Page 65 of White Hole

I stopped in my stride and grabbed his shoulders. “Not. At. All. I’m worried for you. Aaron, you’re underage.” His face dropped and he looked guilty, like he’d done something wrong. “D-did you do anything more?”

“Like what?” His body stiffened at the question.

“Like have sex with her?”

Aaron relaxed. “Oh, no. Just the blowjob with my roommate.”

“Are you okay?”

He shrugged. “It was just confusing, is all.”

If I could take away that pain from him, I would. I knew exactly how he felt. An idea came into my mind. One I didn’t like, but could work to help us both. “I’m gonna need something from you.”

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

KINSLEY

I was doing okay.Running every morning helped. As did the evening jogs. And between classes if I could fit it in.

Skipping the cafeteria for lunch helped me to avoidthat guy. Instead, I spent the time training for my next marathon or studying for astronomy before grabbing food at my apartment. Dr. Torrad was much more receptive to give me extra help when I hounded her office hours daily. She showed me some YouTube videos that were valuable, and I felt like I was better prepared for the final.

I kept up appearances at Manny’s, Tony’s, the Lounge, and even the Warehouse on Friday nights. Only Marissa guessed that there may have been something off, but she was often busy with Xavier. Elle was with a new boyfriend none of us could stand. Sharice was with Maurice and too busy sucking his face to party with us.

I was spending more time with Edith on the weekends, though her dementia prevented her from recognizing me. Sometimes she didn’t know I was even there. I’d bring her favorite flowers to set in her room and talk at her while she laid in her bed, eyeing me suspiciously.

After leaving the nursing home one Saturday morning, I visited the Northview police station to copy any evidence from my hit-and-run. The accident report said that my car had skidded on the ice with no other tire tracks visible. When I asked to speak with the officer who investigated the scene that night, they informed me he had died two years prior. He was only thirty-seven.

My next stop was the tow company that took my car all those years ago, but they didn’t keep records that far back. Another dead end, but I wasn’t going to give up. That was the only good thing about whatthat guyhad done to me. Rage was a great motivator.

I stopped along Main Street, but the stores either did not have video footage or had it and had turned it over to the police for evidence. When I asked earlier, however, the police station said they did not have any footage from that night.

Frustrated, I walked back past the local bookstore towards my car. Levi Joseph was walking out of an alley between it and an antique store, not watching where he was going. He bumped into me and started to apologize.

“Oh, hey, Kinsley!”

“Hey! What are you doing down here? In an alley?” I asked.

“Oh, I, uh. Just looking at the apartment there.” He pointed above the antique store.

“I thought you lived at the Theta manor.”

“I do. I just… What are you doing down here?”

“A fruitless adventure.” I grimaced.

Levi seemed confused. “What kind of adventure?”

Levi was nice. He was always so Golden Retriever-ish. I wanted to talk with him.

“I was hit by a drunk driver a few years ago, and the police say they don’t have any evidence of it. It happened right over there.” I pointed to the four-way intersection. “But, I was hoping one of these stores still had some video from that night.”

“Huh. That sucks. Well, hey, I just met the antique shop owner. Want me to ask if they have—”

“No, I asked. They said they didn’t. Very hastily, if I may add.”

“Let me know if I can be of any help.”

“Thanks, Levi.” He walked towards a rusted Honda Civic with bald tires. “Hey, Levi.”

---