Slinging my arm around Sutton’s shoulders, I started leading us out of the bathroom. “What do you say we watch the rest of this game?”
“The real show is going to be Crew explaining to his wife why he’s got a bruise on his face.”
“There’s no way I can convince you guys to lie, is there?”
“Absolutely fucking not,” I laughed.
“Fuck,” he said, then sped by us, disappearing into the stands, obviously trying to reach his wife before we could.
“Lane?”
“Yeah, sunny?”
“Addie isn’t still down there, is she?”
“No, she left at the start of halftime.”
“Good. But what if…”
“What if, what?”
“What if she’d been following me? And that’s why I felt like I was being watched?”
I shook my head. “Addie wouldn’t do that.”
“You don’t knowwhatshe would do, Lane,” Sutton said, ducking out from under my arm, putting distance between us. “And you burying your head in the sand about what she could be capable of is arguably more dangerous than she is.”
My mouth gaped as I searched for a response, but Sutton walked away, heading down into the stands, leaving me alone in the middle of the concourse.
twenty
. . .
SUTTON
There is nothing but blackness,but I know exactly where I am.
The scent of weed is strong in the air, and the taste of some shitty, watery keg beer lingers on my tongue. Beneath me, the mattress is surprisingly soft. All of my senses are fuzzy, but I can’t figure out why. I only had one glass after me and my roommate arrived.
“I’ve been waiting for this.”
His voice is disembodied in the darkness, but even in my altered mental state, it raises goosebumps all over my body.
Not the good kind, either.
I try to speak, but no words will come out. My tongue is heavy, my limbs are heavy,everythingis heavy.
Hands find my ankles, traveling higher and high?—
“Rausch!” someone shouted, accompanied by an impact with my foot.
I shot upright, heart racing from the dream—no,nightmare.
“What? Did we get another call?”
No, I thought, shaking my head. The bells would have woken me.
Instead, my gaze collided with the paramedic in charge for third shift.
