Nightfall (Devil's Night #4) - Penelope Douglas Page 0,22

like Elle didn’t deserve it.

I wanted someone to understand me.

“Have you ever seen a Lamborghini commercial on TV?” I asked, looking over and meeting her eyes.

She shook her head.

“They don’t make them,” I told her. “Because people who can afford Lamborghinis aren’t sitting around watching television.”

“So, you want a Lamborghini someday, and that’s why you work so hard and don’t have any fun?”

“No.” I chuckled, gathering my school uniform scattered on the floor. “My own private jet will get me out of this town a hell of a lot faster than a car. I’ll wave goodbye and let it all disappear in my wake.”

The cheer team ran by our aisle, everyone starting to make their way out to the gym. The football team was on a bye week, but the basketball team had an exhibition game against Falcon’s Well.

“I’ll try not to take that remark personally,” Elle replied.

I shot her a smile, hoping she didn’t take it personally. I wanted as far away from this town as possible for several reasons, and once I left, only one thing would ever bring me back.

“Is there nothing you love in Thunder Bay?” she asked.

I dropped my eyes for a moment and then looked over at her. “Why do you think I’m still here?”

And then I opened my locker and flashed her the inside of my door, but instead of my own Trojan bumper sticker, or any bumper sticker, it was a single, three-by-five snapshot of my grandma and me at my eleventh birthday picnic in the park.

My skin in my blue tank top was darker than my usual olive from all my time in the sun that summer, my cheeks rosy from smiling and not having a care in the world other than what I was going to do for fun the next day, and no matter what size glasses I wore, they always looked too big for my face. I was geeky and happy, and remembering that woman in the picture resembled nothing like the woman who was lying in bed at home right now made my throat prickle with tears.

But I looked at Elle and smiled small, my grandma the one thing I’d come back to town for.

In fact, the idea of leaving for college and leaving her if she was still alive by then was almost unbearable.

I rubbed my eyes under my glasses and then stuffed my school clothes into the locker.

I looked up, noticing something.

What was that? I narrowed my eyes, reaching up and taking the stuffed animal off the top shelf.

I paused in confusion. How did this get in here?

I looked around for anyone watching me and met Elle’s eyes, holding it up.

“Did you put this in here?”

She looked at it and then me, shaking her head. “Nope. I don’t even know what that is. A Komodo dragon?”

I studied the gray plush toy, taking in his claws, teeth, tail, the scales down his spine, the angry snarl on his face…

“It’s Godzilla,” I murmured and then laughed.

Who put this in here?

And then my face fell. I watched Godzilla last night. I thought I was alone in the theater. Did someone see me?

It was coincidental, wasn’t it?

“What’s this?” Elle picked up the paper and granola bar tied to its leg. She read the note, “Sunset is at 6:38 p.m.”

I flashed my gaze to hers.

She shrugged. “It’s from someone who knows it’s Yom Kippur,” she said.

In a town like this, everyone knew who the Jewish kids were.

And the black kids. And the poor kids.

We were in the minority in Thunder Bay, so we stood out.

Anyone could’ve sent this, and I was tempted to keep the snack bar. I hadn’t checked what time sunset was to know when I could eat, and I’d forgotten to bring anything for after the game. I was hungry.

But then, I saw a black strip of cardstock tied to Godzilla’s tail and ripped it off the ribbon.

Admit One

Emory Scott

L-348

My hand shook as I read it over and over again, recognizing the black paper with the ornate silver border and the serial number identifying every ticket sold. It was an annual event.

It was—

“Are you serious?” Elle blurted out, snatching the ticket from my hand and staring at it. “An invitation from a senior?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. The senior lock-in was held every October, and it was tonight. After the basketball game. Non-seniors could attend only if they secured an invitation from the graduating class, and even then, the seniors were