Someone I Used to Know - By Blakney Francis Page 0,75
Madeline’s ear, and she came the closest I’d ever seen to giggling.
That was it. I was going to attack them both. I could probably only get one of them before Alfred took me down (possibly with deadly force), but at that moment, it would have been totally worth it. Maybe they’d make an E! True Hollywood Story about my life. I, in the least, deserved my own episode of Snapped.
“While I really hate to steal your favorite history book away, it’s time for me to go.”
I could have kissed him! I made a mental note to do just that later. I might even consider letting him do that thing to me he’d been begging to do all week.
I attempted to give Madeline an apologetic look, but I wasn’t sure how convincing it was, smeared with pure glee.
And then we were off. I rushed through the darkened lot like a prisoner escaping Azkaban, something far more frightening than a Dementor at my back. And Declan…Well, I had to do a double take because it looked a whole lot like he was skipping.
I waited to question him until we were not only inside the car, but also a block away. He was still all smiles.
“Did someone give you a Ritalin?” I marveled at the cheerful movie star who looked ready to run a marathon or swim the English Chanel. He’d been on set just as long as I had, even if he had been MIA for most of the time.
“I’ve been sleeping in my trailer for the last six hours. I’m almost positive everyone forgot about me in there, and my ego would be severely bruised if I didn’t feel so damn well rested,” he said without a hint of sarcasm. “Let’s do something fun!”
Surprisingly, I wasn’t completely opposed to the idea. I felt giddy with freedom. Scooting up to the open partition, I gave Lazarus an address to deliver us to before returning to my seat.
He was staring at me.
“What?” I asked, fighting the urge to fidget.
“I always forget that this is your home. You grew up here. You really know this city.”
I forgot too sometimes.
It took us longer to get to my specified destination than it would’ve taken us to get back to Cam and Declan’s neighborhood, but I promised him it was worth it.
“Wow…” He trailed off flatly as we both faced the beautiful scenery laid out before us. “…a beach.”
The moon was an ugly shape, but what it lacked in its usual majestic appeal, it made up for in abundance of light. Where the shimmering sand ended, the world collapsed into an abyss of nothing, the water as black as tar.
I laughed at his faux enthusiasm. “Come on, Mr. Oscar Nominee. The beach isn’t what I wanted to show you.”
He followed me without question. I liked that.
The muscles in my calves were just starting to burn when we reached the small white hut held up by stilts.
“There are no lifeguards on duty at night, so these are always abandoned after the sun goes down.”
I slipped my shoes off at the base of the ramp, gesturing for Declan to do the same. It was hard to get traction on the smooth plank otherwise. I didn’t even try the door, knowing it would be locked. They were pretty careful about keeping it that way. I was far from the only teenager in California aware of the little lifeguard stand secret. I had a friend who lost her virginity in one in Malibu.
“I didn’t take you for such a deviant,” he commented, once we had both settled with our backs against the building, facing the ocean, shadowed by the overhang. I could tell he was smiling without ever removing my gaze from the frosty tipped waves rolling the distance.
“Before I could drive, I was pretty much chained to my brother Thomas, or more accurately, his car. He used to come out here to get high.”
“Spiffy, you’ve brought me on a date to a place that reminds you of your brother.”
“This is not a date!”
“Bloody oath. No, need to spit the dummy.” He threw his hands up in defense.
“Are you even speaking English right now?” I demanded. “I swear sometimes you’re just making this shit up.”
“Now you sound like Madeline.”
My mouth snapped shut.
“I take it back! I take it back!” I cried out with an over dramatic flair of revulsion.
He looked quite pleased with himself.
“So your brother – Thomas, you said? So his name’s not really Cade?”