“And you’re a liar,” I scoff.
He pinches his lip. “I saidokay, I didn’t saygood.”
I hum beneath my breath, dropping my chin to my chest, my eyes latching onto my bare toes as they brush over the dirt before sinking into the rough, dead grass.
“I don’t know how much longer I can watch her destroy herself like this,” I admit.
“You love her, right?” His reply is instant.
My eyes snap to him. “What kind of question is?—”
Chase talks over me, “Then as long as she needs, Laik. Be there for her.”
The tension between us is thick when I step ahead of him, spinning to walk backward. “I am, every damn day, Chase.” An annoyed hiss seeps from between my teeth, my eyes trail him from head to toe, feel my head shaking in disbelief. “You just don’t fucking get it.”
I spin around, jogging to catch up with Harlen and Jade, leaving Chase behind.
I wasn’t doing this tonight; my mother’s addiction had already taken enough joy from me. I didn’t need the added lecture.
When I’ve reached Harlen and Jade and laced my hand with my best friend's, I peek over my shoulder—even though I force myself not to—to see Chase’s chin to his chest, his hands through his hair and his foot kicking a rock away.
The road in front of us is pitch-black.
We are traveling out of Devil’s Peak toward Shadow Heads, a small town an hour away.
Harlen had mentioned that Bryce’s parents' place is halfway between both towns, up Devil’s Peak mountain, nestled deep in the bowels of the densely-packed woods.
They’d been out here a few times, but me and Jade hadn’t.
Chase’s truck slows down, the indicator signaling a left turn off the main road. Headlights in front of us pierce through the front window, and though it’s risky, Chase tempts fate and makes the turn anyway.
The whoosh of a car flying past with its horn blaring has the corner of Chase’s lips tilting. He adjusts the shifter and begins the heavy ascent up the sketchy mountain.
A spider of fear, and something else, something warm and exciting, skitters down my spine.
“Please, don’t fucking kill us,” Jade mumbles, reaching forward and flicking her brother on the ear.
His palm pushes against the side of his head, repelling his sister.
“Would be a pretty cool way to go though, right?” He smiles wider.
Jade huffs, changing the tone of her usual voice to something condescending. “Oh, yeah, real fucking cool.”
I snort, and Chase adjusts the rearview mirror, his dark brown eyes seeking mine. He pushes a long strand of hair behind his ear, his eyes deepening. “Come on, Laik. You agree with me, a little thrill before shaking hands with death doesn’t sound too bad?”
His words speak to a darker side of me. Adrenaline and heat releases into my veins, like an itch that begs to be scratched.
When I don’t reply, sucking on the inside of my cheek instead, Harlen speaks, “You crazy fuck.” He reaches forward, adjusting the knob of the stereo, hiking the volume up.
I drop my chin to my chest and suck harder on my cheek when I feel the back of my best friend's hand slap against my bicep. Turning, I find Jade staring at me in bewilderment.
“Please, tell me you don’t agree with that idiot?”
I shake my head, then force a laugh, searching for the right words to appease my best friend.
“I don’t.”
She falls back into her seat with a sigh, popping her bright pink bubblegum. “Thank fuck.”
