Page 43 of Styx & Stones

“Maybe. Now, do you wanna go or not?”

“What do you mean ‘Do I wanna go?’”

“It’s a pretty straightforward question, Stones. Are you going to let me kidnap you and take you to Disneyland, or am I going to drop you off at school?”

“School or Disney? Those are my options?”

“I’m going to Disneyland. You can’t stay here, so you either take my hand and we can have the adventure of a lifetime, or you can go to class and have to sit through detention. What’s it gonna be?”

“We can’t just go to Disneyland. How will we get there?”

“Dad’s truck.”

“You’re going to drive to Disney?”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because it’s a million miles away.”

He pulls his phone from his pocket and taps at it. “Turns out it’s four hundred and eight miles. Longer if we go through Big Sur.”

“Why the hell would we go through Big Sur?”

He shrugs. “’Cause it’s my birthday and that’s where I want to spend it.”

“You’re insane.”

“Probably. Now, are you going to take my hand or not?”

This is madness. “My parents will kill me.”

“Saves the cancer from doing it.”

“That’s not funny.”

“No, it’s not,” he says, all traces of humor gone. “Neither is regretting that you didn’t take my hand when you had the chance.”

I throw my head back and stare up at the ceiling. “I must be certifiable.”

“You do have that look about you.” Styx grins. I kick at his shin, but he backs away and gestures for me to hurry up. “Last chance.”

I place my hand in his and he grips it tightly and yanks me to my feet. “Thatta girl.”