Page 17 of Stop and Seek (Our Childish Games #1)

The quiet was weird. Strained. Hanging in the air like it was supposed to be filled words or at least some fucking noise .

Theo fumbled with his pants, his hand sticky. There wasn’t anything to wipe it on except his shirt. Kinda gross.

Noah didn’t say a damn word.

When Noah finally placed the glasses back on Theo’s face, he relaxed a little. One less thing to worry about, and they weren’t damaged. Thank god.

He adjusted the frames so they sat right and shoved his hair behind his ears.

“Don’t pull that shit again,” Theo muttered.

“Which part?”

Theo rolled his eyes and looked over.

Noah’s annoying ass smirk and tan face were enough to regret every second of whatever the fuck just happened.

He wasn’t sure if he did or didn’t quite yet, and that was the worst feeling.

“Which part, Theo? Because if it’s the sexy parts? I got some bad news for you. Twice is kind of a pattern.”

Wow .

Theo narrowed his eyes. “Don’t take my things. They’re not some accessory, I need them. It’s not funny.”

“Noted.”

The hallways looked fucking haunted . No lights, no sound, deserted as shit. Had anyone ever produced a horror movie in an abandoned school? Probably, but he’d never ran across it. It was kind of a badass idea.

Theo’s phone buzzed and he grabbed it from his pocket.

11:45 p.m.

Rachel, no doubt. Always checking in. She worried way too much. He should start replying to every text with a “yes mom.”

Theo unlocked it, swiping down to see his text messages.

Maybe I get another Brownie pic.

2169970991

idk what happen w/ you earlier. im in town for my dads bday. think about talking to me. one hour is all im asking.

Theo didn’t realize he’d stopped walking until Noah turned.

“Did you forget something?” Noah asked, his laugh too loud in the emptiness. “Besides a liter of body fluid. Doesn’t count.”

“Ha ha,” Theo deadpanned, barely paying attention.

Don’t start. Do not start.

He could physically will himself to stay alright.

Everything was still okay.

Jagger wasn’t in the same room.

Theo trashed the message and shoved his phone back in his pocket.

“You look like shit again, Theo,” Noah murmured.

“Leave it alone. ”

Noah threw his arm over Theo’s shoulders—god, even that weighed a ton.

“Can do! Do you have plans tonight?”

“No,” Theo said. Dry enough to kill the conversation.

Didn’t work.

“Are you going home?” Noah asked.

“ Yes .” Theo sighed. “You’re fucking sweaty, man,” he added, shrugging off Noah’s arm.

The last thing he needed was to run into Alyssa with Noah hanging on him. He already smelled like sex and Noah’s citrus cologne.

Alyssa wouldn’t let him live it down. She’d have way too much fun teasing him. It’d hang over his head like a fucking noose for days.

Speak of the devil, and he will appear.

Except, Theo’s devil wore the tiniest black shorts and glittery makeup.

Theo opened the front doors and she ran at him—full speed—her platforms clomping on the pavement.

“ Oh my god ,” Alyssa screeched. “Where have you been? I was literally about to like, peace out without you. Look, look!” She held up her hand, shaking the red band on her wrist. “I like, got super lucky! I caught six people. Six!”

“Congrats,” Theo said. “Glad you did your job.”

She punched his shoulder.

“Buzzkill,” she muttered, her eyes floating up to Noah. “Did you get lost too, Golden Boy?”

“Totes lost,” Noah replied. “I’d still be wandering around if Theo hadn’t found me. ”

Theo shot him a glare, and Noah’s smirk just curled more into his cheek.

Noah raised an eyebrow.

Dared him to say more.

“Where’s Max?” Theo asked, shifting the conversation before Alyssa got any ideas. “She leave already?”

“Yeah, sad day.” Alyssa made a mock-crying motion, rubbing her eyes with her fists. “She took Benji to the twenty-four hour urgent care.”

“Damn, is he okay? What happened?”

Alyssa fished her phone out, fiddling with her bangs before flipping the screen toward Theo.

Max

can u let kyran know i have to split?

Alyssa

yes!! *snugs* are u coming back? *pleads with u with tears in my eyes*

Max

maybe. benji ran into a locker or w/e idk. i think his nose is broke. :/

Alyssa

T~T

The cutesy asterisk talk made Theo’s soul cringe. He couldn’t read anymore without physically wanting to bleach his eyeballs.

“I smacked into tons of shit,” he said as he pushed the phone back to Alyssa. “I never broke anything, though. Dented a locker once. ”

“My toe hit the recliner and shattered like, two bones.” She looked up at him, punching his shoulder again when he snorted. “Everyone’s not made of freaking steel or titanium, babe. Some of us are like, actual humans.”

“Benji’s a klutz,” Noah chimed in. “I think it has to do with the glasses. It’s another one of those patterns . You know, Theo? We talked about those.”

Theo couldn’t narrow his eyes any further.

Fuck hitting Noah—he was going to kill him.

