Read Online Imprint by Annmarie McQueen - Free Book Online Page B

so was having everyone think he didn’t wash . He’d have to push the embarrassment aside. “Fine,” he muttered in defeat. “Just don’t you dare do anything else.”
    “Well,” Drew winked suggestively . “If you’re so worried about it, you could always come and observe.”
    Sean didn’t try to hide his disgust. “Perverted bastard,” he mumbled, just loud enough for Drew to hear, as he turned around to face the window. He heard another amused laugh behind him, and then the bathroom door click ed shut.
    Sean let his shoulders slump when the sound of rushing water soon reached his ears. He couldn’t get physically tired anymore, but he could feel mentally tired. Like he did right now. It was really the same tiredness that had been weighing him down for days, like an anchor, to this horrible reality. Did it have to be Drew, of all people? Did it really have to be someone so unbelievably aggravating and insufferable?
    He hadn’t noticed, but it was slowly beginning to lighten a bit outside. The streetlamps still c ast orange glows on the pavements, and the window reflected the rest of the room back at him. He tried in vain to catch his reflection in the glass. He should have known though, things that weren’t solid didn’t have reflections. Things that didn’t exist didn’t have reflections either. Sean was feeling that urge again to try and shatter the glass, to feel his hand connect with it and send silvery cobwebbed cracks through the window. He didn’t bother trying , knowing it was a waste of time and he’d have plenty more of these episodes before long anyway, but it was strange how he missed the most unlikely things about being alive.
    His thoughts drifted, almost inevitably, to Drew again. Once he got past the initial anger, he co uldn’t help but feel confused. Surely there was more to the boy than what he saw on the surface, didn’t the nightmare prove that? There had to be, he tried to convince himself. He couldn’t just be the idiotic, cocky jerk he appeared to be. There had to be another reason for what he did, some higher motive that would make everything worth it. He was curious about the nightmare, maybe even a little sympathetic, but he wouldn’t acknowledge that second emotion. He shouldn’t care. He didn’t. Why would he? He couldn’t have nightmares anymore. They went by the name reality instead now.
    The water finally shut off. He hadn’t noticed, but twenty minutes had already passed. He’d have to get used to entertaining himself with mental arguments like this from now on. And learn patience as well. He would have way too much time to himself but he couldn’t complain, not when before he’d always wanted to be alone. The door opened and Drew walked out towelling his hair in a set of fresh clothes.
    “Nice shower,” he said.
    “ You were in there long enough.”
    “Were you lonely without me?” When Sean continued staring out of the window, Drew sighed. “It’s not that bad, you know,” he said.
    “Which part? The part where I’m technically dead, or the part where you’re the only company I have?”
    “I’m just saying, I know what it’s like .”
    “No, you don’t,” Sean shot back angrily. “You ended up like th is naturally, but I was never supposed to die . You took this from me, murderer. ”
    The other winced slightly at the harsh word. “I’m not a murderer .”
    “Then give me my body back.”
    “No.”
    “Why are you even trying to… sympathise with me? You’re the one who did this in the first place.”
    Drew shrugged. “Well, if I have to put up with you for a few years, I just figure that it would be better if we were on friendly terms.”
    Sean scoffed in derision . “ In your dreams.”
    “So does this mean we can’t be bffs?”
    “ What? ”
    “Best friends forever. Is there anything you do know?”
    Sean had never felt so frustrated. He felt like stamping childishly, slamming a door, punching his fist into a wall, screaming,