Page 43 of The Serpent King

“Dill! I got his phone. He’s been texting someone named Amelia. Travis has a girlfriend, dude.”

Travis blushed and he scowl-smiled. “No I don’t. She’s just a friend from the Bloodfall forums.”

Lydia turned to Dill. “I think Travis has Bloodfallen for this girl. See what I did there?”

Travis began to protest. Dill tried to laugh, but the rising black dome of rage pushing up through his chest and lungs cut him off. “Yeah.”

Lydia sat for a second, her mouth agape, her hands outstretched in front of her. “Dude. Come on. We have the chance to tease Travis about a girl and you’re just letting it fly free like a dove.”

And then the black dome of rage burst and hot lava flowed through him. “Let me ask you a question.”

“Okay.”

“Just curious. How come you have never once mentioned either Travis or me on your blog? Are we that embarrassing to you?”

Lydia’s good cheer crumbled away in an instant. She stared at Dill with an acid expression. “I’m sorry, do I owe you an explanation for what I say or don’t say on my blog?”

Dill tried to affect a casual, who-cares tone, with little success. “No. I just think it’s sad you have friends you’re embarrassed by. That’s all.”

Travis, who had clearly been pretending to be absorbed in his texting, shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Dill, come on. Leave me out of this. I don’t care.”

Dill glared at Travis. “Sure, dude. Take her side like thirty seconds after she was trying to embarrass you.”

“I just think you’re being rude. I—”

Lydia cut off Travis’s response. “What’s this about, Dill? Why have you chosen this exact moment to bring this up? After years of being friends.”

“Oh, we’re friends? Sorry, I only read your blog so I didn’t know you had any. I told you. Just curious.”

“Horseshit.” She was no longer whispering.

“All right you three,” Ms. White called over. “I warned y’all once. Y’all need to take your discussion outside.”

Lydia rolled her eyes, slammed her laptop shut, yanked the plug from the wall, and started shoving things in her bag. “Thanks, Dill.”

“You’re welcome.”

They left, hanging their heads, avoiding eye contact with anyone. They got to the parking lot and formed a circle behind Lydia’s car.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Dill said. “How come you’ve never once mentioned us?”

“I answered your question with a question. What makes you think you’re entitled to be mentioned?”

“I don’t think I’m entitled to be mentioned. I just think I’m entitled to be treated like a real friend you’re not embarrassed to know.”

She popped open the hatchback and put her bag inside. She stood there with her hand on her hip and gestured for Dill to throw his in too. “Get in so I can finish tearing you a new asshole.”

“I’m parked over here. Y’all, please stop fighting,” Travis said. “It’s not worth it.”

Dill and Lydia both glared at Travis.

Travis’s voice took on an angrier tone than Dill had ever heard before. “Y’all are ruining my good day. I already have enough people to ruin my good days; I don’t need you two doing it. Just stop.”

Lydia squared off her five feet, two inches against Travis’s six feet, six inches. “Look, Travis, we’re going to work this out. Until then, please butt out, okay?”

Travis threw his hands in the air. “Okay. Whatever.” He walked away.

Dill and Lydia got in her car. They sat there for a moment, not moving. Not saying anything.