened. I toss and turn, trying to relax, but I can feel the fear under my skin, sense the end coming. I’ve been getting on my parents’ nerves more with each passing day, and I know that soon they’re going to do to me what my grandma did to Aunt Ashlynn.
Part of me is terrified, while a small part of me feels . . . relieved.
F lames ignite, burning everything in their path.
“Hang on. I’ve got you, Luna.”
Arms pull me against them as heat blisters my skin.
Who are you?
I know you.
I can feel it.
“Hang on, okay?” they say as we reach the caving stairway. “And no matter what you do, no matter how bad things get, I want you to hang on. Promise me that you’ll hang on, Luna.”
“I promise,” I gasp, struggling to get air.
I’m afraid, so afraid. I can’t breathe, and my hands and knees hurt. Everything hurts, but I know I have to be strong.
“I’m going to get you out of here,” they promise, and then they run straight through the fire, out the front door, and into the fresh air where I can breathe again.
Friday morning, I mess up. Instead of heading straight to school, I drive to the gas station, pretending the car needs gas. But I’m not really here for fuel. I’m here to try to deal with what happened last night with my dad.
My wrist aches as I wander up and down the aisle, eyeing the snacks while occasionally glancing at the cashier, who seems more interested with texting on their phone than with what I’m doing.
With her not paying attention, this should be easy, yet for some reason, I’m hesitating. I keep thinking of the last time I stole and how Grey caught me. How ashamed I was when I saw him watching me. How nervous I was when I followed Benny up to the front of the store to empty out my pockets.
I almost leave the gas station with empty pockets, but then I receive a text from my mom, reminding me that my grandma will take me to my session today and that I’m to obey her no matter what. Something snaps inside me, and I reach for the nearest candy bar and start to tuck it into my jacket pocket.
“Don’t even think about it,” the cashier says.
My attention whips to the front of the store. She has her phone in her hand, but her eyes are locked on me.
“I’m tired of teenage brats always ripping me off.” She glares at me. “So unless you intend on paying for that, I suggest you get the hell out of my store before I call the police.”
My cheeks flood with heat as I put the candy bar back on the shelf and rush down the aisle with my head tucked down. “I’m sorry,” I mutter as I pass by the cashier.
“Don’t come back here again,” is all she says.
I quicken my pace and run out the door. Only when I make it to my car do I breathe again.
Oh my God. That was close. Too close. Just like Benny’s.
Things are getting out of hand. I need to stop. Need to break this addiction. I just wish I knew how.
“Please put me out of my misery if I ever look that stupid while I’m dancing,” Wynter mutters under her breath as we watch the cheerleading team try to get everyone amped up for tonight’s game. “I can’t believe we have to miss second period just for this.”
We’re sitting on the highest row of the bleachers in the school gym, munching on licorice and gummy worms. Willow and Ari are with us, arguing about something they read in the news this morning. Beck is stuck sitting in the front row with his team, and he looks bored out of his mind.
Now that I’m at school with my friends, I feel a little better than I did this morning. But getting caught trying to steal weighs heavily on my mind. I do my best, though, to focus on my friends and keep my worries hidden from them.
“Since when do you care about missing class?” I ask Wynter as I prop my boots onto the bench in front of me.
“I’d rather go to class than watch this crap,” Wynter complains as she slumps against the wall and folds her arms. “It’s such a stupid tradition.”
I pick at a hole in the knee of the frayed, black skinny jeans I’m wearing. “Yeah, it kind of is, but we still need to be here.”
“We could always cut,” she suggests with a hopeful look.
“If I’m going to the party tonight, then I’m not going risk cutting class.” I offer her a stick of gum, and she snatches it from my hand. “Now chill out. It’ll be over in, like, forty-five minutes.”
“Fine. I’ll be good, but only because you’re going to the party with me.” She stuffs the stick of gum into her mouth. “What time are you coming over tonight?”
I drop the pack of gum into my open backpack by my feet then lean back against the wall. “That all depends on when my grandma falls asleep.”
“The party starts at eight, and I want you to come over early enough that I can pick out an outfit for you.” She pops a bubble. “I have this really, really cute, black, flower dress that would rock with a pair of knee highs and those boots you’re wearing.”
“I might be later than eight.” I slide the strap of my navy blue, silky top higher as it starts to slip off my shoulder.
“Beck hates when we’re late to his parties.” She avoids my gaze, messing around with a zipper on her skirt.
“Since when do you care so much about Beck?” I question. “Or is this about Theo?”
She gives me an innocent look. “I just really want to be there for Beck. That’s all.”
I’m not buying it, but I let it drop. “You can go early, but there’s no way I’m getting out before eight.”
“I’m going to be late, too,” Willow says, pulling her hair into a messy bun and fastening it with an elastic band. “I have to work until nine.”
“I can’t make it until nine, either,” Ari tells us as he digs through his bag for a pen. “I have this thing with my dad.”
“See? It works out,” I tell Wynter. “We can all be late together. And Theo can wait.”
Willow starts to laugh, but then her amusement fades as her gaze swings to something beside me. “Oh, hi, Grey.”
I glance to my right just in time to see Grey sit down beside me. The air gets trapped inside my lungs when he leaves barely any room between us, sitting so close our shoulders touch.
Why is he sitting so close to me? And why do I like it so much?
Grey’s gaze drags up and down my body, lingering on my lips for a split second before he focuses on Willow. “What’s up?” he says and then gives Ari one of those chin-nod things guys do.
Ari waves back, tucking a pen behind his ear. “Hey, how’s that stuff coming along with the Biology project?”
“Good. I printed up some info,” Grey replies, putting his feet up on the bench in front of him. “I’m not sure if I totally understood everything I read, though.”
“That’s okay. We can go over it in class.” Ari pulls out a grey, knit cap from his bag and tugs it on his head. “You don’t need to stress too much over it. Beck was right when he said I’d get us an A yesterday. I have a habit of taking over sometimes and I can’t . . .” Ari’s expression floods with panic for an instant. “I have to get good grades no matter what.”
“I’ll try my best not to mess that up for you,” Grey says, resting his arm on his knee.
“I’m not worried about that.” Ari’s focus drops to his phone as the screen lights up.
I stare at Grey perplexedly. Since when do he and Ari chat like that? The last time I saw them together, they could barely get out heys.
Grey turns to Wynter, seeming as though he’s struggling not to smile. “Wynter, I see you found your way to the gym.”