Chapter 29 #2
“Okay.” Lou plucked the phone out of Mason’s hand, locking its screen.
“Okay. Right. So, that’s obviously terrifying.
And not cool to see right before we head off into the wilderness for two days.
But. But. I agree with what Mason said earlier: we’re heading away from the danger, not into it.
So.” She stuffed the phone back into Mason’s hand and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “We’re going to put that photo out of our minds as best we can and enjoy this weekend. Okay?”
No one in the group responded.
“Okay?” Lou said again, louder this time.
“Come on. The winner of the annual Beer Pong tournament receives the sacred trophy and bragging rights for a full year. I’m getting to that pong table the minute the party starts, and I’m not letting a grainy photo posted by some creep on Reddit ruin my focus. ”
“Seriously?” Abigail’s eyes lit up at the promise of competition. “I’ll play with you.”
“Absolutely not.” Turning on her heel, Lou grabbed Mason’s hand and started toward the line of school buses parked at the entrance to the lot.
“You throw like an AP student. Mason will be my partner.” She pulled him along, auburn ponytail swinging.
“Come on, Mace—you’re taking us to the back of the bus to sit with the seniors. ”
Charlie’s brother stumbled along behind Lou, staring down at their hands with wide eyes. He cast a confused look over his shoulder at Charlie.
Fuming, Abigail chased after Lou and Mason. “What does that even mean?” she demanded. “AP students are just as good at drinking games as non-AP students. In fact, last year…”
Her voice trailed off as the three of them crossed the parking lot, leaving Charlie and Elias standing beside the Bronco.
It was remarkable how quickly her friends were able to move past what they’d seen.
Charlie couldn’t stop envisioning that hunched back, those beady yellow eyes, the massive claws digging into the dirt …
“Well, this is a concerning development,” Elias said brightly.
Charlie turned to Elias, narrowing her eyes. “Concerning? That’s the best you can come up with to describe the horror we just saw on Mason’s phone?”
“Yep!” he said. “That thing was obviously creepy as Hel, but I agree with Lou’s assessment: we’re heading away from Rattatosk’s known territory, not toward it.
” He sighed. “It’s a shame, though. The way your fear spiked when you saw that photo…
” He rubbed his belly, licking his lips. “Best meal I’ve had in weeks.”
“Ew.” Charlie made a face of disgust. “Is that really how it works? Human fear makes you feel full the same way food does?”
“Nah.” He grinned. “I just wanted to gross you out.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course you did.”
“Sounds like it’ll be an interesting weekend, though.” He waved a hand in the direction her brother and friends had gone. “All that stuff about the annual beer pong tournament? And on a school trip, no less.” He held a hand to his chest, feigning horror.
“It usually is,” Charlie allowed. “I’ve never been, obviously, but last year Mason said that half the class ended up taking off all their clothes and going skinny-dipping at sunrise.”
“Sounds … promising.” His lips twitched. “How are you holding up?”
“Been better. Right now, this”—she waved the paper coffee cup in his face—“is pretty much the only thing keeping me standing.”
“Mmm. Sounds tough.”
“Let me guess: You wouldn’t know?”
“Nope.” He beamed. “I can operate on almost no sleep for days at a time.”
She snorted. “The benefits of being a mare never end, do they? Every high schooler should give up their soul to become a shadow monster that gives away nightmares like cand—”
Elias clapped a hand over her mouth. “Let’s not go yelling my secrets in the middle of the parking lot, shall we?” Charlie made to bite his hand, but he pulled it away before her teeth could do anything more than graze his skin. He laughed, shaking out his hand. “You’re feisty today. I like it.”
She rolled her eyes again.
Elias ducked into the open trunk of the Bronco and emerged with Charlie’s duffel, slamming the door behind him.
When she tried to reach for her bag, he shot her a look that said, don’t be an idiot before slinging it over his shoulder, even though he was already carrying his own backpack, too.
Then he turned toward the bus, offering an elbow to Charlie.
“Shall we?”
“Absolutely not,” she said, starting across the parking lot, Henry close on her heels. “I’ll walk next to you, but I won’t take your arm. We’re not in some Regency drama.”
“Ah, but wouldn’t it be fun if we were?” Elias strolled along beside her, his long legs easily keeping up with her quick pace. Their bags bounced against his back. “You and I would no doubt be Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.”
“Oh, please.” She snorted. “You talk way too much to be a Mr. Darcy.”
His eyes glanced over at her. “But you loathe me just enough to be Miss Bennet.”
“Now, that,” Charlie said as they reached the closest bus and hiked up its stairs, “I can agree with.”
“Back here!” Lou waved at them from the very last row. “We saved you seats.”
Charlie and Elias made their way down the aisle, nodding hello to everyone they knew. Charlie was shocked by how many people greeted Elias; despite how he’d spent barely two weeks total in Silver Shores, he had apparently made plenty of friends.
If only they knew, Charlie thought.
She shook her head. That sentence—if only they knew—used to mean something very specific to her. If only they knew how dangerous he was, or if only they knew he was a monster. Now …
Now she didn’t know what that sentence meant to her.
It still meant those same things, she supposed, as she picked her way down the aisle. But it was starting to mean something else, too.
If only they knew about his past.
If only they knew what he’d been through.
If only they knew what he’s done to keep me safe.
She inhaled sharply, shoving aside those thoughts as they reached the back of the bus. Turning into the empty seat in front of Lou and Abigail—Mason was sitting across the aisle with Archie Velasquez—Charlie plopped down next to the window. Elias took the seat beside her.
Before she even had time to place her duffel on the floor in front of them, Mary Welsch’s face popped up from the seat in front of them, causing Charlie to jump.
“So…” Mary looked between Charlie and Elias, raising her brows suggestively. “Are you two, like, back together, then?”
“No,” said Charlie right as Elias said, “Yes.” She turned to glare at him, but he just smiled sweetly, looking every bit in love.
Mary’s eyes glittered with joy as she dropped back down into her seat. Charlie was sure the story would reach the rest of the bus before they’d even made it out of the parking lot.