‘Not her fault,’ mumbled the bigger twin.
‘Looks like trash to me,’ said Mrs Gordano, her nose in the air.
‘Sky, take a seat.’ Officer Hussein pushed a bottle of water towards me. ‘I think I’ve got the ful picture now, but why don’t you tel me your story.’
I briefly ran through the events from leaving the café.
‘What I can’t understand,’ said the officer, scratching his chest wearily—it had been a long night and it was only midnight, ‘is why Zed couldn’t see that it was a joke? He’s a big guy, taking on a boy a head shorter than him. It just don’t click for me.’
‘Zed Benedict was looking out for his girl, officer,’
said Simon, surprising me when he came to Zed’s defence. ‘He may be a head tal er than that young man, but Sky is smal er than either of them. He would have seen a boy going for her with a knife.
Sometimes you can’t think straight when you are scared for someone.’
‘Was anyone hurt?’ I asked.
Officer Hussein tapped his pad. ‘Not seriously.
Ben Gordano has a couple of loose teeth but the dentist should be able to sort those out. It’l cost though.’
‘Perhaps Zed could split the bil ? It seems a suitable punishment,’ Simon suggested.
Officer Hussein rose to his feet.
‘Yeah, I guess that’s right. No one need go away with a record for this.’
He led the way back to the waiting room. Zed’s family had pitched up in the meantime—parents, Xav, Yves, and Victor al were there—and he was having to sit through a lecture on sneaking out and brawling in the streets. He looked frustrated rather than repentant, back to the sul en Wolfman of the first days of our acquaintance.
Officer Hussein clapped his hands to gain their attention. ‘Al right, al right, people, let’s move this along. I want a word with Zed, then you can al go.’
He took Zed into the back room, leaving me with the Benedicts.
Victor came forward. ‘Mom, Dad, this is Mr Bright, Sky’s father.’
Our parents exchanged stiff nods. I don’t think Saul thought I was sweet any more. It looked more as if I left a sour taste in their mouths. Only Xav and Yves gave me a friendly smile.
‘Like the suit,’ whispered Xav. ‘You and your dad thinking of starting a new fashion?’
Yves scratched his chin. ‘Fascinating. Do you know, every bone is anatomical y correct? Whoever made this has the mind of a medic.’
It only then struck me that Simon hadn’t changed either. He’d thrown on a coat but there was unmistakable evidence peeking out that he too was wearing luminescent bones.
I groaned. ‘Kil me now and bury me.’
‘I thought the idea of the skeleton was that someone had already done that,’ teased Xav.
‘Word’s going to get around, you know.’ Yves’s eyes twinkled behind his glasses.
‘Wel , isn’t that a comforting thought.’
Xav rubbed his hands. ‘Yeah, everyone’s going to be talking about how Zed got cuffed and stuffed.’
‘He wasn’t cuffed.’
‘But he was stuffed in the back of the police car.
Besides the handcuffs make for a better story.
You’re both going to be quite infamous. I think Zed’l like the new edge to his rep.’ He tweaked the unravel ing end of my French plait. ‘Don’t worry, Sky, I’l stil talk to you.’
‘Thanks. You’re a hero.’
Our parting from the Benedicts reminded me of an exchange of hostile prisoners in one of those old war films. Zed and I were kept apart then frogmarched to our separate vehicles. He was looking ashen.
I feel like I’ve been suckerpunched. He risked the thought even though we might be heard. I can’t leave without saying sorry. Again.
What happened?
I lost it, flipped out—all thanks to my freaking gift.
I’d seen what was going to happen, you see, months back. Saw you being attacked with a knife. I hadn’t realized it was a fake.
But that’s good isn’t it? The threat wasn’t real.
Yeah, but you’ve just swapped my imagined threat
for
the
real one
of
assassins.
Congratulations and welcome to the wonderful world of the Benedict family. I’d better stop talking.
Dad’s giving me these weird looks.
Zed?
Yeah?
Take care.
You too. Love you.
He cut off.
‘Sky, are you al right?’ Simon asked, turning the key in the ignition. ‘You’re looking a bit pale.’
Zed had said he loved me. Was it just a throw-away comment or did he mean it?
‘I’m fine. Just need to get some sleep.’
Simon yawned. ‘We’l have to report to the boss first.’
Zed loved me—maybe. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to believe him. The last thing I wanted was to fal in love because, deep down, I remembered that love hurt.
Our grand plan to pretend we weren’t a couple had been blown apart by our visit to the police station.
The gossip was too hot for me to put the fire out with indifference or denial. Zed must’ve realized for he came to find me after my first class, not even bothering to hide the fact that he was towing me into an empty room.
‘Are you OK?’ He gave me a hug.
‘Fine.’
‘I’ve been hearing about this drop-dead gorgeous skeleton from everyone. Seems she had to report to a police station with some idiot who took on a couple of sophomores.’
‘What did your parents say?’
He gave a hol ow laugh. ‘You real y want to know?
I’m going to have to work off my debt for Ben’s teeth with extra chores and go round to apologize. I’ve had to swear not to sneak out with you again. They make me feel about nine years old. You?’
‘It was OK. Simon blames you.’
‘Great.’
I wanted to ask Zed if he meant what he said about loving me but was too scared to ask.
He hugged me. ‘Yeah, I did.’
‘Stop nicking stuff out of my head.’
He ignored my protest. ‘I think I knew it from the moment you stood up to me in the parking lot, but, last night, when I saw you in the station dressed as a skeleton, defending me to the police, I knew for sure.’ He gazed down at me, framing my face in his hands. ‘I understand you stil have issues with what I’ve been tel ing you, but it’s more than just a random pairing, Sky: I real y feel so much for you, it’s scaring me to death. You are just … just everything—your smile, the way you think, the way you get embarrassed when I tease you, your stubborn streak.’
I sort of wanted to hear this—but also didn’t: how mixed up is that? ‘You’ve noticed I’m stubborn?’
‘Can’t miss it. To me, you’re the theme that harmonizes perfectly with mine.’ He trapped my gaze with his. ‘I’m in love with you.’
‘You are?’
His eyes deepened to a darker shade. ‘Sky, I’ve not felt like this before and it’s terrifying.’
‘Wel , wow. Um … perhaps you should try to get over it. I’m not good at this relationship stuff.’
‘Sure you are. You just need time to adjust.’ He put his arms around me so I could rest my head against him and listen to his heart beating strong and steady.