AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I have an idea.” I turn left and try to increase my speed again. Now that I know where I’m heading, I have extra motivation.
“Are you going to share?”
“I’m feeling nostalgic. I think we should pay our old high school a visit.”
I see the school’s big leaderboard sign ahead, all lit up and with a genericHappy Holidaysmessage on it. In the distance, I can still hear the train. We’ll reach the school before those fuckers are able to come after us.
“That’s your plan? Breaking and entering?” Eric asks, not hiding his disapproving tone.
“Oh, so you can stab people to death, but you draw the line at that?”
“I’m not drawing a line,” he grumbles.
I chuckle. Eric is acting like a big baby, and it’s so at odds with his usual intense nature that I find it amusing.
“Why are you laughing?”
“No reason.”
There’s a pause, and then he says, “You should do it more often. I like the sound of it.”
My cheeks become hot, and my galloping heart skips a beat before continuing to pump even faster, and not because of the physical exertion. Despite the dumpster fire this evening turned out to be, I’m giddy, like a stupid girl in love.
Valerie, youarea stupid girl in love.
I don’t even know when it happened, and I’ve never allowed myself to hear the truth in my head until now. Maybe it was the glint of pure amusement in his eyes every time we argued or the patience he always had with his over-the-top mother. I knew he was miserable when he moved to Stanmore, but he never lashed out at anyone. All those little things kept adding up, and slowly, Eric gave life to my dead heart.
Only a woman in love would kill to protect her guy, that’s for sure. I never pictured myself killing an innocent bystander, but I don’t regret it. If it wasn’t that woman’s day to die, she wouldn’t have been in that park. I’d kill many more to keep Eric safe, and that knowledge is freeing. If that makes me a monster, I’m okay with it.
“The gate’s locked, but there’s a hole in the wire fence toward the back,” I tell him.
“I remember.”
I stop the bike, and Eric hops off. “How’s your leg?”
“It’s stiff, but it’s my ass that’s the problem. I can’t feel my butt cheeks.” He rubs his fine tush, oblivious that I’m staring. Or so I thought. “I’ll let you massage them once we’re inside.”
The butterflies in my stomach make their presence known. Annoying little bugs. I scoff, jumping off the bike. “How aboutIget a massage for carrying your weight for miles? My legs are jelly.”
Eric hobbles closer, still favoring his right leg. “I’ll give you a massage, kitty cat.” He leans down and whispers in my ear. “On every inch of your body.”
I swallow hard, trying to control how I react to his nearness. “Don’t get any ideas. We aren’t staying long. It’ll be hella suspicious if we don’t come home tonight.”
“We can tell our parents the truth.” He pulls back and looks into my eyes.
My brows shoot to the heavens, and my heart skips a beat. “You want to tell them we’re killers?”
Smiling, he shakes his head. “No, Val. Theothertruth.”
Oh,thattruth. My chest tightens as I remember why we can’t be together. I step back and start to push the bike toward the path next to the fence. Funny how I can kill for Eric, but I’m afraid to ruin my father’s happiness to be with him. I’m a ball of contradictions. Maybe what I’m truly afraid of is to lose myself completely if I allow this strange feeling swirling in my chest to take over. None of the boyfriends I’ve had in the past made my world go off-kilter like Eric does. He’s like a black sun, pulling me into his orbit. I’ve always thrived in logic and precision. Hence, why the making of poison is so satisfying to me. But when I’m with Eric, I become pure chaos.
He follows me, but I can’t even look at him now. I’m already standing too close to a hurricane. One glance in Eric’s direction and the flimsy hold I have on my self-control will snap. I’ll be swallowed by the storm.
He doesn’t say another word until we find the hole in the fence. “Does it look bigger to you?”
“Yeah. I can’t believe they haven’t fixed it yet.”
“I can. They probably don’t even know it’s here. The faculty seemed oblivious to everything that happened at school while I was here.”
