I spun around and relaxed against the island. “And that’s how I do it. You were great,” I complimented him.
“That was pretty fun,” he admitted.
A chirp came from his pants and he pulled his phone out. He unlocked it and frowned. “I have to leave. Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah, you don’t have to stay. You’ve got your own life now. I don’t control you.”
Constantine reached for me. “Eisley, stop worrying. I’ll be back. Here, take my number.”
We exchanged contacts, and it relaxed my nerves.“See.” He waved his phone as he walked to the door and slid his boots on. “I’m only a call away.”
After he left, I finished my laundry and remade my bed. I stared at it for a long time, recalling the night before. I finally did it.I’d had sex. I’d had an orgasm. I now understood why people liked it so much. Sure, I’d let Kansas touch me, and we kissed a lot, but I’d never let it go this far before, and…
I wondered what he’d think about everything. Constantine being alive, the scars being the same, us having sex!
My mind was driving me nuts, and eventually, I grabbed my keys with the plan to go to the greenhouse.Some volunteers watered everyone’s plants daily, as part of our membership, but it was my private sanctuary away from home, and I wanted to get out and stop obsessing over things.Just then Therese’s car zipped into my driveway, and she and Emi leapt out.
“Oh my god, have you seen the news?” Emi cried out.
“No? Why?” My stomach dropped. Images of Constantine and his vintage car speeding down the road plummeted through my brain. I’d just gotten him back; had he been taken from me already?
“My cousin and her friends were just found murdered!” Therese had tears streaming down her face.
“What do you mean?” I asked as I directed them to my living room.
“My cousin, Sam. She’s still—” She reached for my tissue box on my coffee table. “Was. She was a senior. She hadn’t even graduated yet!”
I sighed and took the seat beside her on the couch. “Calm down, tell me everything.”
Emi sniffled. Tears ran down her face, but she got words out better than the others.“They found them in the woods. Well, Sam. The rest were still back at the church.”
“What church?”
“You know, the Sinister Minister’s church.” Emi shrugged. “I know you don’t like talking about it, but everyone’s been there at least once.”
Therese nodded through her crying. “We’ve had so many ragers there. I made out with Rem for the first time in the basement.”
I couldn’t help the look of disgust on my face.
“They were murdered!” Therese wailed.
“How do you know?” I asked.
“They were stabbed,” Emi said sharply, almost as if I should know this.
Therese dabbed her eyes with the tissue. “You really should get cable, sis.”
I patted her thigh and she fell onto my shoulder and continued to sob.
“I’m sorry for your cousin,” I said, rubbing her back. “Do they have a suspect?”
“Not yet.” Emi shook her head. “My dad said they think it’s someone excited about the documentary. You know, wants to give them more to talk about.”
I had forgotten that Emi’s dad was a police officer.He must have finally decided to try to repair their relationship if they were talking again. “What are they going to do about them, then?”
“They are going to talk to them all now. I think they’ll catch him.” Emi nodded as if saying it would make it true. Could it be true? Could one of the crew members have killed those teenagers to make for a more interesting story? The girls continued to sob in my living room, and I sat there, not sure how to respond.
My doorbell rang, and I hurried to get up and answer it, grateful for the reprieve.A delivery man with a stack of boxes greeted me on the other side and had me sign for all the cameras I’d bought just yesterday. I moved them into the house and gave the girls a grim smile.
