Page 17 of Risking it All

Relic gave a deep chuckle that felt like a hug for my soul. “See, that right there. You’re still not doing a thing I expect. Don’t change, Mazie Hutchinson. Unique is a gift.”

I blinked. “Are you always so honest?”

“I’m not honest. I’m a survivalist. Those are two different traits. But here, tonight, I have no reason to lie. I like hanging with you.”

I’ve liked hanging out with him, too, and I wished I had his courage to say it aloud.

“Want to know why I’m in therapy?” Relic hedged.

Um…yes. I was wildly curious why everyone was there, especially him, but it was this unwritten rule that we should never ask. “Only if you want to tell.”

“It’s part of my plea deal. I stole five dollars out of an unlocked car.”

The entire world spun. “Why?”

“Why did I take the plea deal? It was a hell of lot better than juvie. I hear the food there is horrible.”

“No, why did you steal?”

“Because I needed to,” he stated simply. “It’s my job to take care of my family.”

As fast as the world twirled, it came to a stunning stop, and I rocked with the impact. In therapy, Relic said his car stopped working and he couldn’t afford a ride home. My stomach dipped as the mere foot between us felt as large as a canyon. Yes, I had problems, but they weren’t nearly the same type as Relic’s issues.

“I shouldn’t have pushed for more,” I said in a rush. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’d ask questions, too.”

But that was the difference between us. I gave an opening into February, and he didn’t pry, while I ransacked his revelation. I respected Relic and hated myself. “You didn’t have to tell me.”

“I did, because it’s something you need to consider before taking me up on my offer to drive you and your drunk friend home.”

That would be the moment Gianna opened the door and stumbled onto the deck. In a slow spin, Gianna tilted one way, then the next, like a top in its final rotation. Relic sprinted forward to catch her as she passed out.

Chapter seven

Relic

Gianna was close to dead-body drunk. Yeah, she was still breathing as drool dripped from her mouth and her feet shuffled poorly on the sidewalk, but she supported none of her weight as I helped her to her car. Macie led the way, scanning the street like a Navy Seal who’d parachuted into enemy territory.

She also reminded me of a cartoon character with their head swinging back and forth as though she couldn’t decide if she should cross a busy street. I wouldn’t give her shit, though. The girl was casing the area, assessing the threat. Most people were too stupid and naïve to realize the dangers of the real world. Unfortunately, her lessons came from the school of harsh reality.

Between maintaining her constant pattern of left, right, straight ahead, she also looked back at me and continued on in this nervous narrative that I found oddly adorable.

“Gianna’s car is the gray one. The third one from here, parked on the street. It’s a stick, can you drive a stick? I don’t know why she got a stick. Her parents wanted her to have an automatic, butI think it’s because Ariel has one and Gianna thought it was cool. Can you drive a stick?”

I shrugged as I followed her down the sidewalk. “Start the car, press the clutch, then the gas, and switch gears. Restart if it stalls out. Did you know if you press the clutch, the gas, and the gearshift at the same time, the car will take a screenshot?”

Macie spun in my direction so quickly that her hair flew across her face. She had this mad scientist look of horror upon her angel face, and I had to temper the grin fighting my lips because I had a feeling this girl had a firecracker spirit if prodded.

“Please tell me you’re kidding me.”

“About the screenshot? I don’t know. We should try it and find out.”

Her exquisite mouth popped open, and her spine straightened, making her taller, as if that temper were curling up from her toes to explode out of her head. “Do you or do you not know how to drive a stick?” I could tell it was taking a massive amount of energy to keep her tone even, and I had never wanted to chuckle more in my life.

Yeah, I was an asshole, but I wasn’t a complete dick, so I gave. “Yes, I can drive a stick. Open the back door for me.”

Seat-belting Gianna in was akin to strapping in a half-octopus, semi-conscious toddler, but I eventually got her in, careful that all her arms and legs were secure before I closed the door. Macie stood at the front of the car, and the complete panic ingrained on her face twisted my gut.

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