Page 175 of Soul So Dark
Jesus…
He’s been saying a lot more things like this lately, ever since I threatened to stop talking to him and he suddenly told me he was coming to GalactiCon. He doesn’t seem like the type to act impulsively, but for some reason, my ultimatum seems to have spurred him to action.
“Just take off your mask,” I sigh.
“No.”
“Why not? I’ll take off mine.”
“Yeah, you will,” he drawls.
“Can’t you be serious?”
The answer is no, because there’s never been a reason for him, or I for that matter, to be serious about anything.
“I was serious when I said you’d see my face in person, and that’s it.”
Because you have something to hide?
It’s no use, I still can’t completely shake the suspicion, no matter how hard I try.
“This is who we are on the cameras,” AJ continues, “and when we see each other in person for the first time, everything will change.”
“Why? Because my stellar image of you will be totally blown?”
It seems a little extreme and I’m not sure what he means when he says things willchange, like something so drastic will happen that it’ll alter our lives forever. Like there’s no going back.
“I don’t know where you get the nerve, anyway,” he adds, “asking me to take off my clothes when I barely know you.”
“That is such bullshit!” I snap. “Like you haven’t seen me practically naked on camera!”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” he changes the subject, “what’s that necklace you always wear?”
My hand immediately finds the amethyst pendant resting on my sternum.
“It’s not from some other dude you play games with, is it?”
“No,” I laugh. “But it is from a guy. He gave it to me a long time ago.”
“I don’t likethat,” AJ replies with an edge, “you wearing jewelry from another man.”
“Jealous?” I sneer, “I didn’t know I needed your approval. Are you my boyfriend now?”
As if I would need AJ’s permission for anything. He’s seen me annihilate player after player, wearing nothing but this mask and some pasties, and suddenly he takes issue with a tiny necklace he’s never noticed until tonight?
“Maybe I am.”
“Well, even if you are, I’ll wear what I want.”
“We’ll see.” His tone turns smug. “So, if this guy’s not with you, then where the hell is he?”
“I don’t know, he might be…” I trail off, hesitant to say what I’m about to say.
“Might be what?”
There is nomight. I heard it straight from Colson’s mouth.
“Dead.”
