Page 98 of Roaring Flames

Ansel opens his mouth as if to protest, but Shelby casts him a pointed look.

“Go. I got this. It’s what you’re paying me for, after all.” She chuckles and sweeps the glass into a dustpan. “You wouldn’t want to lose your valedictorian spot to that one asshole, would you?”

Ethan glares at Ansel, and the tips of Ansel’s ears turn a brilliant shade of red.

“Um…I guess not.”

Shelby shoos us out of the house, and the four of us meander back to the car. I can tell school is the last thing on any of our minds.

Who the hell is Delaney? Is she related to Helena? Is she a relative? These questions continue to tumble around and around in my head, but I know I won’t get any answers. Not yet.

My extensive Google search into Helena Craft proved futile. I only found one article, dated eighteen years ago, that talked about her apparent suicide, exactly as Hale and Gerry described. Besides that, there was nothing. No mention of her on social media. No obituary. Nothing. Maybe I need to start looking into this Delaney chick.

But is her last name Craft as well? Is Delaney even a relative, or is she a friend? Does she even know my birth mother?

“Is it horrible that school is the last place I want to be?” Ethan asks, wincing. His words pull me out of my thoughts.

Emery places a hand to his chest in mock offense. “What is the world coming to? The great Ethan doesn’t want to go to school?”

Ethan shoves at his twin.

“I really don’t want to head back either,” Ansel confesses.

This time, both Ethan and Emery gape at Ansel in disbelief.

“It’s official. I’m in the Upside Down world,” Emery says seriously.

“Do we want to play hooky?” Ethan asks, the word “hooky” sounding strange and foreign leaving his lips.

I can’t imagine he has ever skipped school before, barring serious illness or injury.

All three men turn to stare at me.

Emery’s eyes twinkle with a familiar mischievousness I haven’t seen in way too long. “What do you say, pretty girl? Wanna skip school and get into trouble?”

Thirty-Eight

IZZY

We decide to head to the arcade on the opposite side of town. According to Ethan—who’s practically bouncing in the passenger seat—the arcade has the best games in the county.

“I’m still going to kick your ass,” I tell Ethan seriously, leaning forward so I can rest my arms on the center console.

“Ha. You wish!” Ethan slides his gaze in my direction, blushes, and immediately focuses back out the windshield. “You may have beat me inMario Kartonce or twice?—”

“Every time,” I correct.

“—but I am the master of arcade games.”

“It’s true,” Emery interjects, not taking his eyes off the road. He steers the car expertly down a side street. Now that we’re no longer in a hurry, he doesn’t feel the need to drive like he’s on a racetrack. “There’s a reason why Ethan has no life or a girlfriend. He spends all of his time at the arcade like a nerd.”

“Hey!” Ethan’s cheeks pinken, and he whacks his brother across the head. “Shut up.”

“Don’t hit the driver.” Emery uses one hand to rub at his head, but the wicked glint in his eyes never dissipates.

“It’s not like you had a thousand girlfriends either,” Ethan says with a scoff. “Actually, you’ve had exactly?—”

“Oh look. We’re here!” Emery interrupts as we pull into a parking lot.

---