Page 44 of Shadow and Skulls

“Do you like this school?” he asks, not taking his eyes off her.

She begins to answer, but he stops her. “Not you.”

Slowly, he turns to face me. I begin to stutter.

“It’s a yes or no question.”

“No.”

“Then why do you continue to torture yourself by coming here every day?”

“Because …” I look at the principal. She looks tired. I’m tired, too. “I don’t know.”

“Forget me, forget her.” He pauses to nod his head toward Fowley. “Forget your parents and the club. Forget everyone but yourself. What do you want?”

“But it’s not …”

“Not what you want?”

“No. It’s what I want, but …”

“Then tell me.”

My hands strangle each other in my lap. “I don’t want to go to school here. I just want to get my GED and be done with high school.”

I sigh, throwing my head back. It will never happen. My parents will never allow …

“Make it happen,” Tank tells Mrs. Fowley as he pulls me from my chair. “I’ll expect a text with her testing date and time, and it better be soon.”

He pauses to write his number on one of her business cards, then tosses it at her. Mrs. Fowley looks giddy with relief as we leave her office.

What just happened?

My brows pull together as Tank continues to lead me along behind him. When we get outside, he hands me a helmet. I stare up at him, taking in all the shades of green that make up thecolor of his eyes, while at the same time wondering how it is that I find myself in this predicament. Caught between one world and the next. I’m straddling a very fine line here. There’s no going back from this.

On the one hand, I like things the way they are. Where I’m safe with my parents and brothers. I hadn’t felt safe on any other parallel until I met them. I don’t want to let that go. But lately I’ve been feeling them slip away … life is changing. It’s inevitable. A new chapter is beginning.

Without giving it any more thought, I climb on behind him. I’m scared of what’s to come, but I think I’m a bit excited too.

By the time we get back to the house, Mrs. Fowley has messaged Tank with the date and time of my GED test. It's tomorrow.

He’s focused on his phone as I slide off his bike. “She says if you don’t feel ready, there are classes –”

I cut him off. “I don’t need the classes.”

He shoots her a text before shoving his phone back in his pocket. “So, what did that shit ass say to you to make you kick him in the balls?”

“My parents will be home soon.”

It’s kind of annoying the way he chuckles. He knows that’s not true.

“Fine, I’ll tell you. Do you want to see the kittens?”

I make my way around the house, knowing he’ll follow. He doesn’t seem the least bit worried that someone will catch us together.

It’s dusty and dark in the barn as I climb into the water tank that we’ve been using to keep the kittens contained. I lower myself onto my old comforter, the kittens immediately pattering their way over to me. They tumble over each other, trying to be the first to climb onto my lap.

Tank joins us, sitting across from me. He patiently waits for me to tell him what happened with Matt.

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