Dameon always took my breath away.
Then Kian, Krysta, and Nathaniel bounced up behind me. Kian’s hand touched my shoulder and broke our connection.
“ You came, too. Good to see you.” Kian licked his lips. I tilted my head toward him, and then flipped back around, only to realize that Dameon had vanished. Damn.
“ Yeah, we came. He went to our school.” I answered, a tinged aggravated. I’m sure he heard it in my tone.
“ So, you going to stay for the whole thing?” Kian asked. Krysta shuffled her feet over the gravel like she suffered from prolonged boredom.
“ I plan too. Aren’t you?” My brow quirked. Jennifer and Molly stared at our interaction. I could see the pleading in Molly’s eyes. She wanted to hook up with Kian, but my heart was set on Dameon. So, maybe she’d make a move? She deserved a little fun in her life. Jennifer’s eyes burned on my skin like hot coals. But I didn’t need another mother.
“ If you do.” Kian grinned, a glint in his eyes telling me he would be staying close. The candlelight danced in his hair, the copper blond highlighting it. Nathaniel’s strawberry blond locks looked like an ignited ball of fire, and Krysta’s skin glowed bronze as if she had been sunbathing all day.
Molly rolled her eyes and giggled at that response and then returned her attention to the speakers while Kian inched closer to me. When Jennifer’s arm dropped, he must have seen his chance and squeezed in between her and me. I felt Krysta fuming; an extra bonus?
We all listened to the words from Tommy’s father. Words that beat like guilt. How come no one could help him?
“ Tonight we remember my son. He had his hopes set on college. Would have been first in his family to go.” He wiped the tear streaming down his face. “But we will remember him for his courage, tenacity, and most importantly, his generosity. He’s touched so many lives, and my only hope is that you will always carry a part of him with you.”
I dropped my head.
When the speeches ended, we saw our opportunity to get some of the answers we needed. As Clark passed us on the left, I bumped into Molly to nudge her in his direction. As she stumbled into him, his expression went from grief to aggravation to pleasure in microseconds. She swung her short bob, and her exposed neck seemed refreshing, something to divert his attention away from the death. I noticed the desire in his eyes.
“ Sorry.” Molly fumbled to stand straight and let him help her. She played the damsel in distress well.
“ No problem...I didn’t catch your name?” He wiped his waxy hands on his tattered jeans.
“ Molly...but my friends call me Mol, Mols.” She rambled; endearing.
“ OK...Mols.” He steadied her with hands on each of her shoulders as his eyes caressed her neck.
“ Did you know Tommy well?” She didn’t like to waste time and tilted into him as if he helped her keep her balance better.
“ Yeah; real tight friends.”
The kind you let off some steam with? I cringed and tried not to be noticeable while I listened. Kian stared at me. His look had a sharp edge. My brother had that look sometimes, one of intense seriousness.
“ Do you know why he would do it...jump I mean?” Molly feigned wiping a tear as if the whole memorial tore her up on levels Clark didn’t even see. And it did in a way; death could do that, but more importantly she wanted Clark’s reaction.
“ I...” Clark dropped his head into his hands while guilt washed over him. “I didn’t think he would ever do it.” His voice sounded like sandpaper. Shaking his head, he finally lifted his downcast eyes from defeat to meet Molly’s inviting ogle.
Molly put her hand on the back of Clark’s neck and eased him to her. “Wasn’t your fault. No one could have predicted.”
I wasn’t sure if she actually believed those words. I mean, we had been relatively sure Clark was the culprit behind it all. But she had her game face on and could be convincing.
“
Glenn Bullion
Lavyrle Spencer
Carrie Turansky
Sara Gottfried
Aelius Blythe
Odo Hirsch
Bernard Gallate
C.T. Brown
Melody Anne
Scott Turow