The Wrong Path - By Vivian Marie Aubin du Paris Page 0,40

her quickly, forcing a smile. “Thanks, though.”

Ebony waved a hand at her. “Don’t be silly. Will, pay the man.”

Before Will could snap back something nasty, Annabelle broke in. “Really. Don’t bother. I need to get back, anyway. Trevor already got me something. He was just holding it for me while I went to the restroom.”

“Annabelle?”

She froze, her eyes falling shut. Of all people to find her here… Why did it have to be Claire? She turned slowly, forcing a smile, even more horrified to discover her entire group of friends behind her.

“Hi,” she greeted breathlessly, taking in the accusing looks on their faces. Only Trevor appeared confused. “Ebony was just showing me the stuffed animal Will won for her.” She turned to look up at Trevor. “Did you know your brother had such a good arm?”

He looked genuinely astonished, a disbelieving look on his face. “No,” he said, almost uncertainly, lifting his eyes from hers to look up at Will.

“Well, if you’re done, can we go? I want to ride some rides.” From her tone, Claire wasn’t just mad… she was furious. She eyed the game they stood in front of with a sneer. “All these things are rigged anyway… so it’s not really a testament of skill.”

Annabelle felt her slumped shoulders straighten at the insult to Will’s abilities. “I thought it took more skill when the games were rigged?” she offered airily, in a tone she didn’t even know she possessed. She knew it well—the other girls often used it when they wanted to disagree with each other without starting an argument—but she had never used it before. She had never felt the need to. But somehow, hearing the scorn in Claire’s voice about what Will had accomplished made her burn with anger.

Claire stared at her, but she returned the look with deliberately wide, innocent eyes. Claire suddenly laughed. “Who knows,” she agreed, stepping forward and linking her arm through Annabelle’s. “Let’s go, though. You have to sit with me on the Octopus. That thing scares me to death.”

Annabelle paused, looking back at Will and Ebony, who were staring at them. “I like it,” she said to Ebony, smiling apologetically, hoping that she would understand.

Ebony just stared back at her.

It was hard to finish out the carnival. Claire wouldn’t let go of her for the remainder of the night—literally. Even when Annabelle really did have to go to the bathroom, Claire went with her. Between trying to be a good girlfriend to Trevor, hiding how miserable she felt, and having Claire attached to her like a fly on flypaper, by the end of the night she was so frazzled all she wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep for the rest of the weekend.

The tap on her window scared her straight up out of bed. Wide-eyed, her adrenaline pumping, she pulled apart her curtains to reveal Will sitting on the tree limb outside her window, his face almost completely hidden in the shadows.

She quickly pushed the window open, her heart pounding. “Will?” she whispered. “What’s wrong?”

“Ebony asked me to give you something,” he said softly, sliding into her room. She stepped back to allow him access.

“What?” she asked, bewildered. Couldn’t her skirt have waited until Monday instead of the dead of night, terrifying her half-to-death?

He reached back out through the window and emerged with a large blue duck. “This,” he said, handing it to her.

She took it slowly, stunned. “Her duck?” she asked softly. It was soft and plush, and so large she couldn’t hold it in both arms without squeezing it. She hugged it to herself, feeling tears in her eyes. She knew the gesture meant Ebony was saying everything was okay, but she slowly shook her head, holding it back out to him. “I-I can’t. You won it for her. I can’t take it.”

“No, I didn’t.” Will gently pushed it back at her. “She made me get you one, too.”

She was grateful for the darkness that covered the tears sliding down her cheeks as she hugged the duck to herself. It was large and silly, but it was one of the best presents she had ever received. “Will you tell her thank you for me?” she asked softly, her voice thick with tears in the silent night around them.

“Yeah.”

“Thank you.” She trembled in the cold air and searched for her robe, but Will was already at the chair in the corner of her room, where she had placed his folded shirts. She watched in