Page 34 of The Glittering Edge

Alonso’s eyes flick up to the ceiling. Grandpa Gio’s body was found upstairs, hours after the fire at Meredith House killed Ellie Barrion. People think it’s morbid Alonso shows his face here, so it adds to his don’t-fuck-with-me reputation. But deep down, Alonso is hoping to find answers, too. The kind that would change his family’s future.

Which is impossible. Alonso needs to follow the advice he gave Penny and move on.

The door to the pharmacy opens, and two trash human beings saunter inside. Clay Thornberg falls into a beanbag chair, and Royce Montalban leans against the wall, absorbed in something on his phone. Neither of them says hi, so Alonso ignores them.

Until he can’t.

“Y’all hear about Mrs. Emberly?” Clay says, and Alonso freezes halfway to throwing his next dart.

Aidan glances at Alonso. “Yeah, we heard.”

“It sucks. She was hot as fuck.” Clay smirks. “I guess there’s always her daughter.”

Royce laughs. “Think she gives it up as easily as her mom?”

“For sure. She’s got that girl-next-door thing going on, but I bet she’s a freak.”

The dart flies between Clay and Royce, and Clay screams, falling off the beanbag. The dart sticks straight out of the drywall, and they both stare at it for a long moment. Then Clay’s face turns bright red. He pushes to his feet and shoves Alonso’s shoulder.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” Clay spits.

“Dude, it’s fine, he’s just playing,” Royce says.

Alonso smirks. “No, I’m not.”

Aidan grabs Alonso’s shoulder. “Hey. Let’s go outside.”

“Listen to your friend,” Clay says, nodding at Aidan. “He’s looking out for you.”

Before Alonso can say something intimidating or clever or both, Aidan is dragging him out the front door.

“Getoff,” Alonso says, shoving Aidan away once they’re in the parking lot. He’s full of kinetic energy, and he paces across the cracked concrete, running his hands through his hair. The sun has finally set, and the breeze cools the sweat on his neck, but he’s still buzzing. He wants to hit something. Preferably Clay, but a wall would do the job.

“You shouldn’t make enemies of those guys,” Aidan says.

“I don’t care.”

Aidan sighs. “Have you talked to Penny since the accident?”

Alonso stops walking. “Why?”

“Because…” Aidan throws up his hands. “Never mind. You won’t listen to me anyway.”

Kiki appears, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Let’s go. I don’t like breathing the same air as Clay.” She nods at Alonso. “Want a ride?”

“Nope,” Alonso says.

Kiki rolls her eyes, but she doesn’t argue. Before Aidan gets intothe passenger seat, he pauses, drumming his fingers on the roof of the car.

“See you at the drag show?” Aidan says hopefully.

Alonso shakes his head. “Nope. Sorry.”

Aidan looks hurt for a split second, and then Alonso’s only real friends in the world are leaving, the car’s tires kicking up dust in the blue evening.

Alonso stares after them. They know he could pick up the fight with Clay. By leaving, they were checking out, sayingThanks but we have other things to do that don’t involve babysitting your sorry ass. Which is fine. They’re not Alonso’s keepers.

He looks up at the old sign. It still readsDE LUCA PHARMACY, the letters faded but legible, and seeing his name on this place makes him want to vomit. He hates what the pharmacy symbolizes: his family’s failure, and the Barrions’ hatred.

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