Till The Sun Dies: Checkmate, #2

by Finn, Emilia

  Stop smiling. Stop smiling! “Hey. What’s up with your hair?”

  “You don’t like it?”

  “No, I do.” My eyes track the way he runs a hand over the now shaved side. “It looks really good, way better than how I did it, but I thought you said you liked what I did. I would’ve done it better if you told me you hated it.”

  “I didn’t hate it. I had an unfortunate garage accident yesterday, so I needed an emergency appointment to fix the mess I made.”

  “An emergency?” He’s one-hundred-percent, absolutely, without a doubt lying. “What happened?”

  “You don’t wanna hear all about that.” He brushes me off like I’m not dogged enough to come back to the subject. “Are you excited for our trip?”

  “No, I really do wanna know what happened.” I turn and fold my arms. “I tried really hard to do your hair up nice, so I want to know what happened and who I have to hurt. They messed up my work, and you know me better than to think I’d be okay with that. Was it Chuck? It’s been so long since I last kicked someone’s ass, and he’s not a giant or anything, so I could start there.”

  “Umm…” Ang sucks under pressure; it’s the very reason he was contracted to drive us around when we were younger. I knew if I just asked often enough, he’d buckle. “So, there was this incident…”

  “Was it Chuck?”

  “No! No, it was just me there.”

  “Okay. So what happened when it was just you there that you lost most of your hair?”

  “Umm…” It’s almost cruel how hard I make him work to bullshit his way out of a bad haircut. “I was working with a blowtorch, and a wrench… and soap.”

  I narrow my eyes. “A blowtorch, a wrench, and soap? Angelo… Do you need a minute to get your story straight?”

  “It’s true!” he blusters. “Just shush. I had an incident that resulted in an almost scalping. Really, I’m lucky to be alive, so stop focusing on the incident and let’s move on to the fact I’m still alive. It’s a miracle!”

  Lips twitching, I reach up and run the tips of my fingers over the short side, pretending it doesn’t make my heart race. “Well…” I tilt my head. “It looks nice. I like this look on you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Uh-huh. It’s better than the shitty haircut I gave you, and it looks kinda…” Braver than I’ve been in longer than I care to admit, I jump in the way the old me would have; carelessly, fearlessly. “It looks sexy, Ang. Truly sexy. I really like it.”

  He gives an awkward cough and steps back until my hand drops.

  Most girls might expect a witty retort, or something a little less… rejection-y. But that’s not for us. Instead, he turns back to lean against the car, forcing me to pretend I didn’t just make an idiot of myself.

  “You’re here on time.” I stare out at the street, because I can’t maintain eye contact. “It’s early, huh?”

  “Not so early.” He gives a stiff shrug. “It’s gonna be a big day today; are you ready for the long trip?”

  “Uh-huh.” Turning away, I rifle through the plastic bags in the backseat and pull out six packets of sour worms. “All set.”

  He laughs in small, silent, chest bouncing movements that makes his arm brush against mine. Accepting a bag of the sour candy, he lifts a heavy brow. “Really? You’re driving, you’re our only hope on the open road, and this is your fuel?”

  “And coffee.” Am I flirting? Am I trying to flirt? It’s been so long… “Don’t forget the coffee.”

  “Of course.” Turning back, he tosses the candy over his shoulder and crosses one ankle over the other. “Coffee, white, one sugar. How many did you already have today?”

  At the sound of something crashing in the house, followed by Jess’ surprised yelp, I look up into Ang’s silver-gray eyes and grin. “Not as many as Jess. I don’t know if she actually slept last night. She’s a little wired up and ready for a beatdown in every town we pass through.”

  “Of course she is.” His lips tighten ever so slightly, like he’s trying to hide a little smirk. “She’s gonna be wild on this trip, you know that, right? Bish is a bad influence on her.”

  “But that’s what everyone used to say about me; I was the bad influence once. Now I’m the goodie goodie that forgot what the sun looks like.”

  “Nah.” He reaches across and taps a finger to the ball of my bare shoulder. “You got your tan back the last few weeks. Color has always looked good on you, it makes your eyes stand out.”

