Elias looked at him, daring Dakarai to slip into old habits and fall for him.
Buzz, buzz.
“You’re doing all this to spend time with me,” Elias said.
Dakarai’s mouth dropped open in mock offense. “We have a whole summer of seven-hour shifts ahead of us. Why would I need to go through all this to spend time with you?”
“Because you know it’s not enough.”
Buzz, buzz.
“Just answer your phone already or turn it off!”
Elias sighed deeply. “Fine.” He pulled out his phone, finally checking the most recent in a string of notifications:
10:45 PM
Head to Second Chance Records for the biggest clue yet and a chance to access an exclusive unreleased track before the store closes at 11 p.m.!
10:50 PM
Time is almost up! Can you make it to Second Chance before 11 p.m.?
10:55 PM
Last call! Second Chance Records closes in 5 minutes.
10:58 PM
Only a few minutes left to reach Second Chance Records. Don’t let this clue slip away!
Elias blinked hard, only a single word tumbling from his lips. “Shit.”
19
Kai
10:59 p.m.
Kai and Elias ran the block it took to get to Second Chance Records, glancing around nervously, hoping no one was watching them.
Throat raw and chest burning, Kai beat Elias to the door of the unassuming little shop, which was sandwiched between a corporate building and a hotel, with no differentiating features other than a small sign that’d be easy to miss if he didn’t already know it was there.
At the exact moment Kai’s fingers curled around the handle, relieved they’d made it on time, the familiar background sounds of the outdoor concert that had followed them all night abruptly went silent. “Good night, Ral—” was all the performing artist managed to say before her microphone was cut sharply, and the latch bolt clanged loudly within the doorframe—the disappointment of its rattle traveling through his body.
“Locked,” Kai said, his chest heaving. “The eleven o’clock noise ordinance. We’re too late.”
“Shit,” Elias said through heavy gasps of air as he crouched down, trying to catch his breath. “This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have ignored my phone.”
Kai scanned the store desperately, taking in the rows of records in raw plywood cases plastered with skateboard stickers and wheat-pasted posters, the reality of their failure not quite setting in yet.
“Elias!” Kai called when someone appeared from the back room, a middle-aged man with a full white beard, wearing a band tee.
With a semblance of hope restored, Kai stood optimistic. Elias, who had emerged beside him, did as well. The man came to the door and opened it only wide enough to stick his head out and say, “If you’re here for the scavenger hunt, I’m ’fraid you’re a little late.”
Elias swallowed a gulp of the humid air and steadied his voice. “We won’t tell anyone if you let us in,” he said, twisting an imaginary key in front of his mouth and throwing it over his shoulder.
“I’m sorry, it wouldn’t be fair to the other group I just turned away,” he replied. “You boys have a good night.”
