LOGINCHAPTER 91THE FAVORJake sat alone in the interrogation room, fidgeting with his fingers on the metal table. It had only been a little while since they'd been taken here, but Jake felt like he'd been sitting there forever. His nose was sore from the blow he received from Aaron, and now and again Jake gently tapped the spot to test the damage.It was cold in here, so damn cold that the chill came from the floor more than anything else. He sat back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling, constantly wondering what would happen next. The thought about the drug store, the old man, the camera in the corner which had captured everything, but most of all about Aaron.He had thought that the police would arrest them the minute they discovered what had happened. Instead, they had taken them there, separated and questioned and left Jake alone in the room.The door creaked open and Jake turned to see an officer standing there, looking right at him."Jake Sanders?"Jake straightened. "Yeah?""
CHAPTER 90THE MORNING AFTERSunlight spilled through the curtains in thin golden strips, cascading across the wooden floor before landing on the bed by the wall. It warmed the tangled sheets and one of the two figures under the duvet stirred with a groan. Jake's eyes fluttered open and his face immediately squeezed at the sudden brightness. For a few seconds, he stared at the ceiling, wondering why his entire body felt so heavy. Then the memories from last night slowly returned–Aaron’s call, the meetup at the drugstore, the blood…Gina. His head snapped to the side where Gina laid peacefully, her hair disheveled and her mouth slightly open. Then he looked toward the window where the sky outside was already bright. “It's morning already?" he muttered as he placed a palm over his eyes. “How long have I been out?" With a soft groan, he pushed himself up on one elbow, intending to climb out of bed. But before he could move any farther, an arm wrapped around his waist and slowly drag
THE BROTHERSGina's words hung in the air in the car. For a few seconds nobody said anything. Ethan looked at her in the back seat; his mind tried to process the words she had spoken.But Blake moved first; his head slowly rose. "What?"Gina tightened her grip on the steering wheel. "Jake and Aaron," she repeated. "They're at the station."Ethan's stomach felt like falling down. "What do you mean, they're at the station?"Gina looked at him through the rear-view mirror. "I don't know exactly. I got a call a few minutes ago. Someone I know at the station told me they've both been taken there."Blake immediately turned toward her. "Both of them?""That's what I heard," said Gina."Why?"Gina shook her head. "I don't know."Ethan's heart started pounding harder and harder. He already knew the reason. The footage. The drugstore. The bodies.He glanced at Blake. The jock was staring straight forward, his jaw firmly clamped. Ethan saw that his friend looked scared; but not for himself. For
CHAPTER 88A DEBT THAT NEVER ENDSJake pushed himself off the floor with a loud groan as one hand cupped over his nose. Blood streamed between the cracks, dripping down his wrist onto the kitchen tiles. “Fucking hell," he cursed, stumbling forward and crashing into the cupboard. His head throbbed from the punch and his vision blurred, distorting whatever stood before him. Aaron walked toward him, fists already clenching again. But before he could take another swing Nathan dropped between them and shoved Aaron back. "That's enough, man!” he barked. "Fucking hell, Aaron, I think you broke the bastard's nose.”Aaron grimaced, glaring past him to Jake. Grunting irritatedly, he flexes the wrist he'd punched Jake with before turning away. "Tch,” he hissed, shaking his head. "Fucking idiot's not worth breaking my hand over." Grabbing one of the dining chairs, he walked across the kitchen and dropped into it. Jake stayed where he was for another moment, the taste of iron settling in his
CHAPTER 85THE SILENCE BETWEEN USThe click of the door signaled Gina’s exit and left the apartment uncharacteristically silent.For a few seconds none of them moved.Ethan stayed frozen in the same position in front of the open fridge with one of his hands holding a bottle of water he had forgotten he was holding. His cheeks were still burning due to the recent events and every single time he glanced at Blake he could feel the heat of that kiss on his lips.Blake was not in much better shape.He awkwardly leaned by the kitchen entryway with both his hands buried deep in his gray hoodie's pockets rocking on his heels like he did not know what to do with himself anymore.Nobody spoke.Neither knew where to start.Silence grew.It just kept growing.Finally…Gina leaned against the entrance and glanced first at Ethan……then at Blake……then back at Ethan again.She sighed dramatically.“You know,” she said. “This is kind of painful to watch.”Neither boy answered.Ethan cleared his throa
CHAPTER 86A DEBT THAT NEVER ENDSJake groaned as he pushed himself off the floor, one hand cupped over his nose.Blood streamed through his fingers, dripping onto the kitchen tiles."...Fuck."His head throbbed from the punch.Aaron took another step toward him, fists still clenched, but before he could swing again, Nathan rushed between them and shoved a hand against Aaron's chest."Enough!" Nathan barked. "Jesus Christ, Aaron. Stop."Aaron glared past him, chest rising and falling violently."Move.""No.""I said move."Nathan didn't.For several long seconds, the two men simply stared each other down before Aaron let out an irritated grunt."Tch."He rolled his shoulders, flexing the wrist he'd punched Jake with before turning away."The fucking idiot isn't worth breaking my hand over."He walked across the kitchen and dropped into one of the dining chairs, leaning back heavily.Jake stayed where he was for another moment, still trying to stop the ringing in his ears.He wiped ano
UNDER THE BLEACHERSThe heavy grunts of the footballers practicing echoed across the field as Ethan dropped down on the grass beneath the bleachers. He spread his notebook across his laps, flipping through the pages as he sipped his soda. The metal beams above him rattled occasionally whenever some
DRAINING HIS FOCUS The moaning slowly faded to nothing and the steady rhythm against the wall stilled. All that remained was a silence that felt sinful after everything that had filled the space before. But even though the noise had stopped, it didn't in Ethan's head. He remained at the desk, hi
THE HOUSE DOWN THE STREET 2The name hit Ethan like a brick and he found himself choking on his own breath. His head snapped up instantly to Tom standing a few feet away. “…Huh?” was all that slipped past his lips as his eyes widened. Tom just shrugged again like it was nothing. "He met me after
THE HOUSE DOWN THE STREETThe glass door slid shut behind Ethan as he stepped into Tom's lawn. Thin sprinklers scattered lazily across the grass sent arcs of water glistening in the late afternoon sunlight, and the air held a faint smell of wet grass and mud. Somewhere over one of the fences, a dog







