I just nod at her.
“I thought you and Cole had plans tonight?” Becky asks her when she puts Lilly down.
“We did, but something came up,” she answers.
I look over her while she talks to my sister. Austin is pretty in that whole I-don’t-know-it way. Her dark brown hair is down and a little wavy as though she let it air dry and didn’t bother to straighten or curl it. It’s so long that it drapes over her chest, almost reaching her belly button. Her makeup isn’t caked on like my sister’s, but she doesn’t seem to need much. She has dark green eyes and a diamond stud in her nose. She reaches up to push some hair behind her ear and I run my eyes over her right arm, looking for what she had mentioned in her journal. And I see it. It’s faint, but it’s there if you know what you’re looking for. A cut about three inches long across her forearm. The very cut that Cole gave her that first night in the cemetery.
“Demi?”
I blink and look up at her eyes. “Hmm?”
She gives me a soft smile. “Do you want something?”
“Yeah.” I look up at the menu.
“What would you like?” She turns, giving me her back to face the man who patiently waits for her order.
“Oh, I can get it—”
“Nonsense,” she interrupts me. “I’ll get it. I owe you anyway. You got my gummies the other night at Silence. What do you want?” She begins to order for her and Lilly.
I scan the menu, and say, “A large Coke ICEE. Please.”
Lilly grabs my hand and looks up at me. Her brown eyes wide in excitement. “That’s Austin’s and my favorite.”
“So, what did Cole have to do?” my sister asks, being a nosy bitch as she pops a piece of popcorn in her mouth from the bucket the cashier just placed on the counter.
“He didn’t say, and I didn’t ask. Deke called him, and he said he had to go.”
I stiffen.Is she gonna rat me out that I was just there earlier tonight when her and Cole were leaving?
“I’m sure it has to do with swimming. Or maybe their classes.” Austin shrugs.
And I try to slow my racing heart.
My sister looks at me, and I swallow nervously, looking away from her. Austin may not have told on me, but did Deke? Did he call Cole the moment I left to tell him that I know his secrets? That I threatened to out them? Fuck, Cole cut Austin’s arm, so I wonder what the hell he would do to me if he knew I had the power to destroy them? Plus, Austin mentioned in her journal that Deke wanted to shoot her. I wasn’t all that afraid of Deke until after I read that. Cole always had that I’ll kill you and store your dead body in my basement kind of vibe. If they worked together, I’m sure my body would never be found.
“Here, Lilly.” Austin hands her a small ICEE. “Don’t drop it, okay?”
She nods. “I won’t.” Then she takes a drink of it.
I feel eyes on me, and I can’t help but look up. My sister is still staring at me, but now she’s glaring. I pull my shoulders back and narrow my eyes at her. I won’t bow down to Deke, so I’m sure as hell not going to bow down to my sister.
“Okay, we’re ready,” Austin announces and turns, handing me my drink.
“Thank you,” I say to her.
She grabs Lilly’s hand, and we make our way into the theater and walk up the stairs until we are at our seats. But Austin doesn’t sit down. “Let’s go use the restroom before the movie starts.”
“Okay.” Lilly gets up and follows her back out.
I sit back in my seat, place my phone on silent, and take a drink of my ICEE.
“What the fuck are you doing?” my sister growls from three seats over. I sat so Austin and Lilly are between us.
“Excuse me?”
She eyes me. “I saw the way you were looking at Cole at Silence.”
