I repress the urge to add that he should leave her alone completely.
Reed just laughs and then leaves.
Zoe glances at Caleb and, for a second, at me too. “I just wanted to say that I’m going now. I’m getting ready at Charlotte’s place. See you later.”
“Sure. We’re probably coming around nine. I guess.” Caleb gets up and gives Zoe a hug. “Drive carefully.”
She rolls her eyes. “I always do. Besides, it’s only ten minutes away. See you.” She waves to Nick and Tristan, and then her gaze lands on me again. Longer this time. Until her eyes shift to the big window that looks out directly into the garden. To the treehouse. I know what that means.
She left a new note.
My heart skips a beat as Zoe bites her lower lip and blushes.
“Okay, see you.”
Why does she suddenly sound so breathless?
She turns on her heel before I can say anything.
I wait fifteen minutes—the longest quarter of an hour I’ve ever experienced—before I sneak out of the living room, through thekitchen, and out the back door. My friends are busy with their game and don’t notice what I’m doing. My whole body tingles with excitement as I climb the ladder.
Since the night our game began, we’ve been hiding our secrets up here. This evening, she left one for me. The note is easy to find, there on the blankets, and my fingers tremble as I unfold it. I have no idea what I expect, but it’s definitely not the words that I see written there in her tidy handwriting.
Kiss me tonight.
—P
Chapter 17
Jase
What do you miss about LA?
Everything.
—J
Fat raindrops splash against the window next to my bed. Outside it’s dark, even though the sun hasn’t set yet. The sky is full of thick storm clouds that swallow what’s left of the daylight.
The song “In Threes” echoes from my headphones. I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting on my bed and staring out the window. I’ve been trying for almost twenty-four hours to figure out how the hell Zoe managed to break through my defenses enough that I would answer her questions honestly. But I did it, and maybe that’s good, because otherwise she might not have agreed to meet me for practice. On the other hand, it sucks because I don’t want her to know what’s going on with me.
There’s an insistent knock on my door, loud enough to hear over the music. I don’t make the effort to go see who wants something from me. But whoever it is is persistent, and I finally give in, annoyed. I take off my headphones and get up.
I’m expecting Skye, but it’s Mom at the door, the expression on her face a mixture of uncertainty and impatience.
“I thought you weren’t here,” she says instead of greeting me.
I don’t answer. What does she expect me to say?Yes, I’m here. I just didn’t want to answer at first, and now I really wish I hadn’t.Yeah, that might have been a good idea, but Mom can rarely take the truth.
“What do you want?” I say instead.
“Can I come in?”
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
This room is my kingdom, the only home I have left. Mom would rather fly to the moon than set foot in my room. She rolls her eyes and brushes a strand of blond hair behind her ear. Despite the persistent rain outside, it’s strangely dry. Only now do I notice that she’s holding an oversized umbrella.
“Don’t be silly, Jase. Let me in, please.”
