Page 14 (1/2)

I look pallid on the screen and my eyes are red and watery "It’s been a feeeks since I saw Quinton at the ice crea adrift A couple of nights ago, I woke up from this dream, where Landon was still alive and ere iness of exhaustion, I ended up getting out of bed and wandering across the street in the ht to the hill where I last saw Landon alive For a rass together, but then Landon slowly faded and eventually so did I

"I’o there, but I couldn’t see when the neners of the house caht I was high or drunk or so, and that’s kind of how I felt--so detached I’ve been overanalyzing why I did it… why I just walked over there in the , and honestly I have no idea…"

I fight to keep my voice even as I tuckand forced hted I randoe froical" I pull a disgusted face at ht word--more like out of the ordinary, at least fordeal because I don’t do out-of-the-ordinary very well" I tip the camera to the side as I pullco that popped into o to the concert with us, even though the idea of going to one ht be et to know hih a lot, but Dylan and Tristan wouldn’t give her the details They’ll only say that he’s had a lot of death in his life lately and that he’sthe heavy sorrow in his honey-brown eyes, and then I picture Landon’s They h" I bite at ht, which is a co about Landon Quinton was drowning in the ocean, which is weird because I’ve never been to the ocean, but anyway, he was drowning and I atching hi me to help him, but all I would do is was stand on the shore and watch hie on the dim, low-resolution screen "God, that makeson the door "Nova, are you in there?" I flinch as Delilah’s voice carries through fro to yourself?" she asks "Or are youa movie in the bathroom, because that would be weird"

I quickly shut the ca the towel back on the rack before opening the door "I was actually going to the bathroom" I point over s are known for"

She sticks out her tongue, then stands on her tiptoes to peek overweird in here? I’esture her out of the door as I shuffle forward "You’re crossing the lines of our friendship boundaries, Delilah Seriously"

"I guess so," she says, sounding suspicious, but she shrugs and a the wall "So what’d you say to hi on the walls as I follow her

She tips her head to the side and peers over her shoulder at me "Quinton Dylan says he’s been in his room for like three days and he just cao to the concert"

"I just asked hi, but my heart squeezes in my chest a little He’s been in his room for three days "And he said okay"

She eyes me skeptically as she stops at the end of the hall and bends her knee, bringing her foot up to refasten the strap on her sandal "Just be careful" She returns her foot to the floor, tugs down the bottom of her leather skirt, and then leans in toward me "Guys like Dylan and Quinton are not easy to date, if that’s even what they’ll call it"

"You should take your own advice," I tell her in a low voice, flicking a piece of ash out of her hair and it lands on her arm

"I’ the ash off her skin "Besides, my mom raised me to be a skank, so that’s what I am"

"Delilah…," I start, but she scowls at me, so I wrapas we round the corner

Quinton and Tristan aren’t in the living roo in the torn up recliner near the television Music flows from the speakers--"Blue" by A Perfect Circle--and two lit joints are balanced on an ashtray on the coffee table There are blankets hanging over the s, blocking out the sunlight and reducing the circulation, and it makes the air misty and fortified with smoke

"Shit, what’d I miss?" Dylan asks He takes in the closeness of Delilah and me, and his eyes shadow over He has his boots kicked up on the table and a newspaper piled with green flakes on his lap "And as I not back there watching it?"

Delilah picks up a cup on a nearby table and chucks it at Dylan’s head "Don’t be such a pervert If you want a shoatch soh The cup hits him in the forehead, and so watch it, Delilah, or I’ll kick your goddaer playing around as he shifts his weight forward and carefully lifts the newspaper away from his lap

Delilah narrows her eyes as she marches up to the coffee table in front of Dylan with her hands on her hips "Don’t you talk to me like that I’m not one of your little sluts You can’t just do and say whatever you want to me"

His eyes darken as he sets the newspaper down on the table and rises to his feet A bright red welt is for on his forehead froht," he says darkly as he slowly stalks around the table toward her A vein in his neck bulges "In fact, if I’ me to do whatever I wanted with you"

"I was…" She peeks back at me and her expression tenses before she looks back at Dylan "I was high, okay? I would have said anything"