“Um like, where are the rest of the details for that story?” Alyssa asked, her neck swiveling between the two of them.

Noah held up both hands in mock innocence. “Theo’s funnier than me, let him tell it.”

Theo shoved his glasses to the top of his head, scrubbing his face until it hurt to touch. If he pushed hard enough, maybe he’d disappear from existence.

This fucking guy.

I’ll bury his body where no one will find it.

Alyssa’s foot tapped the ground. Slow at first. Growing in speed with her impatience.

“I’m waiting.”

Theo chewed on the inside of his cheek.

He didn’t say shit.

Neither did Noah.

“You know this makes it look really bad, right? Right? Boys?”

“Alyssa, can you just take me home?” Theo blurted out as he slid the glasses back into place. “Please?”

This was none of Alyssa’s business. Not even fucking remotely. But with Noah’s cryptic one-liners, she was going to text him nonstop. Begging for more information. He pushed him into a corner even bringing it up. Did the word subtle not exist in Noah’s vocabulary?

Fuck it.

Theo regretted everything .

“Uh… alrighty.” Alyssa blinked. She jerked her head towards Noah, but Theo kept his lips sealed shut.

She sighed. “We—”

“Why don’t you check on Max?” Noah interrupted, his happy-ass voice grating. “Benji’s a pussy with blood, and she’s probably ready to throttle him. I can take Theo home.”

No you will not.

Excuse you, what in the hell?

“Are you Alyssa?” Theo asked through gritted teeth. “Don’t think so.”

“Like, you don’t think that comes off as kinda clingy?” Alyssa twirled her hair around her finger, glued to her phone again. She wasn’t listening. “I don’t wanna annoy her.”

“I promise you won’t,” Noah said, and Theo had to ball his hands into fists to keep from launching at him. “Max is sweet, but she won’t tell you when she needs company.”

“Miss, like, independent,” Alyssa giggled. “Oh my god, are you sure? ”

“Yeah. I’ll text her and let her know you’re on the way.”

Alyssa turned to Theo.

Come on. See Ms. Perfect some other time.

Then she clapped her hands together, eyes huge and pleading under the fake lashes and layers of eyeliner. Her whole act was enough to make Theo waver, and the longer she whispered “please,” the worse he felt.

Theo slapped his arms at his sides.

“Bitch,” he huffed.

Alyssa let out a squeal, pulling him down to her so hard his spine cracked.

“I won’t skip out next time! I swear. I love you! You’re the best.”

“Yeah, yeah. Go have fun, or whatever,” Theo grumbled, patting her head.

Alyssa bounced on her heels before she skipped off to the back of the lot, and Theo exhaled.

This can’t get any fucking weirder.

Noah was leaning against his damn, shiny car, the most triumphant look plastered on his face. He folded his arms over the top and grinned. Held out his keys like a fucking trophy.

Walking twelve miles home in the dark?

No thanks.

Theo had no choice.

Again.

“You turn into a cherry when you’re embarrassed. It’s hella cute.”

It was the first thing out of Noah’s mouth.

The first one, and they’d been driving for ten minutes .

No hey sorry for before or maybe I should’ve told you we fucked in the bathroom earlier.

Nothing.

Other than Noah’s catchy playlist in the background, it had been quiet.

Theo stared, stunned into silence.

When he opened his mouth, the only thing that came out was a half-strangled, “Fuck you.”

“I mean, I’m totally up for that. I didn’t get off.”

“Holy shit, Noah.”

Noah flashed him a grin, thumbing his lower lip. “You could give me road head as a thank you. Selfish.”

“I’d have to like you for that. Do you think about anything else?”

Noah inhaled air through his teeth.

“That stung. I think about other things sometimes.” He shrugged. “I’d pay to see you do webcam. Throw me your link when you set it up.”

The tiny hairs on the back of Theo’s neck stood up.

“Fuck you,” he repeated, quieter the second time.

The car rolled to a stop at the light, the muted sound of tires crunching against the shit asphalt twisting his stomach. He jammed his finger on the window button, rolling it down, but the hot air didn’t help.

Why wouldn’t it turn fucking green ?

They were the only car on the road.

Out of the three stoplights in all of Eunice, he had to be stuck at the one that took the longest .

Noah glanced over and the smug grin slid off his face. “It was a joke, Theo. I’m sorry. Did I say the wrong thing or..?”

“Just forget it,” Theo mumbled. He set his chin on his hand and looked out the window.

The crickets and cicadas were too damn loud. They still had a couple months until autumn came around and the bugs went back to hell where they belonged.

Noah took a deep breath, his voice soft.

“Why’re you such a miserable person?”

The words hit sharper than they had any right to.

Theo’s throat tightened, and he kept his gaze fixed out the window when the light changed, watching the empty, colorful buildings crawl by.

Miserable.

Yeah, no shit.

Like he hadn’t figured that part out already.

He was fucking trying . He wasn’t Ethan or Rachel.