Olive Juice

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            "So, are you coming?"

"What?" I look up in surprise.

Wyatt stands beside me, chopping carrots. It's our night to cook dinner and it's the first time he's spoken a word to me since the argument at Sync. He ceases dicing to look me in the eyes. He repeats his question with palpable frustration. "Are you coming or not?"

I stare at the pile of grated cheese in front of me as if it holds the answer to his inquiry. "Where to?"

He groans and resumes chopping. "The store. I know you didn't forget about the store."

I didn't forget about the store; I just thought it wasn't an option anymore. Wyatt is mad at me. Landon is in love. A trip to the store will most likely bring more heartache than answers.

"Oh, I thought you didn't want to go anymore," I reply.

Wyatt throws his knife down. It clatters on the floor. "You're the one that backed out on me. I never said I didn't want to go. I'll do whatever it takes to solve a mystery and you know that."

"Is everything alright over there?" Terrence calls out from the living room.

"Yes. Just dropped my knife. And we're out of tomatoes. Olive and I will go get some more," Wyatt says.

"Hurry back. I'm crazy hungry," he complains.

"We'll be back before you even notice we're gone." Wyatt retrieves the knife, slides it into his boot, and heads out the door. I follow, but not without making uncomfortable eye contact with Gianna first. Disapproval embedded in her face.

I wait until we're a safe distance from the Lodging before I ask the question that's burning my tongue. "Why'd you bring a knife?"

"I don't know, maybe because the last time we met Mia she nearly killed you," he answers, bitter sarcasm dripping from his every word.

"But you wouldn't actually stab her, would you?"

"Of course I would."

"You don't think that's too violent?"

"It's a last resort. Calm down."

His explanation doesn't leave me feeling any safer. We continue down the road in front of our Lodging, past the bus stop.

"We're not riding the bus?"

Wyatt skids to a halt. "I can't do this. If you're going to question me the entire way to the store, I'd much rather you turn around now and let me do this on my own before I get really angry."