Chapter Five
Hollie
‘Oh, god,’ I blurt out, coming to an abrupt halt so that AJ almost crashes into my back.
AJ kicks the door shut behind us and sidesteps me, putting down his helmet. Clearly, Noah’s not asleep. He turns his head away from his image on the TV screen that’s showing a news report about the latest mayoral crackdown on the number of car thefts affecting the city.
‘Hey, man!’ Noah says cheerfully in his brother’s direction.
‘Keep your voice down!’ AJ snaps at him. ‘What the hell, Noah?’
I don’t quite know what to do with myself. My high school crush is in my apartment, which is surreal in itself. And now Noah is beaming at him, and he’s lost the look of the nervous boy I rescued earlier this evening.
‘Sweet jacket!’ he exclaims as AJ stops beside the couch. ‘Where’d you get it?’
I flinch as AJ reaches up and cuffs his half-sibling across the side of his head in response.
‘Ow!’ Noah cries out.
‘Are you out of your mind?’ AJ questions him. ‘You stole a car!’
‘I’m on the nightly news!’
‘Noah, don’t you get it? This is your third count. Three strikes and you’re out, remember? That’s what they told you after the last misdemeanor. It means this time they throw you in juvie if you’re caught. Stop looking so proud of yourself.’
My heart goes out to Noah. His face has fallen with his brother’s reprimand. He’s back to looking frightened again.
‘You don’t really think they would…’
AJ rubs the bridge of his nose. ‘I don’t know, man,’ he mumbles. ‘It’s not your first rodeo. You’re not gonna get off with a warning. Tell me somebody pushed you into this and you’re not just running round the city tryna steal cars for kicks. Who put you up to this?’
AJ looks up at me. I’m still rooted to the spot. I feel my cheeks burn under his gaze, because I’m scared of what Pandora’s box I’ve unleashed by bringing Noah here, knowing now that he’s not as innocent as he looks.
‘Just some guys,’ Noah shrugs.
AJ frowns at him. ‘Which guys? I want names.’
I take a step closer and knot my fingers together. Noah crumples. His voice cracks when he says, ‘Casey Flood.’.
AJ curses at the revelation. ‘You are not serious.’
I watch Noah, and he’s trying hard not to cry in front of AJ.
‘Who is Casey Flood?’ I ask, trying to draw AJ’s attention to me so that Noah can compose himself.
AJ paces in front of the couch. ‘Casey and his brother Ryan run a series of chop shops in Temptation Heights on the west side of Canyon. They steal cars and dismantle them, then they sell the parts on for profit. Echo used to know their father, until he dropped dead one day after a heart attack. How’d they find you? ’
Noah wipes away tears. ‘I got talking to them at the arcade this one time. They gave me some cash for some games but then they said there was a way I could earn somethin’ extra.’
‘When was this?’ AJ demands.
‘I dunno. Couple months back.’
‘Why weren’t you in school?’
Noah grimaces. ‘School is for pussies.’
AJ flicks him in the head again, not that hard, but this time it pisses him off.
‘Hey! Fucking stop that,’ Noah exclaims.
‘You kiss your mother with that mouth?’
Noah kicks AJ in the shins. AJ curses, draws back his fist.
‘AJ!’ I squeal.
He looks up, balled fist hovering in the air. I stare at him. ‘Can we talk in the kitchen?’ I stammer. ‘Please?’
‘Wait there,’ AJ orders Noah, and follows me.
In the kitchen, I close the door behind us. AJ looks around, and suddenly I’m hyper aware that the room is barren.
‘What is it?’ he asks, and he doesn’t talk to me in the same way he does Noah. His voice has lost its edge.
‘I just think… maybe you hitting him is not going to help.’
AJ looks to one side. ‘He’s a fucking idiot. He deserves his ass kicking. Now his picture’s on the goddamned nightly news. Do you have any idea how bad this is?’
I cling to the kitchen counter behind me. I’m in over my head. I realize that tonight is the first time AJ and I have properly spoken, and I don’t really know him at all. I hate the fact that I can feel myself welling up.
‘Sorry,’ he says, calming. ‘I didn’t mean to scare you.’
‘So, he’s what, like a fugitive? What do we do?’ I whisper.
He takes a step back and runs his fingers through his hair. I hear the leather on his jacket as it creases. ‘I don’t know yet,’ he breathes.
