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He pauses for a moment, pressing his lips into a thin line before smiling. “Good to know.”
We end up deciding to go for a walk, instead of just waiting. There's still a lot you can see from the outside. There are fake gravestones that fill the grass, and bloody handprints on the windows. The strobe lights only make it look even more badass. When we stumble on a small food truck selling apple cider, neither one of us can resist the smell.
"Two, please," Carter orders.
He gives the guy a twenty and tells him to keep the change before handing me my drink. I blow on mine while he immediately goes for a sip. It instantly burns his mouth and he winces as he swallows and sputters.
"That's really fucking hot."
I roll my eyes playfully. "You mean the steam billowing out the top wasn't enough to tell you that?"
He glares at me, but I know no part of him means it. "You're always so mean."
I shrug. "I like myself that way."
We make our way back to the exit, and I think about how I'm actually glad I came tonight. And to make matters worse, I'm glad he came tonight. I know I shouldn't be, but no one else would have left with me after I got kicked out. Carter, though, he didn't care. He came with me without hesitation, even though it meant he wouldn't get to see the rest of it.
"For what it's worth, I'm glad you punched the guy," he tells me. I turn to look at him, and he smiles down at me. "If you hadn't, we wouldn't have gotten any alone time together."
I don't know what to say to that as I stare back at him, but thankfully I don't have to. Kennedy comes bursting through the gate, relishing in the fact that she's alive. Amelia laughs at her while the guys start telling Carter all about the last section. Apparently, it was a makeshift football field that looked like all the players were massacred, and I almost feel bad that I made him miss it.
Almost.
Everyone goes ahead, walking toward the car, while I hang back. I don't really know what to make of tonight, but it's fucking with my head. I throw my head back and stare up at the sky.
"I have to admit," Paige says, appearing beside me, "you hitting that zombie was the best part of that whole thing."
I can't help but laugh, because that's the only nice thing she's ever said to me. "Dude needs to learn he can't corner a girl. I don't care what his job is."
She raises her hands in surrender. "No, I totally agree. He was asking for it."
We walk in step as we follow everyone else to the cars. Carter keeps glancing back at me, and I hate the way it makes me feel. Because it does make me feel something. I sigh and focus my eyes on the ground, finding it easier if I don't make eye contact.
"I know this is out of left field, but I lost someone really close to me too recently," she tells me. "My dad. So I know how hard it is to feel like a massive part of you is missing."
I glance up at her. "Weren't you threatening me a couple months ago?"
She shrugs. "Jace and Carter both say you're not a bad person, you're just dealing with the bad thing that happened to you. And that's something I can understand."
It's actually surprising to hear that the two of them are still defending me, even when I've given them no reason to.
"I'm sorry you lost your dad," I say honestly.
She smiles sadly. "I'm sorry you lost your best friend."
It's not an official declaration of friendship, but it's definitely a truce. A ceasefire of sorts. Jace stops to wait for his girlfriend and wraps an arm around her, kissing her forehead. Carter looks like he wants to do the same to me, but thankfully he doesn't. I don't think I could handle more physical contact with him tonight.
My head is fucking everywhere.
THE WHOLE RIDE HOME,my mind is a jumbled fucking mess. I can't seem to make sense of anything, even when Kennedy drills me for information—wanting to know how I ended up with Carter's arm wrapped around me and what happened after we went outside.
As she pulls up to my dorm, I almost hurl myself out of the car, but she rolls down the passenger side window. "Tomorrow, we're talking."
"Yes, Mom."
I watch her drive away, and just as I'm about to go back inside, my phone vibrates. The incoming text from Davi's mom, the woman who raised me, is one of many I've gotten over the past few weeks, but this one is different.
Mom: I'm not sure where you are, but I hope you're safe. Thinking of you today as I know it was probably hard.
