P.S. I insist
P. P. S. Please?
-Adair again
Based on the vibe of the saying printed on top of both notes, Adair had opened a new pack of sticky notes. He must have used up the others.
I shook off the feeling of dread easily enough for the first half of the day. Breakfast with Dad in the cafeteria helped, but I’d been so restless at the start of it that he’d slid his crayons over to me, then corrected my shading technique on the ballet shoes I’d been drawing on a napkin.
It was a good memory, and I’d smiled when he’d slipped the napkin into his pocket. He’d probably forget it was there by the time he got to his morning physical therapy, but it still felt nice.
Ari had also been enthusiastic about my progress with the 90s-style glamor-shot fundraiser we’d decided on, clapping her hands together with a smile as we dug in to the planning together at the Locc.
But when I boarded back to Miss Lenny’s house to give her pets a potty break—she was on a day trip visiting her new boyfriend— Adair’s Jeep parked in the driveway next door bothered me.
A lot.
Could he just be having a morning off? There was no reason for me to know that wasn’t the case, but it just didn’t ring true.
After closing up Miss Lenny’s house, the lock fighting me worse than ever, I noticed a package outside our front door. Tucking my board under my arm, I strode across thelawns between the houses, my lips twitching when I spotted the logo printed on the outside of the box.
Delly’s longboard had finally arrived. She was going to be thrilled, and I was looking forward to seeing her face the first time she rode it successfully.
I pulled out my phone and texted her a photo of it, then typed a message.
Longboard lessons this weekend?
She didn’t reply immediately, but she was working, so that tracked. Unless she’d gone with Adair to wherever he was… without his Jeep….
My thoughts trailed off, and I bit my lip.
I should’ve asked more about Wilbur’s absence this morning, too, but Dad wasn’t sure where he was, and I hadn’t pressed him or asked around.
It wasn’t my place.
Knowing Adair’s whereabouts every minute of every day wasn’t either.
God, I hated this.
By the time the sun was starting to set, I was pacing. My stomach was rumbling, hunger from a long day of dancing and running around Live Oak warring with my nerves.
Eventually, there was a low rumble of an approaching car, the sound growing until it stopped in front of the house.
I took two quick steps toward the front door, but then clenched my fists and forced myself to continue at a normal, rational pace.
Peeking out the kitchen window, I watched as Delly jumped out of the back seat of a Bronco, looking harried as she argued with someone I couldn’t see.
The passenger door swung open, and a swaying, alarmingly pale Adair was there, looking like he was about to face-plant onto the pavement.
What the hell?
I yanked open the front door, and my bare feet barely kissed the front lawn’s grass as I ran to him.
I was just in time to take his full weight as he tipped out of the Bronco. Grunting, I wrapped my arms around his middle, drove my feet into the ground, and pushed off from them, heaving him back into the seat.
Sitting sideways with his legs out of the car, his head lolled onto the headrest. I kept my hands braced on his shoulders, half in the car with him as I looked him over.
His glasses were missing, his messy hair was extra messy, and he was in a plain T-shirt and basketball shorts.
