Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 152045 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152045 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Still, though. I’m glad they’re here.
I pull onto the bridge, cross to the halfway point, and swerve as far to the left as I can, parking. They follow me out of the car as I walk to the rear and unlock the trunk. Opening it up, I see the yellow locker laying amidst a bunch of other stuff. A blanket, a cooler, a kite, and a shovel. I shake my head. I’ll process that later.
I start to lift the locker, Mace grabbing the other side.
“So, what’s the story with this thing?” she asks me.
We carry it around the front of the car. “Just some family history bullshit that needs to die.”
I throw a glance to Tommy as she leans on the fender. Her expression is blank, but she doesn’t argue.
We lift it over the side of the bridge, Coral coming to my other side as I look down into the dark water. The wind blows, creating a ripple on the river, but I almost think I see the dark form of the car below.
But then, it’s gone.
I grip the locker, hesitating as I turn my gaze on Thomasin, waiting for her to protest. It’s her mom’s old locker, after all.
She doesn’t even blink.
“Ready?” I ask Mace, tilting it.
“Are you sure it’s empty?” she questions.
But it’s already gone.
Plummeting into the river, the steel box slowly fills with water and sinks as we all hang our heads over the side to watch it join the other ghosts at the bottom. There’s nothing inside. We would’ve heard it shift while carrying it.
The girls drift off, and I hear chatter and laughter behind me, only me and Tommy remaining at the edge. She stands several feet away, déjà vu hitting me, because the last time we stood on a bridge together—the train bridge down the road two months ago—we were all jumping off from it.
“Kade will be gone at the end of the year,” I say, still staring at the water. “And A.J. and James won’t come in until after you graduate.”
She’ll have Shelburne Falls High to herself, without any Trents or Caruthers for three years.
“Things will get better,” I tell her.
Although, I doubt A.J. or James would take issue with her the way Kade has. He’s her burden, more so than I think he lets us know, because he knows we don’t like his behavior toward her. Still though, it’ll be nice for her not to hear our names in the hallway, even if sometimes, I wish we were closer in age. Being in the same schools for longer growing up, I might’ve been able to shield her more from him.
The sky, thick with clouds, hangs low, charging the air with the scent of rain. Locks of hair whip across my face, and I tilt my head back, closing my eyes.
“Drink?” I hear Coral offer, nudging my arm.
Hell yeah. But not yet.
“Tomorrow,” I tell her, opening my eyes. “Storm’s coming.”
I think there’ll be a party.
I look over the edge again, remembering what the teacher said about how Conor waited for a stormy night. Maybe hoping his body would be lost to the current.
“Water’s rising.” I smile to myself.
I should stay away from the river tomorrow, in case they try to get rid of me for good.
I head for the car again.
Coral starts to speak as she follows me, “Hey, so, uh…we’re sorry, okay?”
Sorry?
“For what?” I glance over my shoulder, opening the driver’s side door. “Trying to get me arrested? Kidnapping me? Running me off the road?”
“Again, that wasn’t us,” Mace chimes in. “It was the Pirates.”
“It was kind of us,” Coral adds. “I mean, we were chasing her too.”
Mace rolls her eyes at her friend because she’s not helping. I laugh under my breath.
“Sorry for scaring you,” Coral finally states.
“Farrow’s making you guys apologize?”
“Yes,” Mace replies quickly.
I laugh again.
“But…” Coral points her tumbler at me. “The roller skating was fun and the fireworks.”
“And you always seem up for anything,” Mace allows. “And you’re not afraid of fun costing a price. I like that.”
“And thanks for being kind to Codi,” Coral adds.
I look around, realizing she’s not here. Neither is Arlet.
“You don’t need to give her money, though,” Mace points out. “We’re taking care of her.”
I’m not sure how they knew about that. I only slipped a couple of twenties into her hoodie pocket, but I guess it wasn’t my place to take care of one of theirs. At least not yet.
We climb into the car, and I start the engine.
“What do you guys normally do on Saturday nights?” I ask, thinking about tomorrow.
I catch Mace’s smile through the rearview mirror. “You’ll see.”
“I’m not sure y’all can shock me.” I swing the car around, making a U-turn. “Farrow said I wouldn’t leave this town a virgin, and I’m halfway home.”
“Oh, that’s a challenge,” Mace announces.