wood, arched ceiling, and dim yellow lighting, it reminds me of a scaled-down version of Trinity College Library, with added ricketiness. It’s so different than any other record store I’ve ever been in that I think its interior and architecture could be an attraction alone.
When I return to my relatives’ house, I don’t bother sneaking in through the back way. My legs are sore from climbing ladders all day to reach the top shelves, so jumping the colossal wall really doesn’t appeal to me at present. And besides, I’m in such a good mood from the progress Trevyn and I made that I don’t think even one of Aunt Miranda’s sour expressions can douse the feeling.
As soon as the front door shuts behind me, Aunt Miranda appears in the foyer, having teleported straight here from wherever she’s been fuming about my disappearance. Her arms are crossed, as they often are when she is angry, and her scowl is in full force. I give her the briefest of blasé glances then head left for the stairs, choosing to stay silent to avoid kindling her wrath.
But as I push past her, her fingers curl around my upper arm. “Where were you all day?” she asks in a stone cold tone. Her grip on my arm tightens to the point that it almost hurts. I stare at her hand encircling my arm then drag my gaze to hers. She has fire in her pupils, the look of a dragon who’s been pilfered from. At any second, black wings might sprout from her shoulder blades and her teeth might turn to fangs.
I shake my arm free and walk away.
“No dinner for you tonight, Delilah,” she calls after me. Like I was going to eat with you anyways. “And your grounding term has been doubled. If you don’t want to see it tripled, I suggest you stop sneaking out and follow the rules of this house.”
I flap my hand back at her, and she lets out a sound halfway between a huff and a growl. When I pass Dylan’s room on the way to mine, I see him inside, lightly plucking at the strings of a rusty-red-colored electric guitar as he lies idly on his bed, his back propped up by some pillows. He lifts an eyebrow at me as I pass, so I know he heard the scolding I got, but then he closes his eyes, devoted to the soft music he makes. I hate to admit, even to myself, that his playing is fucking beautiful, especially because I know he still has no intention of ending my undeserved grounding by telling his mother the truth about those stolen wine bottles.
Chapter Five
Miles of Vinyls is my oasis in a desert. But already, occurrences the next day at work begin to suck it dry.
Two hours into the heat of things, the door opens with a cheery ring, and with the moving glass the sunlight swings across the floor and shelves. I look up, eager for my first customers here.
But instead I find Dylan. And behind him, Aiden.
I bite down on my tongue, hard.
“Good to see you, too,” Dylan says, eyeing me with a grimace. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were grounded. Chained up. On lockdown.” I turn up my brow at him and raise the volume of the music so Trevyn doesn’t hear us. Dylan steps back, raising his brows in turn. “I— we ,” he says, motioning between him and Aiden, “got permission to be out.”
“Oh, is that why he was sneaking into the house at 7:45 yesterday morning?”
Dylan scratches behind his ear and in resignation says, “I told you. Mom doesn’t like him.”
“Because he gets you into trouble?”
“Something like that.” I glance at Aiden, but his face is unreadable.
“The only reason I’m grounded is because I took the fall for him,” I say as I stab my finger into Aiden’s chest. He rubs the spot and gives me an apologetic look.
“I’m going to get you ungrounded,” he promises.
“I really don’t give a shit,” I snap. “I couldn’t care less that I’m grounded. I’m here aren’t I? A whole lot of good it did.” I push my lips to the side and pretend to focus on the screen of
When I return to my relatives’ house, I don’t bother sneaking in through the back way. My legs are sore from climbing ladders all day to reach the top shelves, so jumping the colossal wall really doesn’t appeal to me at present. And besides, I’m in such a good mood from the progress Trevyn and I made that I don’t think even one of Aunt Miranda’s sour expressions can douse the feeling.
As soon as the front door shuts behind me, Aunt Miranda appears in the foyer, having teleported straight here from wherever she’s been fuming about my disappearance. Her arms are crossed, as they often are when she is angry, and her scowl is in full force. I give her the briefest of blasé glances then head left for the stairs, choosing to stay silent to avoid kindling her wrath.
But as I push past her, her fingers curl around my upper arm. “Where were you all day?” she asks in a stone cold tone. Her grip on my arm tightens to the point that it almost hurts. I stare at her hand encircling my arm then drag my gaze to hers. She has fire in her pupils, the look of a dragon who’s been pilfered from. At any second, black wings might sprout from her shoulder blades and her teeth might turn to fangs.
I shake my arm free and walk away.
“No dinner for you tonight, Delilah,” she calls after me. Like I was going to eat with you anyways. “And your grounding term has been doubled. If you don’t want to see it tripled, I suggest you stop sneaking out and follow the rules of this house.”
I flap my hand back at her, and she lets out a sound halfway between a huff and a growl. When I pass Dylan’s room on the way to mine, I see him inside, lightly plucking at the strings of a rusty-red-colored electric guitar as he lies idly on his bed, his back propped up by some pillows. He lifts an eyebrow at me as I pass, so I know he heard the scolding I got, but then he closes his eyes, devoted to the soft music he makes. I hate to admit, even to myself, that his playing is fucking beautiful, especially because I know he still has no intention of ending my undeserved grounding by telling his mother the truth about those stolen wine bottles.
Chapter Five
Miles of Vinyls is my oasis in a desert. But already, occurrences the next day at work begin to suck it dry.
Two hours into the heat of things, the door opens with a cheery ring, and with the moving glass the sunlight swings across the floor and shelves. I look up, eager for my first customers here.
But instead I find Dylan. And behind him, Aiden.
I bite down on my tongue, hard.
“Good to see you, too,” Dylan says, eyeing me with a grimace. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were grounded. Chained up. On lockdown.” I turn up my brow at him and raise the volume of the music so Trevyn doesn’t hear us. Dylan steps back, raising his brows in turn. “I— we ,” he says, motioning between him and Aiden, “got permission to be out.”
“Oh, is that why he was sneaking into the house at 7:45 yesterday morning?”
Dylan scratches behind his ear and in resignation says, “I told you. Mom doesn’t like him.”
“Because he gets you into trouble?”
“Something like that.” I glance at Aiden, but his face is unreadable.
“The only reason I’m grounded is because I took the fall for him,” I say as I stab my finger into Aiden’s chest. He rubs the spot and gives me an apologetic look.
“I’m going to get you ungrounded,” he promises.
“I really don’t give a shit,” I snap. “I couldn’t care less that I’m grounded. I’m here aren’t I? A whole lot of good it did.” I push my lips to the side and pretend to focus on the screen of
Similar Books
