Echoes Between Us - McGarry, Katie Page 0,10
that passes my stomach turns like the spin cycle of a washing machine.
“Because I’m on an accelerated schedule, they had me do my senior thesis last year. I thought they’d let me do the thesis again and I’d partner with you, but they said no. I’m to focus on my college courses. I’m sorry, V. I’ll help you if you want, but…”
But the project requires us to work in a group of two to four people and Nazareth won’t count. My inhale rattles through me as I’m hollowed out. Jesse has graduated and is focused on his farm, Scarlett is already at college, Leo is leaving and Nazareth might as well be gone. The worst has happened. I’m going to be alone.
SAWYER
It’s been weeks since I’ve had a release, and I’m wound damn tight. I glance around the huge monster of the building searching for something to impress me. Something to take my mind off the fact my cast will be off tomorrow and there will be nothing stopping me from seeking my high.
Here’s the thing about the high: I want it as much as I don’t. A constant push and pull, and I’m always on the losing end. I don’t want to give in to the need for the high and disappoint and endanger myself. At the same time, just the thought of the high relaxes some of my always-twisted muscles. If the thought alone relaxes me, then doing it would be close to heaven.
Won’t lie, part of the reason I suggested we all hike up here was in the hopes of finding a hint of the rush, but unfortunately, there isn’t enough danger.
The guys fan out and start for the stairs that lead to the front door of the place. They’re a mixture of the swim and soccer teams, and they’re discussing a combination of baseball, football and Call of Duty. Miguel, the guy I’m closest with, is the one that leads the conversation and is the most opinionated.
Sylvia slides up beside me. With her comes the group of girls that follows her most everywhere she goes. Sylvia is a pied piper of people—just like my mom. I understand why—there’s something about her that draws me in, like a light, and that’s why she’s one of the few I call friend.
I know a lot of people. A lot of people know me, and while I can put on a show that I’m outgoing, I consider myself private.
Sylvia stays by me as her friends follow the guys through the hole where glass for a window used to be. She tucks her honey-blond hair with done-by-hand curls behind her shoulder.
As she always does, she looks good. She wears designer jeans and a purple top that hugs all the right places. All bought on a shopping day with her mom, Hannah, my mom and Lucy. Not exactly hiking clothes, but it’s not like she knew we would be tackling this adventure when she showed. In my defense, it’s not like I invited anyone over—that would be Mom ignoring my request to give me some time to unpack. Mom feels I need to be social, twenty-four/seven, so she texted Sylvia, telling her to bring my “squad.”
I wish Mom would learn how to back off.
“Do you remember when we came here freshman year?” Sylvia says as we scale the stairs.
“Do you mean when I jumped out from behind a door and scared the hell out of you and you peed your pants?”
She smacks my shoulder. “I didn’t pee my pants.”
“But you did scream.”
She laughs because she did scream, for five solid minutes, then shook for a half hour after. I hop through the window first, and Sylvia’s hesitant as she lifts one leg then the other to enter. Faint evening light streams from the open windows and the entire place has an eerie haze.
Our friends are scattered about the large lobby. Most of the girls huddle near a guy as they explore the rusting gurneys left behind. Someone turns on the flashlight on their cell and light dances along the tiled floor. Red and black graffiti decorates the dirty and peeling plaster walls, and I do a double take when I spot arm restraints in the corner of the room.
“So this year,” Sylvia says with heavy apprehension, and those muscles forever tightened in my neck twist some more.
“So this year,” I repeat with the same heaviness and search the place for something to get my blood pumping. Just being near this building puts