Read Online Untraceable by S. R. Johannes - Free Book Online Page B

shoulder. “Hey, you up for a game night tonight? Haven’t hung out in a while. I need to get my revenge for the last time we played Scrabble.”
    I pretend to fiddle with the little boxes of impulse buys on the counter. “You seem pretty confident for someone who lost.”
    “Persistence is a state of mind.”
    “So is crazy .”
    “You would know.” He widens his eyes. “Anyway, it’s not about winning. It’s how you play the game that really matters.”
    I roll my eyes. “Yeah, right. You don’t believe that anymore than I do.”
    He flashes me a wide Cheshire-cat grin and shrugs. “Yeah. I know, but it sounded real sportsmanlike. So are we on?”
    I check my watch. Break time. “Can’t. All I can think about when I get home is food and bed.”
    His gaze turns soft for a brief moment. A few uncomfortable seconds pass between us until he breaks through the awkward silence. “Okay, maybe next time then?”
    I straighten a stack of invoices, trying to hide my disappointment that he’s leaving again. “Uh, yeah … sure. I’ll call you.”
    His face flushes a bit as if he’s hot, and he abruptly heads for the door. “If you’re lucky, I’ll answer.” He waves over his shoulder without looking back. As he walks out, he rubs the back of his head, which tells me he’s smiling. Somehow, even when I can’t see his face, I know exactly what’s going on just by his gestures. I know him that well.
    After Wyn leaves, a mixture of emotions stirs around inside me. Why is it guys always seem cuter after you break up? In Wyn’s case, he’s never been hot cute , just adorable cute. But mostly, I’ve always digged his sense of humor. He makes me laugh even when I don’t want to. On paper, we’re probably the perfect pair. A comfortable blend. So different, not alike in most ways, yet still go together somehow. Like peanut butter and jelly or cookies and milk.
    I rubberneck out the window, watching him kid around with shop owners as he passes them on the street. It’s funny how people act when Wyn’s around. The men slap him on the back as if they’ve always been great friends. And the women smile and giggle. Wyn makes everyone happy. And when he’s around me, my world is brighter even if it is upside down.
    Just then, a little dark cloud rolls through, and her name is Skyler. She sneaks up behind Wyn and covers his eyes with her hands like a bad game of guess who . Doesn’t she have a life? When he spins around, she gives him her best fake smile. I swear, she even sticks out her boobs.
    Maybe I should have punched them harder.
     
    ~~~~
     
    I sit at my usual booth in the diner and wait for Mom to bring my double order of caffeine and Cinn-O-Bun. Chrome booths with cracked yellow seats fill the large space. A long counter is off to one side of the room, ending at the kitchen, while a buffet borders the far wall, filled with potato salad, mac and cheese, and jellos and puddings. Even though the diner is old, it’s usually packed this time of day. After all, it’s the only place in town with decent food. And that’s not saying much.
    Mom finally strolls up with a pencil over one ear and a tray on her hand. Instead of taking my order, she slides a plate full of real food in front of me and annoyingly pinches both my cheeks. “Eat up! You’re getting too skinny.”
    I scoff at the ridiculous comment. “You’re not eating with me?”
    She stares at the top of my head, unable to lock in eye contact. “Can’t, too busy.”
    I duck around, trying to capture her gaze. “You want to hear about my session?”
    Mom smiles at someone as they walk in the door. “Be right with you!” Then she addresses me. “Can it wait until later? I’m slammed today. We’re a person short.”
    I mumble, “Sure.”
    I try not to look too dejected, but before I even answer, she scoots off to take care of her patrons.
    Only instead of waiting on tables, she walks back into the kitchen and starts chatting with Kenny, the