“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Carter wraps his arms around both of our shoulders, effectively putting himself between us. “Let’s go have some fun. I feel like this week we haven’t done anything fun.”
“I beg to differ; New Orleans was very fun.”
“Did you drink that blood juice yet?” Presley asks, leaning around his friend to look at me.
“No, but I think I will. With all this dancing we’ve been doing, I’m constantly exhausted. I need a full night’s sleep.” I click my fingers. “Let’s play murder in the junkyard. Do you still have that flashlight in your trunk, Carter?”
“Aren’t we a little old for murder in the dark? It’s a kid’s game.”
I slap Presley’s trailer keys to his chest. “You chicken?”
“No.”
“Get the flashlight, Carter.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
We wait for him to return and I take a coin out of my purse.
“Heads or tails, you guys.”
“Heads,” they both say at the same time. I grin as they glare at each other when they also chorus, “I said it first.”
This is insane.
“You’re heads,” I snap playfully at Carter, then grin at Presley. “You’re tails.”
“Whatever.”
“Stop talking at the same time,” I shout-laugh, shoving them both. “It’s weird.” I poise myself, ready to flip the coin.
“Why is it just between us two?” Carter questions. “Maybe I want you to find me in the dark.”
“I’ll flip against the winner. Okay?”
He pulls a face at me and shines the flashlight on the coin. My hands glow in the near pitch-blackness as I flip the coin off my thumb, catch it in my hand, and slap it against the back of my other one.
“Whoever it lands on goes against me.” I reveal the head of the coin and wink at Carter. “Just me and you, baby. You’re still heads. I’m tails. Whoever it doesn’t land on is the person seeking.”
I flip it again as before and reveal a head again.
“Shit,” I mutter, pouting. “Well, I guess I’m it.”
I take the flashlight, stuff the coin back into my bag, and tap the glowing object against my palm. “You have forty seconds to hide.”
I switch off the light, turn around, and start counting aloud. Giggling when I hear one of them slip and curse.
Moments later…
“This is my spot,” Carter hisses.
“Just like when we were kids,” Presley retorts and I laugh harder.
“Now she’s heard us and I have to move too.”
They scuffle away as I stare at the closed chain-link fence that surrounds the junkyard.
Forty seconds pass and it’s so quiet I could hear the whisper of a ghost. Creepy. Why’d I have to think of ghosts right now?
The flashlight creates a large jagged circle as it passes over crushed and whole cars and other items. I move forward, careful to watch my step and listen for the sound of breathing.
I peek under, over, inside the first part and then continue on around the bend.
“Marco,” I singsong in the creepiest voice I can conjure.
“Polo,” Presley calls from somewhere to my left.
“Polo!” Carter yells from somewhere to my right.
“Guys,” I snap, laughing. “You’re not supposed to want me to find you.”
I creep forward, flickering the light both ways until I see a shadow move. When I approach the car Presley is hiding behind, I shine the flashlight on his grinning face and nod for him to follow, putting a finger to my lips so he understands that he has to be quiet.
When I turn to find Carter, Presley gets way too close to my back.
“Dude,” I hiss, “we’re gonna crash and fall.”
He pulls my hair to the side and presses a kiss to the back of my neck.
Fuck.
Burning tingles shoot down my spine and for a second I stop breathing.
“Don’t,” I hiss but really I want him to do it again. That felt oddly arousing. I shiver at the thought of him kissing me there again.
I step away and search for Carter, needing him back as a buffer.
I find him behind another car, he grins when he sees me but then scowls when he sees Presley.
“Found you both. Your hiding places sucked.” I skip to the trailer that stands to the side and knock on the door. “Let’s check this bad boy out.”
I check the battery power on my phone as well as the time and turn to face them.
“Serious?” Carter asks, looking at Presley. “Wouldn’t you rather stay with the Oakses?”
“I’m getting under their feet.”
“It’s not true,” I argue.
“It is, and they’re getting under mine. Maybe staying here wouldn’t be so bad.” He steps up the two steps and unlocks the door, it opens outwards which is weird, but he figures it out. “I just don’t want to leave Paisley.”
“You wouldn’t be leaving Paisley.” I step in behind him as he searches for the light switch.
When he flicks it on, I’m surprised to find a clean, furnished trailer. A bit dated but it looks like it has everything he needs. We explore a little bit, shuffling around each other in the small space.