“Yeah,” Avery said. “I haven’t eaten in about a day and a half. And if I don’t get some coffee, things are going to get ugly.”
“It’s okay,” the girl said. But she didn’t move away. She wanted the company.
Parker was still looking at her, waiting for some sign.
Nina was already well past the point where she could get away with the “meeting at school” story. They were stuck in New York in the snow. It would take hours and hours to get home. She was probably going to have to call her mom and come clean and take the consequences.
The consequences were nothing, though.
“Nope,” Nina said, hooking arms with Mel and Avery, leaving Parker to escort their new companion. “It’s been decided. We need help anyway, in case he decides to start dancing again. One of us to restrain each limb. That’s how they do it in hospitals.”
The Bermudez Triangle, and Parker, and the girl in the scarf all headed out into the blizzard together. The snow was coming down sideways, wet and heavy. Cars were sliding. It was wonderful.
“One of us for each limb,” Avery whispered into Nina’s ear. “I like it. Very smooth.”
“I’m always smooth.”
“Me too,” Avery said.
The three of them slipped ahead, tightly holding on to one another for support on the slick sidewalk, and let Parker and the girl lag conveniently behind.
MAUREEN JOHNSON grew up in suburban Philadelphia. She received her MFA in Creative Writing at Columbia University. She is the author of The Key to the Golden Firebird.
The Bermudez Triangle Page 27
