My fingers comb through my hair, checking for the gray traitors. It’s not like I can tell, though.
“It’s called ambition. Maybe you should find some.” I never talk to him like this. We’ve always been inseparable, but that old relationship is tearing at the seams. It has been for a while. I want more out of life than the next fun thing, but that’s what Sean lives for.
He responds by turning the radio on and blaring a Christmas station. I turn it down, and he turns it right back up. The game continues until I grow up, because I’m the only one who ever does, and I slump in my seat, trying to tune out every cliche reference to Old St. Nick as the anger boils inside of me.
Lights pop up in the distance, and still, neither of us says another word. I do feel bad because he’s right, I’ve put him off a lot lately. We used to go out every week, play video games after work, sometimes we’d even try to make dinner together. But we haven’t done any of those things in…yeah. Months. But that’s what happens when people grow up. For the last year, I’ve been working toward a new dream. One that’s not connected to him.
And I feel bad I haven’t told him. Maybe I didn’t because I was afraid he would do something insane likekidnap me.
I squeeze the armrest until my fingers ache. I need something that’s just mine. But he’s still calling the shots in my life and I can’t take it anymore.
Thirty minutes later, Sean parks in one of the hotels off the strip and turns off the blasted radio. I launch myself out of the car and as far away from him as possible.
“Grab your stuff,” he says, popping the trunk.
“I didn’t bring stuff.”
“I packed for you.”
Great, that means he packed all the things in my drawers I don’t use.
“I don’t need it. I’m going home in the morning.”
“Suit yourself.” Sean shrugs. “You’re going to miss one heck of a show.”
“I highly doubt that. You got tickets to the one magic show in the world that’s not even magic.”
“Oh, come on, man. You love those guys and their ironic magic shows. They’re comedic gold.”
I stop inside the lobby entrance. “No, I don’t, I never liked them. I laughed at a few of the videos you sent me online because they are stupid. But I’m sick of following you around.” My fingers twitch.
“Don’t sell yourself short. Sometimes I follow you,” Sean says.
I glare at his quip. “I need some air,” I say, turning for the casino.
“You’re going in the wrong direction,” he hollers. “This air is crap.”
“I don’t care.” I stomp away.
“You’ll thank me later,” he says.
I’m sure that’s what all kidnappers say to their victims.
“I’ll text you the room number,” he calls one last time.
I won’t need it. I’m going home.
Chapter 4
Karli
“Well,thishasbeenlovely. Thanks again for having me over, Mom.” I clank my glass down on the empty bar.
“That was your mom?” the bartender asks, grabbing my cup to refill it.
He’s referring to the woman who wanted to “go out with her daughter for once,” and then proceeded to flirt with the first boy she laid eyes on. The answer is yes, unfortunately. And I meanboy. His twenty-first birthday must have been yesterday because he didn’t look a day older than that. Two minutes ago she ran off with him, leaving her only daughter all alone. At a casino bar. Not for the first time.
I was practically raised in a casino. We came here almost every night after Mom finished work. She would gamble while I watched from the side. She would find someone new and exciting to flirt with while I watched from the side. Sensing the pattern? Whenever she could, she left me with my grandma Helen. And I greatly preferred the grumpy old woman. She wasn’t a softie. But she loved me and she took care of me. More than my mom ever did.
