Page 8
“I fell into the water,” I mumble. “I’m…cold.”
“Hey, Sage! Do you have some clothes she can wear?”
A gorgeous girl in a pair of leggings and a long sleeved shirt bobs her head as she begins rifling through a duffle bag.
“I do. Don’t be a dick, Carlos. Help her up. The girl is almost frozen solid.”
His hands wrap around my biceps before lifting me as if I don’t weigh anything. I probably don’t, because I still have trouble filling out my clothes.
“You can change here. I have a sheet I can set up,” Sage says. “These may be a little big…”
“They’re better than what I have now,” I promise her. The clothes I’m wearing are soaked, and my shoes squish as I walk. The girl nods warily as I stumble over to her, and Carlos rigs the sheet to allow me some privacy.
“Do you need shoes or a ride?” Sage asks worriedly. I’d love to tell her I’m not going to do something silly like pass out, but I can’t.
“Do you have flip flops?” I ask, figuring they’re the best option despite the cold.
“No, but I have a pair of converse and socks that may be the right size. It’s too cold for open shoes.”
I nod even though she can’t see me, and try to figure out what to do next. I don’t want to be in Santa Barbara any longer. The Devils have to think I’m dead after my fall, and that’s probably how things need to stay.
Once I’m dressed, I step out from behind the sheet and pull on the socks and shoes she gives me, trying to figure out what to do next.
“I’d actually love a ride to the train station if you could?” I ask, finding the shoes actually work great.
Sage and Carlos stare at each other before shrugging their shoulders, and I’m glad for once that teenagers tend to mind their own business.
“Yeah, sure. We’re leaving now. I can’t fucking stand Alexa. Someone needs to put her down,” Carlos groans. He squints at me for a long moment before his eyes go wide. “Didn’t you leave the school?”
“Alexa kidnapped me. I didn’t actually want to be here,” I grumble. “No, that’s not a joke. If you could not tell anyone you saw me…”
“We won’t say a word,” Sage promises. “I can’t believe she did that.”
“She’s kind of a menace,” I sigh.
“You’re still shivering,” Carlos says, pulling a sweatshirt out of the back seat. “Take this and let’s get you the fuck out of here, yeah? It doesn’t sound like you’re having a good night.”
If I’m really honest with myself, I’d say I’m not having a good life, but there’s been pockets of goodness. The sweatshirt Carlos gives me is really warm, and he helps me into the car while Sage hurries around to get in as well. I’m sure I look like a mess, a walking nightmare that almost drowned.
I shiver for reasons outside of being cold as Carlos shuts the door, watching as he waves goodbye to someone.
“Here,” Sage says, handing me money.
“Oh… That's so nice of you but—”
“I need you to take this,” she says, glancing out the window. “Please. You don’t have a phone or anything, right?”
“No,” I rasp, my voice breaking.
“Then take this and we’ll call it my good deed tonight, okay? Do you need to call anyone?”
“I do. Thanks.” I shove the money into the pocket of my borrowed pants, the clothes hanging off me like most things do.
“Please don’t mention it,” she says, handing over her phone as well.
I have to think really hard in order to remember Rachelle’s number, hoping she’s awake to take it. With the way I left the house, I don’t know if she will. It’s currently two in the morning, and really fucking late.
It’s clear I’ve been wandering through the woods for a while, and I’m very lucky I didn’t die tonight. The phone rings for what feels like ages and I’m almost certain she’s not going to answer an unknown number or she’s asleep when I hear her voice.
