I didn’t have any friends yet, but I didn’t care. It wasn’t fair that Peyton got to go to school. But after the summer, I’d get to go, too. I was excited to make friends.
I let my fox, the one that Peyton had won for me just a few weeks earlier, go down the slide before I followed it. I let out a huge smile, feeling like the world was at my fingertips.
“Well, hello there, little girl,” said a man as he entered through the back gate—the one that was meant to be locked and shut at all times.
“Hi!” I said. “Who are you?”
“A friend,” he answered. “What are you doing out here all alone?”
I shrugged. “Peyton should be back out here soon.”
“And where are your parents?” he asked, glancing towards the house.
“At meetings, I think.” They had those a lot. Sometimes, a lot of strange men with guns showed up at the house and Daddy always told me I needed to stay in my room until they left. I didn’t like staying in my room, though. I found a secret door to listen in on stuff. I bet Daddy knew about it, but he never said anything.
“I figured they’d be here,” he said. “I heard someone’s birthday’s coming up.”
“It’s mine!”
“How old will you be?”
“Five! Then I get to go to school.” I held up one hand, showing what number I was going to be.
“I have an early present for you, but,” he held up a finger to my lips to keep me quiet. My eyes opened wide at the mention of a gift. I loved gifts. “You’ll have to come with me. It’s at my house. Do you think you could do that?”
“I… No,” I said, pouting. “I’d be in sooo much trouble if I left the yard.”
“I promise to have you back before anyone knows you’re gone,” he said, giving me a wide smile. “No one will know but you and me. And I’m great at keeping secrets.”
“Oh! Me too!” I said, bouncing in place.
“Perfect,” he said, holding out his hand. I glanced at the house and didn’t see Peyton anywhere. He wouldn’t know; his phone calls to his best friends could last forever.
I slipped my hand into his and let him lead me out of the yard the way he came. Once we were on the other side of the gate, he made sure it was locked and shut as tightly as it should be.
“Ready? Can you run?”
I nodded eagerly.
He walked super-fast, and I didn’t have a choice but to run to keep up. It felt like miles before we reached his car. It was parked a good way from the house. I couldn’t even see the fence from how far we were.
He helped me into the back and made sure I was buckled before he got in and started to drive away. He handed back a water bottle already opened, and I happily took a big drink.
He told me about his house. He told me he didn’t have any kids and that he’d love to have me stay for little while.
Before we reached the middle of the town, passing the place where I loved getting ice cream, my eyes were too heavy to keep open any longer.
Sometime before the sun began to rise, shining its rays through the windows, one of the boys had laid a blanket over the top of me as I dozed on the couch. My feet were still in Dominic’s lap, his hand over them. I could hear someone moving around, attempting to be quiet while doing so. I was too comfortable to move and see who it was, or what they were doing.
I didn’t know what time we all ended up falling asleep, spread out around the living room, but I had to admit that it was the best sleep I’d had in a long while. That, or the pain meds finally kicked in. Whatever it was, I was grateful.
“I’m gonna run out and get some food,” Zevon whispered.
“Kay,” Collin answered in a sleep-filled tone. “Get some bacon and bread. And coffee.”
“Sure thing.”
Moments later, the front door closed softly. Then, the car started.
