“Well, now I’m worried,” I said, scrolling through the list of dialed numbers on my phone. I copied the one I called earlier and pasted it into my browser, relieved when the Southside Bureau of Nonhuman Housing and Development popped up. “Well, it’s legit. I’ll text you the number.”
“I guess it couldn’t hurt to ask,” Adam said, holding up his phone.
Austin snatched the phone away. “Actually, it could. Never trust the government.”
“No shit, but we don’t have any other options. No one’s gonna know it’s you.”
After a few moments of hesitation, Austin handed the phone back to Adam. “Fine. I’ll tell you what name to use.”
A subtle but mischievous smirk crept up Adam’s face. “Yeah. I’ll write it down.”
Chapter 9
Lots of Potential
“This is bullshit,” I said, furiously packing my belongings as Adam kept his gaze averted. “Why did you even bring it up to them?”
“Dude, I panicked. They said I couldn’t qualify for another year if I couldn’t find another half-turn to live with in Norwich. You know how convoluted the system is.”
“And you brought me into it without asking if it was cool with me—which it’s not! I spent weeks doing all that work, and with one stupid phone call, you threw everything into chaos.”
“You’re really gonna be selfish about it?”
My face grew hotter, and it took everything I had not to shove the half-turn through Darryl’s window. “Selfish? I’ll have you—”
“Okay, okay,” Adam interrupted. “What else am I going to do, Cody? I need you. Please.”
“Go live with your parents. Take Austin with you.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not? Every time anyone brings up your money or your parents, you get all weird.” I narrowed my eyes. “Did you get caught in another lie?”
Adam sighed. “Listen I—I may have embellished a few things.”
“You mean your parents aren’t rich?”
“It’s complicated, and I don’t want to talk about it.”
“It’s probably not that complicated. You’re just being sleazy.”
Adam bit his lower lip and looked away, and what I thought was an act turned into tears.
“I’m sorry,” I said, now feeling terrible. That was a look I knew all too well when talking about parents. “So, there’s no one you can live with or get assistance from?”
“If there was, the last place I’d live is in that roach-infested shithole apartment with that asshole.” His mood shifted as he gave a sly smile, leaning in closer. “Which is why when I heard you were moving to a nice little town away from it all, I got kind of jealous. When the guy over the phone gave me that ultimatum, I knew you wouldn’t say no. We’re friends, right?”
“I barely know you.” I folded a torn pair of briefs and shoved them into a suitcase. Most of my underwear bore the battle scars of Roscoe being a little too rough. “I don’t understand why they make us jump through so many hoops.”
“Half-turns, man. Humans don’t want us around. We’re always horny, and if we don’t have sex, we get all ragey and stuff.”
“I feel that kind of rage right now, actually,” I half-joked, folding more of my clothes. The good thing about Roscoe not really wearing clothes was I didn’t have to pack them. The only thing he really wore was that funk-covered orange hoodie, and I wasn’t going to touch that thing.
“I’m serious. You haven’t been half-turn long enough to know. I’ve been like this since I was sixteen, but the real shit only started happening like six months ago. It’s making Austin act weird. He keeps sniffing me more, too. He says I reek, but he can’t stop smelling me.”
“What’s with that? I catch Roscoe sniffing my dirty clothes all the time.”
“We’re like catnip to a werewolf. Wolfnip? Werewolfnip?” Adam snapped his fingers. “But getting back on topic here. Are you really gonna make me break my kuu and live in Stonebrook? I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens.”
