Page 77 of Wicked Games

When did I become a junkie? Addicted to Caleb—no better than my mother and her drugs—completely disregarding how bad he is for me.

It takes hislackof attention for me to realize it.

I’m such an idiot. My heart is winning the argument.

“I’m not sure he’d want me to tell you,” Eli says. “And that’s all you’re getting out of me while he’s laid up in bed?—”

“His bed, I hope, and not a hospital?” I give Eli my best worried face.

“He wouldn’t go to a hos?—”

Theo punches Eli’s shoulder. “You idiot.”

I stand, smiling tightly.Mission accomplished. “Thanks, Eli. I’m gladsomeoneis helpful.”

And then… well, I don’t really have a plan. I walk out of the cafeteria and keep going, straight outside. I don’t have a car, but that can’t stop me. I’ll walk there if I have to. Come up with an excuse for Robert later?—

“Wait,” Riley calls, jogging up behind me.

I look at her.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” she asks.

“Didn’t your dad drive you?”

“Yeah, but?—”

“So, you don’t have a car.”

She rolls her eyes and holds up a set of keys. “I happen to know someone who does. And that person might not have realized I stole them out of his bag, so we should probably hurry.”

Oh, shit. Okay.

We run across the lot to Eli’s truck, and it feels a bit like we’re breaking the law. We stay hunched as Riley fires it up and backs out of the spot, then guns it out of the parking lot.

“Do you want me to wait for you?” We’re not even there yet.

My hands shake.

“Margo,” she says. “Do you want me to wait for you?”

“Oh, um, no. Can you just tell Robert that I had an emergency? Not a serious one. Like, I got my period and bled through my skirt or something.”

She exhales. “Yeah, sure. He’ll see through it, but…”

“Maybe I’ll be back sooner than expected.” I’ve got about an hour before I would need to be in Robert’s painting class. “I could call a taxi or bike.”

Her expression pinches, but she pulls into Eli’s driveway without a word.Caleb’sdriveway. I have to remind myself that he lives here—it’s his home, too. Even if his real house is a few blocks away, filled with ghosts and dust.

She hits the button for the garage door. “You can get in that way. They usually leave the inner door unlocked. Good luck… I hope he’s okay.”

I grin at her to hide my sudden panic. I have a sick feeling in my gut that something is terribly wrong, and his friends’ answers didn’t set me at ease. I wouldn’t be here if I could just ignore it and focus on schoolwork. Butno, Caleb’s stuck at the front of my mind like superglue.

More like crazy glue.

I jump out of the truck and shake out my arms. Riley waits until I open the door, then triggers the garage door to close behind me.

I walk through a large mudroom, then the kitchen. It’s silent up here, and I kick off my shoes to move quietly through the house.

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