straps on my bag to avoid staring into her face.
“I need the money. The sooner I pay off the window at the Hut, the sooner I can get cash in my pocket and be able to actually buy myself nice things.” I grabbed at my hair and shoved the ends into her face. “I’ve got my eye on this conditioner I saw on TV. Supposed to make your hair bouncy, shiny, and split-end free.”
Mercy scoffed. “Those things never work. But whatever. We’ll come down later, but I wanna go home and change first.” She turned to Sam. “Can I catch a lift with you?”
“Sure,” he said, still staring at me. “Unless you want me to take you to work, Amerie ?”
I shook my head a little too quickly. “No, no, that’s fine, Sam. I need the air.”
Chuck laughed under his breath and muttered something about sap. Then he spotted a girl from my French class and chased down the hall after her. Using this as my cue to leave, I waved goodbye to Mercy and Sam then took off to the bus stop.
I was not missing this bus today. Missing that bus might lead to missing my chance to get my answers from Marshall. Though I didn’t want to admit it, the thought of just seeing him wasn’t so bad either.
I worked from midday to ten that evening. I pushed myself, making sure I got to as many tables as possible, and delivered food speedily. At the end of my shift, I had a pocket full of tip money. The Hut had been swarming with kids from my school, all displaced, with nowhere to go, so they spent a whole lot of their time and money hanging out, eating, and playing pool.
Though I made sure to distract myself with work, it didn’t mean I wasn’t constantly looking out for Marshall, who was nowhere to be found. The slimy prick was avoiding me. If only I could get my hands on him.... I made an excuse to stay behind after my shift for an extra twenty minutes, pretending I was brushing up on my waitressing skills, when truly I was giving Marshall extra time to show. When it became apparent he wasn’t coming, I threw in the towel and stormed home.
I hurled open my front door, wincing when it slammed against the wall behind it. To think that I’d been tempted to take up Marshall on his offer. I mean, if The Damned were after me, I should be prepared, and I did need to get back into my training.
I stomped up the stairs, cursing under my breath. He could shove his offer where the sun doesn’t shine. There was no way I could train with someone I knew nothing about, and he wasn’t being terribly forthcoming.
As soon as I opened my bedroom door, I made a beeline straight for the wooden chest hidden under my bed. The top layer was filled with keepsakes from my old life. Photos, receipts, empty expensive perfume bottles, broken watches, and jewelry I couldn’t afford to get fixed. Memories tried to break through the block I’d put up in my mind, but now was not the time to let them. . I lifted the shelf and carefully set it aside on the floor.
The bottom of the wooden chest was full of weapons. I stared down at them, my heart pumping dully in my chest. Hadn’t I sworn I would never need these? However, if Marshall was right - and I had a feeling that he was - then I would need some skills to protect myself.
Hesitantly and laced with guilt, I reached into the chest, past the crossbow, past the axe, past the swords and truncheons. My fingers closed around the cold hilt of a Blessed dagger my mother had bought for me from a specialist dealer when I turned fifteen. I’d never used it, but I’d vowed to her that I’d carry it with me everywhere. Obviously, I’d broken that vow.
It had an intricate pattern embedded into the black hilt, and the silver blade was long with a sharp, deadly point. It felt heavy in my hand, powerful. With my other hand, I slid the shelf back into the chest and closed the lid. Then I walked over to the bed and shoved the dagger under my pillow.
Chapter Eleven
Theme Park World
I woke to my phone vibrating
“I need the money. The sooner I pay off the window at the Hut, the sooner I can get cash in my pocket and be able to actually buy myself nice things.” I grabbed at my hair and shoved the ends into her face. “I’ve got my eye on this conditioner I saw on TV. Supposed to make your hair bouncy, shiny, and split-end free.”
Mercy scoffed. “Those things never work. But whatever. We’ll come down later, but I wanna go home and change first.” She turned to Sam. “Can I catch a lift with you?”
“Sure,” he said, still staring at me. “Unless you want me to take you to work, Amerie ?”
I shook my head a little too quickly. “No, no, that’s fine, Sam. I need the air.”
Chuck laughed under his breath and muttered something about sap. Then he spotted a girl from my French class and chased down the hall after her. Using this as my cue to leave, I waved goodbye to Mercy and Sam then took off to the bus stop.
I was not missing this bus today. Missing that bus might lead to missing my chance to get my answers from Marshall. Though I didn’t want to admit it, the thought of just seeing him wasn’t so bad either.
I worked from midday to ten that evening. I pushed myself, making sure I got to as many tables as possible, and delivered food speedily. At the end of my shift, I had a pocket full of tip money. The Hut had been swarming with kids from my school, all displaced, with nowhere to go, so they spent a whole lot of their time and money hanging out, eating, and playing pool.
Though I made sure to distract myself with work, it didn’t mean I wasn’t constantly looking out for Marshall, who was nowhere to be found. The slimy prick was avoiding me. If only I could get my hands on him.... I made an excuse to stay behind after my shift for an extra twenty minutes, pretending I was brushing up on my waitressing skills, when truly I was giving Marshall extra time to show. When it became apparent he wasn’t coming, I threw in the towel and stormed home.
I hurled open my front door, wincing when it slammed against the wall behind it. To think that I’d been tempted to take up Marshall on his offer. I mean, if The Damned were after me, I should be prepared, and I did need to get back into my training.
I stomped up the stairs, cursing under my breath. He could shove his offer where the sun doesn’t shine. There was no way I could train with someone I knew nothing about, and he wasn’t being terribly forthcoming.
As soon as I opened my bedroom door, I made a beeline straight for the wooden chest hidden under my bed. The top layer was filled with keepsakes from my old life. Photos, receipts, empty expensive perfume bottles, broken watches, and jewelry I couldn’t afford to get fixed. Memories tried to break through the block I’d put up in my mind, but now was not the time to let them. . I lifted the shelf and carefully set it aside on the floor.
The bottom of the wooden chest was full of weapons. I stared down at them, my heart pumping dully in my chest. Hadn’t I sworn I would never need these? However, if Marshall was right - and I had a feeling that he was - then I would need some skills to protect myself.
Hesitantly and laced with guilt, I reached into the chest, past the crossbow, past the axe, past the swords and truncheons. My fingers closed around the cold hilt of a Blessed dagger my mother had bought for me from a specialist dealer when I turned fifteen. I’d never used it, but I’d vowed to her that I’d carry it with me everywhere. Obviously, I’d broken that vow.
It had an intricate pattern embedded into the black hilt, and the silver blade was long with a sharp, deadly point. It felt heavy in my hand, powerful. With my other hand, I slid the shelf back into the chest and closed the lid. Then I walked over to the bed and shoved the dagger under my pillow.
Chapter Eleven
Theme Park World
I woke to my phone vibrating
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