  Scoffing, I try to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. “I’d hardly call it a tan. It’s more like, translucent with a side of shimmer.”

  “Top down, music up, open road.” He’s so close, and his voice is so rough and quiet in the early, early hours of the day. “You’ll color up a bunch before we get where we’re going.”

  Damn Sonia to hell and back, because I have never before noticed how full Ang’s lips are. Or how long his lashes are. Or how maybe he smells like something I’d like to unwrap.

  Frig!

  “We spent a billion summers together in Scotch’s backyard.”

  “Yeah…” Should I un-invite him on this trip? Not because I don’t want him there, and not because I won’t miss him, but because I’m terrified of another ‘sexy hair’ moment where he turns away and rejects me.

  I’m crushing on Angelo Alesi, and a week spent on vacation together might break everything.

  “Laine?”

  “Hmm? Yeah.” Focus! “Lots of summers at the lake, too.”

  He chuckles. “True, we sure have a lot of history. Um…” Hesitantly, he digs a hand into his pocket and draws my eyes down. “So… I was walking down Main Street yesterday, and I came across this new store.” I can literally see his pulse jump against his throat. Angelo’s nervous, and that makes me nervous almost to the point of feeling nauseous. “I don’t know if it’s new, or if I’m just blind, but whatever, I went in, because it kinda made me think of you.”

  My heart hammers uncontrollably. “Okay…”

  “This chick behind the counter… long hair, longer than yours, and tie-dyed skirts that swirled around her legs, jumped out and scared the fuck outta me, since I was trying to look around super sleuth style.”

  Faking a laugh, I try not to obsess about the woman with longer hair. “Alright.”

  “Anyway.” Like he can’t bear the suspense any more than I can, he pulls his hand out of his pocket palm side up and shows a chain with a circle pendant on the end. “It’s a clear quartz crystal.”

  He doesn’t back away when I bring a shaking hand up to stroke it. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Don’t freak out. It’s not a fifty-thousand-dollar diamond or anything. It’s a crystal, and this particular kind is known as a…” His apprehensive eyes meet mine. “Clear quartz is known as a master healer.”

  Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

  “The lady told me how it’s a deep soul cleanser. It helps the wearer sleep better, and it activates and harmonizes all your chakras or some shit.” He chuckles shyly. “That’s actually what she said. It’s legit. She said how it’s a natural gift from the earth, and simply touching it will give you a boost.” He lets the pendant drop, and pinches the clasp between his thick fingers. “The store made me think of you, then this chick, without asking what I wanted, handed me this necklace and told me this was what I was looking for.”

  “You’re not joking?”

  “Not even a little.” With gentle hands, he makes me turn and drops the chain over my chest. I shakily bring my hair away from my neck so he can work on the clasp. “She said it was important I give this to you.”

  “Did she say my name?”

  “No.” His breath fans my neck. “She just told me what it does, what the quartz means, and that I’d know who to give it to. She said quartz brings strength, clarity, and healing, and when she said that, I thought of you again.”

  Oh my God.

  I bring my hand up and touch the pendant, and wheth
er it’s my mind playing with me, or a literal boost from the crystal, tingles race from my fingertips and right into my chest.

  When he’s done, he places his hands on my shoulders for a long pause, allowing me time to pull myself together.

  Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

  “Thank you, Ang.” I turn and look up into his eyes. “I love it.”

  “Yeah?” He looks down and studies his gift. “It looks good on you. This chick also threw a different one at me; she called it a moonstone crystal, said something about it being the divine feminine crystal and that it works with the moon.” Embarrassed, his eyes meet mine. “She told me to give that to the new mom. Scared the fucking bejeesus outta me that she knew about Jules.”

  Laughing, I stroke my new necklace. “Did you give it to her?”

  “Yeah, I dropped by last night and tossed the gift bag at her. She was breastfeeding, and I felt like a weird creepy uncle, especially with the feminine crystal gift, so I tossed it and ran.”

  “You didn’t really run, did you? I know you better than that.”

