Chapter 9
Dreaming, Dreaming
I walk toward the cafeteria still stewing over Zander’s response to my question about the weird taste. I don’t believe him. His odd reaction to my questions, and generally ridiculous answers, has been under my skin all day. Zander is probably right about this having something to do with getting closer to my sixteenth birthday. The part he’s lying about is what he knows. That was pretty obvious.
The problem is, if I keep asking him about it, he’ll avoid the questions even more, maybe even start avoiding me. I wouldn’t want that on a normal day. With Ivy around, I can’t let that happen. I huff in irritation, completely stumped on what to do.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Ketchup asks as he falls in step with me.
I glance over at him, unsure of what to say, but glad he appeared. In my head, I know this isn’t something I should discuss with him. Words that will brush off his concern form on my lips, but I can’t say them. There is so much banging around in my head that if I don’t let at least some of it out, I am going to explode.
“I think Zander is lying to me about something,” I blurt out before I can change my mind.
Ketchup looks a little surprised that I actually told him, but he doesn’t let that stop him. “Lying about what?”
Now I balk. How on earth do I explain this without sounding like a total nut job? “I, well…um.”
Ketchup stops walking, his hand on my arm forces me to stop as well. I can’t meet his eyes. I knew it was stupid to say anything. A gentle hand under my chin pushes me to look up. Ketchup’s stern expression is both surprising and welcome.
“Van, I know you’ve got some weird stuff going on. I figured that out a long time ago.” His hand softens as he slides his hand to rest on my cheek. “If I wasn’t good with weird, I would have bailed already. You can tell me. I can handle it, okay?”
He seems so sure. I’m not nearly as confident, but my earlier argument wins again. I need someone to talk to. “Okay,” I say slowly.
Ketchup smiles, looking quite pleased with himself.
“I keep tasting this weird taste, and I asked Zander about it and he acted really weird and gave me some lame answer about it being normal, or whatever, but I knew he was lying because he got all tense and shifty, which made it pretty obvious he didn’t want to talk about it with me, and that’s really freaky because we don’t keep secrets from each other ever, and if he won’t tell me it must be really bad and I don’t know what to do about it,” I say all in one breath, too scared Ketchup will walk away before I can finish.
I breathe in slowly and wait for Ketchup’s reaction.
Frowning, he asks, “What kind of weird taste?”
It takes me a moment to speak after his mild reaction. In my head that sounded like a whole string of random, crazy crap. He doesn’t even bat an eye.
“Um, it’s kind of…well, it’s hard to explain. It’s not really any one taste I can identify. It’s like old socks and water that’s been sitting around for too long, like gross puddles mosquitos like to lay eggs in. And rotten food. It’s just gross.”
Ketchup thinks a moment before responding. “And you’ve only tasted it around Zander?”
“So far,” I admit, “but I have a feeling it’s not just about him.”
“And he won’t explain it?”
I shake my head. “He basically brushed me off when I asked. That’s not like him at all. That’s what makes me think it means something bad.”
YOU ARE READING
Wicked Hunger
Teen Fiction“Save him and hurt him, don’t save him and hurt him. Pain, either way. Delicious pain. Hunger will be the only one that wins. Hunger always wins.” Vanessa and Zander Roth are good at lying. Their whole life is a giant web of deceit made in an effor...
