My Kind of Crazy - Robin Reul Page 0,19
the memory. Dad had been about to pop a vein, but Mickey knew how to talk him down. Mickey could do no wrong. And now that he’s dead, he’s practically a saint.
I go on. “Anyhow, superheroes tend to be regular guys who have experienced some freak accident or trauma that results in them developing extraordinary powers or abilities. They take all the crap in life and find a way to turn it around for good. When my life gets insane, I try to imagine I could be like that.”
Peyton laughs, and I feel my cheeks flush. I have no idea why I shared that with her. I’ve never told anyone that, and it certainly wasn’t meant to be amusing. “I’m sorry,” she says and waves her hand.
“Why is that funny?”
“It wasn’t really… I was just picturing you in a full-on superhero costume.”
“I don’t want to dress like one,” I snap. “You know, you do all kinds of weird shit and then I tell you something personal, and you make me feel like an idiot.”
She can tell I’m genuinely pissed and stops laughing. Her face becomes lined with worry, like she’s afraid I’m going to leave. “No, seriously, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have laughed.”
I shift my weight from one foot to the other and shake my bangs off my face with a jerk of my head. “Oh, before I forget…uh, Nick Giuliani says hi.”
She wrinkles her nose. “The dude with the freaky eyes who called me out on my grapes?”
Now I’m the one laughing. “Yeah.”
“I heard his dad killed someone.”
I shrug. “You hear a lot of things about Nick.”
“Well, what do you think? Do you think his dad killed someone?”
“I don’t know. I doubt it.”
“Doesn’t it make you wonder? I mean, are you scared to be alone with him? Think he’d knife you when you’re not looking?”
“Nah. I figure he’s got his secrets, and I’ve got mine. He’s a pretty cool guy if you get to know him.”
She considers this for a moment. “Maybe I’ll ask him next time I see him.”
Bad idea. Aside from the fact that the question would probably upset him, I wouldn’t want Nick thinking I was spreading rumors. “Whoa. You can’t just walk up to someone and ask if their dad offed somebody.”
“Why not?”
“Well, it’s rude. Nick’s my friend. People say a lot of crap about him, but that doesn’t mean any of it’s true. They don’t even know him. Not everybody is comfortable putting their cards on the table.” I cross my arms.
“Fair enough. Everyone is hiding something though. There’s the story we tell ourselves and the story we tell everyone else.” She blows out the match and strikes another. I can’t act like I don’t notice much longer, because it’s starting to make me feel uncomfortable.
“Hey, what’s with the matches?”
“I like doing it. Does it make you nervous?”
“It just seems a little dangerous.”
“That’s what makes it so satisfying.” She puts the matchbook on her nightstand. “Why did you come here, Hank?”
The truth is that I don’t know. I’m kind of scared for her to tell me what’s really going on because I’m not sure I’ll know how to handle that information. But I do know one thing: the minute this girl walked into my life, something shifted. As strange and messed up as she is, there’s something about Peyton Breedlove that’s more honest and real than anyone I’ve ever known.
Before I get a chance to answer, we both hear the high-pitched squeal of worn-down brake pads as the Subaru pulls into the driveway. Peyton’s eyes get wide as saucers. “Shit, that’s Pete.”
She struggles to raise her window but it doesn’t budge. “It sticks sometimes.” She motions me over, and I stand next to her to help. It finally yields, sliding up with a loud screech. A blast of cool air hits me in the face. There’s no screen, so I’m guessing this is not the first time it’s been used to sneak out. “I’m going to go out and distract him. You wait until he’s inside, then climb out and run.”
“Got it.” I position myself, ready to make my escape. My heart starts beating fast, just like it did the other night when I was worried I’d get caught at Amanda’s house.
She heads to the door. Before she opens it, she turns to me and says, “Hank?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
The look in her eyes tells me that coming here tonight really means a lot to her, and I know that I can’t walk away this time the