I was asleep when we arrived in Santa Fe, and I all but ran off the bus the next morning for fresh air. Being stuck in such a confined space with no reprieve from Zero’s delicious, intoxicating scent, had almost been too much for me to handle.
There was no escape, aside from a shower where I used far too much minty body wash just to get a break from the caramel-covered popcorn. Then, it was back to my bunk to suffer for the rest of our road trip.
After several minutes of standing next to the bus, choking down as much warm, dry air as possible, I finally took a moment to look around. The vibe was incredibly different from Dallas; there wasn’t a skyscraper in sight. It was relatively quiet, and the streets weren’t crammed with people heading to work.
We were parked in a small lot behind a wide, pink-colored building with stucco-covered walls. It wasn’t nearly as large as the convention center in Dallas but plenty big enough to host a circus. Across the street was a long strip of stores, whose unique architecture left me curious and speechless all at once.Each store face was a variant of pastel yellow, peach, or beige, and they had distinct wooden columns and wooden accents. I’d never seen anything like it.
The urge to hit the sidewalk and see more of the city was strong, but I didn’t want to go alone. Maybe Daze would tag along, and we could sightsee together. I didn’t know how much setup we had to do this morning because our first performance wasn’t for several days, but surely, we’d have some time to slip away and explore.
“There ya are!” Bobbitt’s voice caught my attention, and I looked over to see her head peeking out of the clown bus. “Thought we’d left ya behind.”
I smiled. She knew I was on the bus when we rolled out of Dallas—she’d dragged me there herself after everything was broken down and loaded into the trailers—but maybe she thought I’d managed to flee when we stopped to refuel.
“You aren’t getting rid of me that easily.” I shook my head. “Just needed some fresh air. And now I kind of want to sightsee. Do you know if we’re setting up today?”
Of course, she knew.
Considering how much time she spent with Hallow, I figured she knew as much as—if not more than—Zero.
“Nothing we have to be present for.” Her eyes lit up, and a grin spread across her face. “I’m down to sightsee if you are. I love Santa Fe.”
There was no way I could tell her I’d rather find Daze and ask him to go with me, especially not with how excited she seemed. I’d find him later.
Besides, if Bobbitt already knew the city well, she could lead the way.
“Yeah, let’s go,” I said, eager to get away from the bus.
Away from Zero.
Even as I stood there, part of me itched to get back to my bunk, so I could bury my face in Zero’s shirt beneath my pillow. But the rest of me wanted to run away. I was tired of him always being in my head, in my thoughts, in my dreams.
For my sanity, I needed a break.
“Hell yeah,” Bobbit squeaked, interrupting my thoughts. “Let me get dressed.”
She dipped back into the bus, and I followed behind to grab the little cash I had left to my name. I could have changed clothes or done something more with my hair, but the shorts, oversized T-shirt, and messy bun would have to do. I didn’t want to spend more time on the giant, fancy sardine can than necessary.
I headed back outside to wait for Bobbitt.
If I thought she would walk or talk any slower than normal because we were sightseeing, I was in for a rude awakening. It was hard to keep up with her as we strolled through Santa Fe Plaza, and she kept throwing out random facts about the city that I forgot almost as soon as she said them.
Still, I was thankful for her company.
“Did ya know that Santa Fe is the country’s oldest state capital?” she asked as we ducked beneath a low awning and passed a display of hand-crafted knickknacks. “Pretty crazy to think about.” She pointed out a few buildings as we walked by and threw out more random facts.
For breakfast, we stopped at a small cafe with a little courtyard in the middle. Plants and vines hung from latticework overheard, and warm sunlight filtered through the gaps. My stomach sank when I spent my last twenty on breakfast, leaving me with only a couple of dollars and some change.
To my horror, Bobbitt must have noticed my expression.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Crap.
I shifted in my chair, wanting to talk about literally anything else. We could talk about my panic attack in Revel’s cage, my trip to the club with Daze, mine and Zero’s conversation after my shower the other night…
Anything besides the fact that I was broke, desperate, and unsure how I would eat for the rest of the day, much less survive until I got a paycheck.
“Arina,” she said, her expression going deadpan. I felt like I was being scolded by an older sister, even though I never had one to know what it was like. The way she stared at me with stern concern had the truth burning up my throat. “What is it?”
