Page 76 of Ordinary Secrets

I duck under a tree branch. “This seems like a place where you’d take someone to kill ’em.”

“Relax. I’ve only ever killed two people here. The third one got away.”

A dry stick cracks beneath my feet as I stop to gape at her.

Giggling, she turns around and grabs my arm. “I’m kidding. Now, come on! We’re almost there.”

A few minutes later, we’re out of the woods and the ground levels out into a grassy meadow. In the middle of it, slightly to the left, is a lone oak tree. The breeze is a little stronger up here, and it smells of ripe nature.

I follow Arella to the oak, then we stop under all of its long branches. Dark green leaves stretch out in all directions like an umbrella protecting us from whatever may fall from the darkening sky.

Arella opens her arms out wide and does a spin. “Welcome to mythinking spot.”

“I like it.” My backpack drops to the grass with a thump. “How did you find this place?”

“I found it by accident. Sometimes when Nathan?—”

“Pencil Dick.”

She laughs and rolls her eyes. “Yes, him. Sometimes when we got into a fight, I’d go for a drive. One night, I ended up here. I liked the atmosphere and the quiet. Later, I started coming back whenever our fights got really bad, because you know... he couldn’t find me here.”

With a hand splayed over the small of her back, I pull her toward me until her entire body is flush against mine. Tenderly, I place a little kiss on her forehead. I don’t know why. I just feel the need to comfort her.

“He hasn’t been coming around or contacting you at all, has he?”

She shakes her head.

“You’d tell me if he does, right?”

“You’d be the first to know.”

“Good.” I have a strong feeling that Nathan’s out of her life now. That night, after Arella convinced me not to call the cops, I needed insurance that he’d stay away. Taking pictures of him with the wordsi assault womenwritten across his body was my way of gaining that insurance. I made it clear that if heever as much as looked at her again, I would post the pictures everywhere for the world to see.

From the backpack, I yank out a violet blanket. I spread it out under the tree, then bring out the meats, cheeses, crackers, and water bottles. Then I sit and pat the empty space next to me.

Arella smiles down at me. “You’re adorable, you know that?”

“Hmm. Can’t say I’ve ever been called that before.”

“Well, it’s true.” She sits and helps me unwrap our snacks. “You come up with the most romantic things for us to do.”

“I wish I could take the credit, but this was another idea I stole from Professor Google.”

“What did you type in?”

“Um.” I clear my throat as I tell her the truth. “Romantic things to do with a pretty girl.”

“Really?” She laughs, and it sends a spark through my chest. I like hearing her laugh and seeing it too. Since I can’t sense her happiness, seeing it is important.

“Yeah, really.” I run my palm across the blanket. “This is for you, by the way. I bought it for you ’cause you’re always cold at my house. You can leave it there to keep you warm.”

Her bottom lip puckers out into a pout. “But I like wearing your hoodie.”

“Oh! That reminds me.” I dig toward the bottom of the backpack to find my black hoodie. The one Arella has been wearing every time she comes over. The one she looks irresistible in. “This is for you too.”

Her eyes widen as she accepts it. “To keep?”

“Yep. I figured since you like it so much, you should just wear it all the time.”

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