Page 43 of All Your Tomorrows

My heart rate spiked. That wasn’t exactly what I’d been thinking. “I remember that.”

“Liar.”

“No, I do. I just don’t remember what happened after that.” I cringed, hating that I needed to ask the next question. “How did we get up here?”

“I asked if I could sleep with you.”

My body tensed. I didn’t remember any of that.

He chuckled. “Not like that. Just sleep. That’s all we did.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because if we do anything more, I want you to remember.”

I winced. “Was I that bad?”

“You were that funny. But I assure you, you were out within minutes of getting up here.”

I nodded, vaguely recalling something like that.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I drank too much.”

He chuckled. “But you also had fun. You were laughing so hard when you got home. It looked good on you.”

“I should get up,” I said, pulling away from Kyler’s arms. “I have a reading today, then a shift at the cafe.”

“You wanna do something tonight?”

“Do something?” I asked.

“Yeah. I have a good idea for something we can do and you won’t get any funny looks for talking to yourself.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” he agreed.

* * *

With my head still hurting from the night before, I rushed through the alley, cut into the back parking lot, then ducked through the back door of the café. I checked my phone as I shimmied off my coat and hung it on one of the wall hooks. I was definitely late.

I hurried out front. A girl with blonde hair was already seated with her back to me at my table. “Sorry I’m late,” I said out of breath as I stepped up beside her with my hand extended. That’s when a cold chill rushed up my spine.

“Hello again,” Melanie said with a smug grin on her face.

I lowered my hand. “You’reLanie?” I looked around to see if I was being punked.

“It’s what my family calls me,” she said, knowing she’d pulled one over on me. “Sit down. I’m excited to begin.”

“How did you know…?”

“You didn’t actually think I was going to let you visit my boyfriend and not do my research.” Her condescending look told me she knew I’d lied. Lied about going to school with Kyler. Lied about everything. “And your car had a Virginia license plate, so…”

“Why are you here?” I asked, skipping pretenses.

“Because I think you’ve seen Kyler and that’s why you’ve been sniffing around.”

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