Page 55 of Soul So Dark

“Not really,” I smile, ready to squash whatever assumptions she has about my future plans.

“What do you mean?” She furrows her brow. “I thought you all just got that big contract for the subdivision they’re building outside of town. That’s a big deal.”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s just that, um, I just decided that I’m joining the Marine Corps after graduation.”

Lori arches her brow, and I can’t tell whether she’s impressed or disapproving. “I had no idea, Jordy didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah…” I wasn’t planning on broaching the subject with anyone for a while, and now I realize I should’ve just lied. “I still need to tell her.”

I also didn’t know that this was information I’d need to formally tell Jordy at all. A drunk lap dance in Leland Wiltshire’s barn turned into prom, which turned into a situationship, and now apparently, we’re at the point of notifying one another of our post-graduation plans one year from now.

The floorboards creak in the hall and a few seconds later, Jordy appears, her long blonde hair straightened to shining perfection, framing her smoky eyes and pink glossy lips. She stops in the doorway and looks at me expectantly.

“Ready?” she asks, popping her hip to show off her black lace bustier that’s basically a bra instead of a shirt and makes her tits look twice as big.

“Yeah.” I immediately rise, taking the opportunity to escape before more of my business has a chance to spill out across the cracked linoleum.

A minute later, we’re safely in my car and on our way to Mason’s house for his Fourth of July party—also known as any excuse to set off a bunch of explosives. A private helicopter pad in the middle of a field has more than one use during this time of the year.

We’re not two miles down the road when Jordy’s phone vibrates. She looks down and lets out a huff before she starts furiously typing out a text.

“Is that her? We just left.”

“I know,” she mumbles, not looking up.

It’s fucking weird, and even more irritating. Jordy can’t stand her mom, and Lori does nothing but pick apart everything Jordy does. Yet, neither of them can handle not speaking to each other for more than 10 minutes.

“You know how you fix this? Don’t answer.”

She shoots me a look like I should know better. “You know that wouldn’t work.”

“It would for me,” I smile. “I’m a simple man.”

“You know how she is,” she rolls her eyes, “I can’t do that.” Suddenly, she scowls at her phone. “And I just got a text that they got fuckingAliciato come back and choreograph our routine for cheer camp!”

God, if I hear any more about Dire Ridge’s former cheerleading captain, Alicia Moreno, and her alleged vendetta against Jordy, I’m going to puke. Alicia graduated this year, but apparently, she’s making one last appearance to make Jordy’s life hell. She and Jordy despise each other, but I don’t know why, nor do I care.

I keep driving down the long straightaway, whipping past walls of honeysuckle while Jordy finishes typing out whatever bullshit will pacify Lori for another hour or so. But when I glance over the console, her smile is gone and she’s staring down at her phone through slitted eyes. Finally, she looks up at me scornfully.

“You son of a bitch.” Her jaw tightens and the veins in her neck pop. “When were you going to tell me that you’re joining the Marines?”

???

The weathered Stihl box has been sitting on the shelf in my closet for years, banished to the cobwebs since I was finally able to buy my own games and consoles. I tear open the flaps and do a quick inventory. The original PlayStation is still there, packed with stacks of games and a couple of controllers.

It was my dad’s, which is hilarious to think about now. Back then, it was a rite of passage; he gave it to Adrian, who played with it until he gave it to Luca, and then Luca finally gave it to me. Now it’s just an artifact of what used to be. But, now, I’m giving it to Dallas. Another decision I’m making that no one can say a goddamn thing about.

Yeah, she’ll love this.

I grab my backpack and dump the contents out onto my bed before shoving the entire console inside along with the games and controllers. I can’t wait to see the look on her face. It’ll be almost as good as the one she had when she watched me climb out her window while Colson was banging on her door.

She’s probably never even kissed anyone before.

I’m not usually impulsive. It was fucking stupid, but I don’t regret it for a second. I’ve since stopped worrying about Sydney running off and telling Colson. She likes me more than him, anyway. Plus, if anyone had to see me walking away from that house, I’m glad it was her. She won’t say shit because she has a few secrets of her own tucked away in that mansion hidden in the trees.

I hear the gravel crunching outside and know it’s Aiden’s Lexus coming down the driveway.Perfect,I smile to myself as I sling the backpack over my shoulder. We’re meeting Mason, Rory, and Josh at Colson’s to go hunting. As soon as I collapse into the front seat and shut the door, Aiden hits the gas and spins the car around, spraying gravel into the brush. He guns the engine and slingshots up the driveway to the road where he speeds off toward the Lutz’s house.

“If you don’t stop that, Adrian’s going to scatter shrapnel in the driveway,” I say, loosening my grip on the grab handle.