Page 5

Reed

“I do what I’ve trained my whole life to do. I watch the ball. I keep my eye on the ball.”

—Barry Lyga, Boy Toy

Damn. That crown had cost me the earnings from half a yard’s mowing.

Ben appeared in front of me and laughed. “Well, that’s one way to make an entrance.”

I bent down to pick up the crown and cursed.

“Don’t worry.” He snatched it from me and held it up to the light. “That’s nothing a little duct tape can’t fix.”

I followed him through the swarm of people, several of whom snickered and bowed the way Eliza did as I passed, before we made it to the massive kitchen. Even with all the trash and open pizza boxes, the marble counters gleamed under the fancy pendant lights.

What Nana wouldn’t give to be able to afford a kitchen like this. Meanwhile, these people probably have enough money to pay someone else to clean it.

“You know, if we used last year’s Halloween costumes, this wouldn’t have happened,” he said, rummaging through some drawers.

“Ben.” I rubbed my face. “I was not about to come to this thing dressed up as Dusty—”

“But you would’ve had your trusty Steve the Babysitter with you, man.”

Ben and I started watching Stranger Things after Dad’s first deployment a few years ago. At first, it was a distraction, but after round three of Dad going overseas, it became tradition—something familiar to hold on to.

Eliza breezed into the room and grabbed a can of Coke from the fridge, oblivious to me scowling at her. Her arms flew around her wildly while she talked with someone dressed as a bunny…or maybe a cat. They all looked the same at these things.

Bunny-Cat Girl nodded in my direction, and then Eliza turned to me and flipped me off before grabbing Bunny Cat’s hand and whisking her out of the room.

Right back at ya, darlin’.

“So that’s the Crowley I’ve heard so much about?” Ben asked.

I nodded. In the flesh. Or in her case, feathers.

She should’ve come as a Dementor.

“She doesn’t look like an annoying, evil rich girl with big ears.” Ben ripped off a piece of tape using his teeth. “Hold that arch there for me.”

I did as he said. “That girl ruined my Transformers collection when I was eight years old.”

“How’d she do that?” He rotated the crown around to the other broken piece and motioned for me to hold it still again as he got another strip of tape.

I tugged at the cuffs of my sleeves. “She stole them from me when I played at the library.”

He stopped taping. “You used to go to the library?”

“Yeah, I used to go to the lib— That’s not the point. The point is…” Jesus, my head hurt from this shit music. “The point—”

“The point is that she’s hot.” He craned his neck and stared at her. “Can’t see her face with that mask on, but I’m kinda feelin’ that whole dark and twisty vibe she’s got goin’ on.”

I laughed. “Don’t let the black feathers fool you. Her family’s a bunch of rich snobs who act like they own the town. ‘Dark and twisty’ to them is a week without Starbucks.”

Ben made a face and fell into the chair closest to me. “So what is it with you guys? Your families?”

“It’s a long story.” One I definitely didn’t want to talk about right now. “We used to be friends, but then her family stole the stadium right out from under mine. Money talks here.” And they’re the loudest people in Fairfield.

“Well, for a rich girl, she’s got a good arm.” He held up my crown and smiled before pressing it onto my head. “There. Good as new.”