‘Oh god, I’m harboring a fugitive,’ I breathe, a note of panic creeping into my tone.
‘Look,’ he says. ‘I know he can’t stay here, but I—’ His voice trails off for a moment. ‘Do you live alone here? You got a boyfriend? Anyone who’d visit here?’
I look to the floor. ‘No, I, uh… I’m single. My dad has a key but… he rarely comes here anymore.’
He presses his hands together. ‘Look. I know we don’t know each other well, and I know it’s a lot to ask.
Can I leave Noah with you? Just temporarily.
Just while I go work out what to do. If I take him tonight, there’s a good chance the cops will track him down.
No one’s gonna come looking for him here. ’
I press my teeth together to stop my bottom lip from trembling.
A big part of me regrets bringing Noah here.
It was stupid and out of character. Yet, with AJ Callahan standing in my kitchen, asking me for help, it’s like my high school self isn’t willing to let go.
I can’t go against him, or Noah, and call the police.
Not now. So, the only choice I have is to help them.
‘Please,’ he adds for good measure.
After a moment, I nod my head a little, despite my better judgement.
He exhales shakily, perhaps out of relief. ‘Thank you. You volunteering tomorrow?’
I massage my upper arms. It takes me back to the first time I stood before my new class at Eastvale High, when the teacher introduced me to everyone, AJ included, as the new girl from England. I’d stared resolutely at the ground back then too, hoping it would swallow me up.
‘I mean, I am, but I don’t have to. It’s fine to cancel my shift.’
‘You’re sure?’
I nod my head for a second time. A part of me wants to prolong my time with him, maybe even get to know him a little. ‘What will you do?’
‘I don’t know yet. I gotta go find out how bad this is.’
‘What if he tries to leave? I can’t force him to stay here with me.’
‘I’ll talk to him. But don’t put yourself in danger, okay? He’s not worth chasing down.’
‘Should I call you? Should I take your number?’
‘No,’ he says emphatically. ‘No phones. If the cops are looking for Noah, it won’t be long before they come after me, asking questions. I’ll come back tomorrow, all right?’
‘How will you get back?’ I ask.
‘I’ll call Reyes. Get him to pick me up a few blocks from here.’
‘Are you friends with anyone else from high school? Other than Balthazar?’
‘Uh, yeah. Pretty much all the same crowd.’
I swallow again. ‘Right.’
‘What about you? You still friends with anyone from around here? What about that Marcie chick you used to hang with?’
I pull at a loose thread on my sleeve. ‘She moved to Austin. Enrolled in med school.’
A silence fills the room. I find it hard to look him in the eye.
‘You know, you’re not how I remembered,’ he says.
I keep my gaze fixed firmly on the floor. ‘Probably because this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had.’
Another silence follows.
‘So. Tomorrow,’ he says. ‘Thanks for watching Noah.’
‘Promise me you won’t hit him,’ I say quietly. ‘I get that he’s in the wrong. I know you think he deserves it. Just… please don’t hit him.’
He puts his hands on his hips and stares at me until I feel my heart start to thrum. ‘Fine,’ he says. ‘But if he’s in any way a jackass to you, I’m gonna take back that promise.’
‘He’ll be fine, I’m sure.’
When I open the door to the kitchen again, Noah’s right where we left him.
‘Feet off the couch,’ AJ says, looming over him.
‘Can you move?’ Noah complains, leaning his head to one side, shifting his feet like AJ asks. ‘I’m tryna watch this.’
I realize he’s moved on to some action movie with a bunch of explosions.
‘Stay here with Hollie,’ AJ says. ‘I’ll be back in the morning.’
‘Where you going?’
‘To find out how I can save your ass, dipshit. Don’t leave this apartment. Do not call anybody. You understand me? Lay low.’
Noah’s put his feet back up on the couch. AJ knocks them off. ‘And mind your manners.’
AJ looks back at me and I offer him a half-smile. I wonder whether he’s ever thought about that moment we shared in the closet, or questioned whether it was me that he kissed that night. Looking at him now, it seems impossible that he would give it a second thought.
Noah’s still staring at the TV when I follow AJ back to my door.
‘Like I said,’ he says. ‘Thanks for picking him up tonight. I appreciate it.’
‘You’re welcome,’ I respond.
‘Would you still have picked him up? If you’d known he was my brother from the outset?’
Without warning, my cheeks flare hot.
‘Don’t answer that,’ he says, when his hand goes to the door handle.