Chapter 2 #2
“Yup. You guys all filed in, along with the cult lady and her minion, and there was a lot of talking at that point.” I blushed, because I hadn’t really been paying attention to the talking.
“You didn’t see any other cult members?” Thea asked.
“Nope. I know you guys said there were more, but I never saw them. I would’ve told the police if I had. I didn’t realize until that night when Josh mentioned it that there were more of them. I asked him if I should let the police know, but he said no, so I didn’t.”
Thea was just staring at me, and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to end there. I blushed again, because this was the embarrassing part. “So, ah, I wasn’t really paying too much attention to what was going on at that point,” I admitted.
“Because…” she trailed off, letting me fill in the blank.
I groaned and put my head in my hand. “You’re really gonna make me say it?”
She put her hand on my back. “It’s okay, Sebbie. You can tell me.”
“It’s just so embarrassing. I mean, there we are in the middle of a kidnapping situation, and I’m staring at Corbin like a love-struck teenager.
I’d never met him before, and you have to admit, he’s amazingly sexy and cute.
So, yeah, I was totally distracted and not really paying attention to you guys.
” God, how embarrassing. Attack of the hormones while being kidnapped.
But Corbin had been so… magnetic. And he’d been staring at me, too!
Thea made a little sound, but when I looked over, I couldn’t read her face.
I continued, “I think Corbin said something, but I kind of don’t remember what, which I know is a little weird, but there was a lot going on.
And then I just remember being really angry.
Which is totally odd, because I never get angry.
I mean, never. I can’t even think of a time when I was angry. ” I shrugged.
“And then…” Thea prompted.
I sighed. “Then I saw the lady slash at the guy next to her, and then…” I looked over at Thea. “You’re going to make me say it? Are you sure?”
She nodded her head.
“I saw you put your hand over the lady’s and make her stab herself with the knife.
I don’t know if she hit the light when she fell, because it got really dark then.
I was still angry, mostly because I knew they were trying to make people suffer—the old guy was proof of that.
I sort of had him in my lap, and I felt him take his last breath.
I felt relieved that he was finally at peace.
Then I heard someone ask if we were dead, which was kind of funny, because the light was just out.
I said we were all fine, and someone must have found the switch then, because the lights came back on. ”
I looked over at Thea, and she was staring at me. I still couldn’t read the expression on her face.
“It’s okay, Thea. I’m glad you stabbed her.
Maybe I should’ve told the cops the truth, because it was totally self-defense, but I knew it looked like she stabbed herself, and that just seemed like the easier story.
” I shrugged. “I didn’t want you to have to go through the questioning and stuff.
Plus, I kind of wasn’t paying total attention, anyway.
You know, on account of being hit by the crush bus when I saw Corbin. ”
She was still staring at me. “You really…” she trailed off.
“I know. I’m pathetic. A kidnapping is so totally not the time to have my hormones kick into high gear. But, you have to admit, Corbin is really sexy.”
She was still staring.
“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna, like, stalk him or anything. I don’t think he’s really interested, because he didn’t talk to me at all afterwards. Because, you know, a kidnapping really isn’t a good meet-cute. Especially since people died and stuff. People get funny about that sort of thing.”
I sighed at the last part. Yeah, that probably did ruin my chances with Corbin. Kidnapping and death really weren’t a good meet-cute story.
It was like I was destined to be alone. People were always dying around me, but it wasn’t my fault.
It’s not like I was a serial killer. I just had a profession with lots of death.
That seemed to freak most people out, though, because I hadn’t had much luck in the boyfriend department lately. People were so… morbid about death.
“I really don’t get you, Sebbie,” Thea finally said.
I smiled at her, because she didn’t look upset, just confused. I grabbed her pinkie with mine, shaking them together before letting her hand drop.
“That’s okay. We’re besties now. Pinkie promise and everything. And I won’t tell anyone about what you did. But it really was the right thing, Thea. You shouldn’t be stressed about it,” I reassured her.
A crow cawed from the yard, and I smiled out at them before turning back to Thea. “Come on, help me feed the crows. You can make friends with them, too.”
I got up, and she followed me in to grab some nuts and fruit. I was glad I’d been able to set her mind at ease, but I kind of hoped she kept coming around.
The crows were great company, but I could admit I was lonely sometimes. With Josh and Toby paired off and in love, it was easy to feel like the odd one out. Not that they ever made me feel that way on purpose.
I just kind of wished I could have someone, too. Corbin came to mind. His long, dark hair, his scruffy face, his sexy muscles, and all those tattoos. I wondered if I could happen to run into him again. Maybe see a little bit more of him. At the very least, maybe we could become friends.
It couldn’t hurt to try, right?