Page 61 of Stop and Seek
Sneakers.
Noah’ssneakers.
Not again. Seriously. Just… go away.
Theo held his finger over the power button on his phone, squeezing deeper into the corner until the edge of the shelf bit into his spine. He rose onto his tiptoes to hide his shoes, legs protesting the entire time.
The door creaked open.
Breathing became a secondary thing.
He couldn’t chance it.Couldn’t.
The door shut, shuffle of feet too loud.
Nausea rolled through him inwaves.
The faint glow of a phone lit up the floor, and Theo couldn’t look away.
Then, Noah sighed.
“I know you’re in here.”
Shit.
Noah had to be bluffing.
The light disappeared, and the bookshelf creaked when Noah leaned against it.
“The spot isn’t bad,” he said, quiet and casual. Fuckingdisturbing. “But where you’re standing blows.”
There’s less than six minutes left.
“Why do you keep running away from me? I mean, it’s cute.”
Maybe because you're a fucking psycho?
The footsteps went the other way.
Noah was screwing with him.
No, nothim.
That bastard was pulling some stunt with whoever hethoughtwas with him.
Theo couldn’t take it anymore. His legs were on fire. He lowered himself back onto his heels, gritting his teeth against the burn.
One breath.
He inhaled—hand pressed against his chest—
And Noah wasright there.
No sound.
No warning.
Nothing.
