Page 12 of The Wright Man

Lies. Lies and gravy.

Because the truth was I didn't even know what we were anymore. Friends? Strangers with memories? Ghosts haunting the same sidewalk?

My sisters didn't call me on it. Tina nodded slowly. Bella raised one brow but said nothing.

Bless them for letting the lie float. Lord knows I didn't have the energy to explain it.

I scooped another bite and chewed, even though my appetite was gone. Even though my chest felt tight and my throat felt full of sand.

Even though my head was now full of memories of the boy who used to call me Angel.

* * *

Angelica

When They Were 6…

The sun was hot on my shoulders, but I didn't care. I was too busy being the Supreme Commander of Sparkle Rock Fortress.

Maleek—quiet, serious, and so committed to the bit—was my loyal knight, carrying our treasure in an old lunchbox I'd "borrowed" from Tina. It had sparkly unicorns on it, but Maleek didn't say a word about it. Just tucked it under his arm like it was sacred cargo, following me from the monkey bars to the big tire in the sand pit with the kind of quiet focus I admired in cartoons. He was like my own personal Batman.

I was elbows-deep in a hole when I found it—a chunk of glittery quartz that caught the sun like a secret. "Jackpot!" I held it up, triumphant. "Queen Angelica has found the Jewel of Power!"

Maleek, crouched beside our bucket, didn't look up. He just held out the open lunchbox like a proper Royal Booty Guard. "Put it in the vault, Your Highness."

I did, with great ceremony. "You shall be handsomely rewarded."

"Mm-hmm," he hummed. "I want a chocolate milk and a honey bun."

"Only if we survive the Forest of Certain Death!"

I loved how he played along. I couldn't get Kareem to play pretend if I paid him, and Tina always got bossy and turned it into a weird soap opera. But Maleek? He got it.

The Forest of Certain Death was actually two busted-up bushes and a trash can… But imagination was free, and it was just me and Maleek and our pretend kingdom of leaves and dust.

Until it wasn't.

I was just about to announce our next noble quest when I heard the snickering.

It started soft-mean, wheezy laughter, like a balloon deflating with a grudge. I turned, and my whole body froze.

Boyd Anderson. Theo Roode. Gavin Riddle.

The schoolyard demons.

They strutted across the field like they owned it, shoulders bouncing like they were in slow motion. I knew that walk. That was the bully walk.

Maleek saw them too. I saw him tense, eyes narrowing behind those too-big lashes. He didn't say anything—he never did at first—but I knew he was on high alert.

"Well, well, if it isn't Bucky Bad Teeth and her boyfriend," Theo sneered, drawing out every word like he thought it made him sound cool. "Whatcha doing, Angelica? You looking for some boulders to snack on with those chompers?"

Boyd howled, Gavin chuckled, and I felt my whole face go hot. My hand flew up to my mouth automatically, but I stopped myself.

No. Not today.

"Shut up before I knock that crust off your lips!" I snapped, squaring my shoulders. "You talkin' a whole lot for somebody built like a chicken nugget."

Maleek didn't laugh, but I saw his lip twitch. That was his version of a standing ovation.