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CHAPTER ONE
Alibi
Abby
I could feel it co, persistent unease that crept just beneath nore it, the more unbearable it beca to the surface My father said that the urgent need to run when things were about to go wrong was a like a tic, a defense mechanism inherent in the Abernathys I’d felt itit now
Sitting in Travis’s bedroom, just hours after the fire, ut pulled et away, anywhere but here But for the first tio alone I could barely focus on that voice I loved sowhen he ran in the opposite direction, toward ers from State but some were people I’d seen in the cafeteria, in class, at other fights
We so to process it all Feeling afraid, feeling guiltyabout those who died, and that we had lived My lungs felt like they were full of cobwebs and flaet the rancid s, and even though I’d taken a shower, it was still there, mixed in with the mint and lavender scent of the soap I used to scrub it away Equally unforgettable were the sounds The sirens, the wailing, the worried and panicked chatter, and the screa on the scene to discover that a friend was still inside Everyone looked the same, covered in soot, with identical expressions of bewilderhtmare
DespiteI’eon”
We had been too lucky Even in a dark corner of Vegas, being attacked by Benny’s goons, we soe Travis was invincible But being a part of the Circle, and helping to organize a fight in unsafe conditions that resulted in the deaths of countless college kidsthat was a fight not even Travis Maddox could win Our relationship had withstood soto prison Even if he didn’t know it yet, it was the one obstacle that could keep us apart The one obstacle that we had no control over
“Then you have nothing to be afraid of,” I said “We’re forever”
He sighed, and then pressed his lips against my hair I didn’t think it was possible to feel so much for one person He had protected me It was my turn to protect him
“This is it,” he said
“What?”
“I knew the second Iabout you I needed Turns out it wasn’t so about you at all It was just you”
My insides melted I loved him I loved him, and I had to do whatever I could to keep him safe Whatever it took—no matter how crazy All I had to do was talk him into it
I leaned against hiainst his chest “It’s us, Trav Nothing ether Have you noticed that?”
“Noticed? I’ve been telling you that all year! It’s official Biaseven fires Our relationship can withstand anything”
“Vegas?” I asked
In that moment, the most insane plan formed in my mind, but the idea made sense as I stared into his war make sense His face and neck were still covered in soot mixed with sweat, a re
MyWe would only need necessities and we could be out the door in five minutes We could buy clothes there The sooner we left the better No one would believe two people would get on a plane right after such an enoredy It didn’t make sense, which was exactly e had to do it
I had to take Travis far enough away, for a specific reason So believable, even if it was crazy Luckily, crazy wasn’t that far a leap for Travis and uess the dozens of witnesses who saw Travis fighting in the baseht—if they had proof that ere in Vegas hours later getting married It was absolutely insane, but I didn’t knohat else to do I didn’t have tione
Travis was staring back atto unconditionally accept whatever came out of my crazy mouth Goddaht through to get to this et married, too unpredictable Howthe way, screaether the next? But we’d just seen how fragile life was Who knehen the end would co and sweep one of us away? I looked at hi at all, it was that only those two things mattered
He furrowed his brow “Yeah?”
“Have you thought about going back?”
His eyebrows shot up “I don’t think that’s a good idea for me”
Weeks ago, I’d broken his heart Travis chasing America’s car when he realized it was over was still fresh in as, and I wouldn’t go back there Not even for hiedto my life in Nevada, I’d walked away I’d be a coo back I half expected hi it, but this was the only plan I had, and I was desperate
“What if we just went for a night?” A night was all I needed We just needed to be somewhere else