Page 18 of Ghosted

I don’t look at him because I know he heard it too.

Alice adjusts the strap of her bag and takes a step back. “Goodnight, Jagger.”

Not Wraith.

Jagger.

It shouldn’t matter.

It fucking does.

Then she turns and disappears into the crowd.

My body moves before reason catches up.

One step.

Johnny’s voice stops me.

“Careful.”

I look at him slowly.

His cigarette glows orange in the dark, his smile already waiting for me.

“She looks like the kind of play thing you’ll want to keep, little brother.”

Alice reaches the exit and glances back once.

Not at him.

At me.

Then the door opens, cold night spills in, and she’s gone.

Johnny finally looks at me.

I look back, and his smile widens.

My stomach sinks, heavy and certain.

Not because of Alice.

Because now he sees her too.

And Johnny ruins everything he fucking touches.

2

JOHNNY

THE SHIFT

Jagger looks at me like he’s trying to decide which part of my face would break easiest.

It’s cute, honestly.

A little dramatic, sure, but cute.