  Chuckling, he rolls his bottom lip between his teeth. “No. I watched my shoes until she was done, then I held the baby for a couple hours while Alex helped Jules shower and eat something warm. Avery’s sweet as a button.”

  “She’s so little; way smaller than Charlie ever was.”

  “But bigger than squeak.”

  “Laine!” I jump and almost slam my head under Ang’s jaw when Jess screeches inside the house. She bounds out the front door with an armful of rollerblades and a jumbo can of Red Bull. “I found them! Kane said I had to choose between blades and board.”

  I take a big step back from Ang and clear my throat as she runs toward us. “So you chose blades?”

  “Yeah. My board’s at Britt’s place, and I’m not going over there. It’s too late. We’ve come too far.”

  “We haven’t even left yet.” I catch the heavy rollerblades when she tosses them. “We have time.”

  “Nope!” She tosses the can of energy drink into the back, then snatches the backpack from Ang’s shoulder. “Nice haircut, Ang. It’s sexy. Baby, can you open the trunk?”

  Clumsily juggling the blades, I reach into the car and avoid looking anyone in the eye. “What are you doing?”

  “We’re ready to go. Kane!” She tosses the bag in and turns to cup her mouth. “Bishop! Shake your tail feathers or we’ll leave without you.”

  “Fuck you will, woman.” Kane and Eric step out onto the front porch and talk in quiet whispers. Something about security, money, passcodes and keeping an eye on things. Eric just listens, a big grin on his face, like everything Kane says humors him.

  In my time here, Eric has visited a handful of times, but it’s always fast, and never once has he been alone in a room with me.

  He’s been perfectly gentle; kind hellos, kinder goodbyes, polite inquisitions into my days. He’s asked about Wanda, but that’s as deep as our conversations have ever gone, and when ninety percent of our encounters ended with me walking away without a single word, he never took offense.

  He’s leaving me to myself, and he’s not taking anything personally.

  He’s kinda cool, in a big-brother-that-carries-guns kind of way.

  Just like Alex, I guess.

  “Alright, Bish.” He slaps Kane on the shoulder and moves him forward. “Have fun. Check in. I wanna know where you’re at. Take pictures; I wanna see.”

  “I will. Take care of business here, and when we’re back, we have shit to do.”

  “Well, you’re practically a married man now.” He flashes a playful grin. “Gotta bring home the bacon, or she’ll hook up with a long-haired band geek.”

  Ang scowls beside me, but Kane simply snorts. “Nah. Not my girl.” He skips down the steps with pockets full of hell knows what. “No way will my Jessie step out on me.”

  “I won’t leave you.” Jess meets him halfway across the lawn and squeals when he scoops her up into the air. “I’m kinda attached.”

  “Good.” He drops an indecent kiss on her lips and blindly walks forward.

  Jess and I wear similar cutoff shorts today. Frayed edges. Flip flops. She has a boob tube to my tank top, and her hair hangs loose, compared to my ponytail.

  “Let’s go, Blondie. We have road to eat up and a backseat to christen.”

  “Hey!” I point at the couple. “No! Don’t mess up my car, or I’ll leave you both at the dirtiest truck stop I can find.”

  “Did you book somewhere for tonight?” Kane lifts Jess into the backseat on the opposite side to where I stand. “Or are we winging it?”

  “We’re winging it.” I turn to get in the car and almost pee my pants when I slam into Ang’s broad chest. “Shit! Sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” He holds my biceps and refuses to let go until my feet are planted solidly on the ground. “You’re kinda psyched, huh?”

  “I really am.” I frown when I realize this is it, this is the do or die moment I’ve been agonizing over since I invited him.

  Stick to my invitation?

  Take it back and hope he isn’t offended?

  “Um… So, you still wanna come, right?”

  Say yes.

  Say no.

  Say something and put me out of my misery!

  “Of course he does.” Kane slams the trunk and hip bumps me forward until I slam against Ang a second time. “Get in, lovers! It’s time to hit the road. Nice haircut, band geek. Totally gangster.”

