Page 109 of Dead Set on You
“Where are we?” I ask, my throat tight.
Annie tilts her head in my direction. “You know you’re my favorite person.”
Unsure about her completely ignoring my question, I nod. “Uh-huh.”
“And I want you to be happy.”
“I’m happy, Annie.”
“You’re a terrible liar,” she says, and it makes me think of Rafael. My heart somersaults.
“I know. I need to work on that,” I drawl. “Just don’t tell Great-Aunt Julia.”
Annie laughs as her fingers thread through mine. Her hands are smaller than mine now, and the realization makes my chest constrict tightly. “You also forgot about our big dreams.”
I stare at her, shocked. “I did not.”
“You did. You carried that list everywhere, but you stopped trying to do the things on there because you stopped dreaming,” she says. I open my mouth to argue. “I know why you did it, though, and I’m sorry you were so alone, Steves.” She squeezes my hand, and the old nickname squeezes my Annie-deprived heart. “But you’re not anymore.”
I stare at her, swallowing tears, unsure what to say. “Is that why this happened?” I face her, needing to know why I wound up here, whereverhereis. “Because I was too lonely?”
Annie laughs, leaning into me. “You’re silly! Of course not.”
I have a hundred questions I want to ask, all fighting to be first. I don’t know which one to choose, so I land on the one that scares me most. “So, what’s next?”
“That’s up to you to decide when you wake up.”
I blink, relief making my limbs weak. “I’m not dead?”
“Maybe a little on the inside, but you’re going to fix that.”
I sniff back tears. “Am I?”
“Your new bucket list item number one,” she says. “You need to start living a little. Or else.” She narrows her eyes in a poor attempt to threaten me, and we both burst into laughter.
“So scary,” I say.
Annie smirks. “I have to get through somehow.”
“Message received. Loud and clear. I’ll go out there, get tattoos. Some piercings. Hell, I might even ride a motorcycle.”
“Can’t back down now.”
“I won’t.”
Huge grins on our faces, we sit in silence, watching the waves and feeling so at peace. I startle when Annie nudges my shoulder. “I’ll be there watching.” Her words sober me, because she won’t be with me. “I’m always with you, silly.” She taps my chest.
Tears press into my nose and throat. “But …”
“Shhh. Close your eyes a minute.”
I shake my head, but she elbows me again. I’m reluctant as I do what she says. “Still so bossy …”
Annie chuckles. “Big-sis stuff.” She sighs, her hand warm against mine. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
The sun is warm against my face, but I can’t relax. “Annie …”
“Come on, Steves.”
