Ebony couldn’t help but defend Gavin despite the pain he caused her. "He's made progress. I told you he interns for dad's company every summer."
A bemused expression passed over Beryl's face. "You know what…I can almost understand the boy's pain."
Before Ebony could say anything, a beat-up Dodge Stratus pulled into the parking lot next to them.
Sitting up in her chair, Beryl drained the last of her soda and stood up. "Let me deal with this real fast. When I come back, I want you to tell me more about what the hell is going on with your brat of a brother."
Ebony gave her a reluctant nod just as her phone vibrated. Looking at the screen she paused.
Unknown Number: You’re breaking. I can see it. Don’t worry. I know how to put you back together.
An unsettling awareness swept over Ebony like ice water. Looking up, she scanned the area around her. The garage had a few people working in the other bays, the sound of people talking and the occasional clanking of metal but no one looking at her and no one on their phone.
Her phone vibrated again, this time a call from Gavin. For a brief second, she just stared at the smiling picture of them both she had set as his contact icon. The sight of it was like a knife slash to her soul.
She swiped to answer but Gavin didn’t give her a chance to say anything.
"Where are you?" His question came out like a gunshot.
Ebony ignored that question. "Did you just send me a weird text?"
"What? No. What the fuck are you talking about? Where are you?" he demanded. She could clearly hear the confusion and anger in his voice, it wasn’t him.
"I'm fine and goodbye,” she said crisply.
She could hear his angry voice still as she pulled the phone away from her ear. "Wait! What weird text?” he yelled. “And answer my fucking-"
Ebony ended the call.
When Beryl returned Ebony did her best to push the odd text from her head. Sensing what she needed was a distraction, Beryl didn’t go back to the topic of Gavin and instead filled her in on local gossip. She stayed with Beryl for the rest of the day and well after three when school let out.
It was late in the day when she drove back to school to pick up her school tablet. Its empty parking lots and deserted hallways echoed with silence. There were a few academic clubs and sports groups still active giving some life to the vacated building but not much. Walking down the long hall, Ebony glanced up at the lights as they flickered on in her presence. It was a power saving setting for the evening, she knew that, but it was creepy nonetheless. The hall ahead and behind her was draped in shadows while she stood in an island of light.
Guess it's better than the dark, she thought.
Eventually, Ebony reached her locker, the click of the lock seeming extra loud in the stillness of the hall. The door swung open, and a folded note drifted out like a leaf from a tree. She stared at it with a frown for a beat too long before crouching, fingers closing around the paper just as a shift in the air prickled down her spine. Warmth brushed her back. Not imagined. Not faint.Close.Very close.
Ebony twisted around, breath caught halfway in her throat and her heart slamming against her chest. Nothing. There was nothing there. Just rows of metal doors and the sharp hum of fluorescent lights. No footsteps. No shadow. No one. But the spike to her pulse and the charge to her skin said otherwise. It buzzed like something unseen had pressed against it. Whoever it was, they’d been standingright there.
With held breath she read the note.
"No one sees you the way that I do."
It took her an hour to get home when it should've only taken a few minutes. For the longest time, she had just sat in her car staring off at nothing. Thinking. The note sounded a lot like the two texts she had gotten. It had to be the same person, right? Who was it and what did they want? There was nothing romantic or cute about any of it. The tone in each communication sounded—possessive.
By the time she got back home the afternoon sun was fading into its evening light. Closing the door to the garage, she walked down the long hall and turned to pass the kitchen only to stop in her tracks. Standing in the hallway that led to the stairs, Gavin stood with his arms crossed over his chest while his wintery gaze fell heavily onto her, and any lingering worry she had about the weird texts or the odd presence behind her back at school disappeared.
His eyes were like ice. Fury crackled beneath their depths sending a warning chill down her spine.
"You hung up on me," he said tightly.
Ebony took in a breath and steeled herself. She reminded herself of the cruel silence he subjected her to and allowed herself to smile evilly back at him. "I did."
She had to admit, she enjoyed the spark of anger her cavalier attitude caused.
Gavin took a step forward, filling the space with his presence. "I texted and you ignored me."
Ebony inhaled, hating the way his familiar cologne filled her senses. Even the scent felt like a betrayal now. She forced herself to keep her tone light. "Also correct."
