Page 9 of Be Mine

“Everyone clear the area,” one of the firefighters calls out and the group collectively takes a wide berth. The paramedics step in, kneeling, but I can’t quite see past all the bodies to make out what’s happening.

Scanning the area, my eyes land on Noah, standing outside the meat department. He’s leaning casually against a pallet of paper towels. While everyone is in a flurry of chaos, he remains calm, stoic, even, as he regards the happenings with a sense of detachment, not a glint of emotion across his face. My brows crease as I try to figure out this enigma of a man.

He looks up and catches me staring, and I feel all color drain from my face. He doesn’t adjust his position or change his facial expression, but those blues behind his glasses bore into me, making it feel like my skin is being licked by flames from his gaze alone.

A loud gasp breaks our eye contact. Then, before I know it, everyone is being directed out of the back by the firefighters.They take a wide stance, blocking the view. Whatever it is, it’s really fucking bad.

“Hey, come on, I need your help getting the customers to the front of the store.” Cynthia’s hands clasp around my shoulders, pushing me back towards the bakery.

“Do you know what happened?”

“Luke. He got stuck in the baler.”

“What?”

I look behind me, towards Noah, catching his back as he, too, walks away from the scene.

“Can I have your attention please; will all customers grab your items and proceed to the front of the store to be checked out. I repeat, will all customers proceed to the front of the store to be checked out,”a voice booms out over the PA system.

“What the hell is going on?” Taylor asks as we both walk out of the bakery, looking for any stragglers who are lingering.

“Luke got stuck in the baler,” I say.

“How do you get stuck in a baler?”

“I don’t know.” All Idoknow is something doesn’t sit right. The baler is a machine used to compress all our cardboard into bales. Everyone needs to do a safety module when hired before operating it. It has a ton of security features, including a caged door that rolls down before the machine can be turned on. You would literally need to crawl inside or unlock and swing the bottom door out to be stuck in it.Or be thrown in,a little voice in the back of my head says.

Chapter Eight

Noah

A twinge of emotion unfurls in my gut, anticipation bubbling to the surface. I can’t lose my focus now, not after everything I’ve done to get here. Each stroke of the clock brings me closer to my goal.

Luke was a last-minute deviation to the plan, but a necessary one. He’s just lucky someone came when they did, otherwise he’d be nothing but spoiled innards amongst a pile of garbage. He deserves everything he got. Maybe next time he will think twice before touching things that don’t belong to him. I don’t like sharing. It’s not a skill I honed as a child.

And Frankie belongs to me. The sooner everyone sees it, the better. I’ve been a mere ghost to her as she’s moved through life. But after tonight, I know she will seeonlyme. Every minute that passes brings me closer to the girl who has had my heart for as long as I can remember.

Chapter Nine

Frankie

The motel room reeks of stale cigarettes and a shoddy attempt to mask it with lemon scented cleaner. The bedspread looks like it’s one thread pull away from disintegrating, and I’m not one hundred percent, but that may be a blood stain on the carpet.

I had to walk past throngs of construction workers, all hanging out in the hall, getting drunk at 4:00 p.m. With my bag held tightly against my body, I tried my best to ignore every catcall and whistle sent my way, despite the way it made my skin crawl.

Locking the door then the deadbolt, I drag the chair sitting at the desk over, securing it under the handle. I give it a few quick pulls to ensure it’ll do the trick before tossing my bag on the dresser and letting out an exasperated sigh. Aren’t these crazy disturbances supposed to happen when it’s a full moon or a planetary retrograde? Like seriously? What deity did I piss off to deserve this kind of penance?

I’m exhausted. Physically. Emotionally. I feel like I’ve gone through the spin cycle one too many times.

After all the customers left the building and Luke was rushed to the hospital, each employee was questioned to see if they had seen anything. Apparently, the security camera nearthe baler had glitched right around the time Luke fell in. Strange coincidence? Or premeditated?

An icy feeling takes over my body. I am certain that was no accident. My mind returns to Noah, to his apathetic reaction. Yes, he’s always seemed detached, but even when faced with an obvious catastrophe, he never dropped his stony exterior. Something deep in my bones tells me he had something to do with Luke’s accident, though I can’t figure out what his motive would be. Luke isn’t my favorite person, but I still wouldn’t wish something like this on him.

I drag a hand down my face, then pull my phone out of my purse so I can call Martha and check on Cosmos. It rings twice before she picks up and despite everything, I can’t help but smile. Martha is likely one of the few people left on the planet who not only has a landline, but uses it, spiral cord and all.

“Hello,” she speaks through the phone. Because she doesn’t have caller ID, every call is a surprise.

“Hi, Martha, it’s Frankie. I was calling to check up.” I lean against the desk, not sure how sanitary the bed may be.

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