  Ang frowns. “You still want me to come, right? I wanna come if the invitation’s still open. I’ve been psyched for it all week, so…”

  “For fuck’s sake.” Kane snatches my blue ball cap from the backseat and slaps it onto my head. “Get in, Twink. Let’s go.”

  Ang steps in close and straightens my cap. Pushing his fingers under the brim and tucking loose hair back out of my eyes, his smile is both smug and shy at the same time. “I really wanna come, but I won’t intrude, so if you changed your mind…” He takes a step back. “Text me pictures. I haven’t been to the beach in forever, so…”

  That’s one way to sprinkle a little guilt over my head.

  Don’t be a coward. Don’t be a coward. Don’t be a coward.

  I finger my new crystal pendant and smile. “I still want you to come…”

  22

  Angelo

  And We’re Off

  Laine was twenty-five years old the last time we cruised in my Charger late at night. It was before she’d met Graham, but after a lifetime of family gatherings and an unconscious placement in the friend zone.

  Neither of us knew more than friends was a possibility. I doubt she’d ever even considered it, but my phone would still chirp within minutes of packing up our instruments after playing a set at Club 188. The lights would flash in my otherwise dark car, I’d turn my music down, try to control my smile, and then I’d answer and thank the angels for allowing me another night of hearing her voice before bed.

  “Hey!” she’d shout, because her ears were probably still ringing from the loud club. “Marco!”

  “Polo,” I’d reply on a sigh. “Where are you?”

  “Not at Ricky Hernandez’s house, that’s for sure! I have a riddle for you.”

  “Of course you do,” I’d laugh. “Hit me with it. Are you safe where you are?” I always imagined her standing all alone in a dark street, shivering from the nighttime air, moments from being kidnapped or mugged.

  “I’m safe. Okay, you ready? What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?”

  “Um…”

  “Quick! I think some criminals are coming this way.”

  “M! And don’t say that shit. You make me worry.”

  She laughed, so fucking casually like my worry was no big deal. “Right you are, Sherlock. I’m on a corner, and the first letter of one of the streets is M. Ready for the next one?”

  We live in a small town, and I’d bet I could name each str
eet off the top of my head. Easily. So I’d run all the M’s through my mind while she teed up her next riddle.

  Martin. Mopone. Mabel. Macey. Magnolia. Maiden.

  “Alright. How many times can you subtract the number five from twenty-five?”

  “Five!” I pulled away from the curb and headed toward fifth and Mopone. “The answer is five.”

  “Actually… nope. You can only subtract it once before it’s not twenty-five anymore. You’ve been punked, Alesi.”

  “Fuck.” I performed a fast U-turn and headed toward first and Macey instead. Three minutes later, I picked up the classiest corner dweller I knew and sucked in the sweet scent of her perfume while pretending not to notice her short skirt and sexy heels.

  “You found me!”

  Turning to her in the two-a.m. darkness, I watched the way her throat would move when I leaned closer and smiled. “Always, Laine. I’m just a call away.”

  * * *

  Sam Smith’s voice sings of fire and rhythm, drifting on the wind as we pull across the train tracks and head toward the freeway. The soft breeze whips Laine’s ponytail around, but even with her hat pulled low and blue framed sunglasses taking up half her face, I see her smiling.

  And since she’s driving, and the others are giggling in the backseat, I luxuriate in the ability to pull my glasses over my eyes and watch her breathe. I watch the way she drags in lungfuls of air. The way her chest lifts, lifts, lifts.

  She’s breathing happiness.

  She’s exhaling poison.

  And her new crystal moves each time she does.

  “Laine!” Jess lunges forward into the space between me and her sister. With a stupid grin on her face and crazy eyes almost exclusively the byproduct of sugar, she drops a bag of sour candy onto the bench seat between us. “Fuel up. We’ll stop at Dolly’s and get coffee, too.”

  “No, wait.” Kane gently tugs Laine’s ponytail. “Pull over, Twink. Real quick.”

  “No way. If you’re the kinda guy that needs to pee every three minutes, I’m leaving you here.” Without looking, she shoves his face back with her palm. “We literally just left town.”