Under a Silent Moon

34

Chapter Thirty-Four: A Much Better Place

ZACK

Lana falls asleep in my lap under the flourescent lights of the waiting room. At this point, we aren't sure what we're waiting for. Amanda is still unconscious, and the rest of her family won't go home. Her mother is half-asleep in a corner chair, and Blake's at the vending machine again. He saunters back into the room with four Kit-Kats in his hand, distributing one to each of us. Their mom waves hers away, and I take two for Lana and I.

I am absolutely not hungry, at least not for chocolate, but I make a show of unwrapping the candy and taking a large bite out of it. I stuff the rest into my pocket, trying not to disturb my slumbering girlfriend.

I'm unsuccessful.

Lana groans faintly and rubs her eyes as they adjust to the blinding lights. When her eyes meet mine, she smiles. The smile fades as quickly as it appears, though, as she remembers where she is.

"Amanda . . .?"

"Still asleep," I reply soothingly, running my fingers through her hair. "Why don't we get you home so you can sleep in your bed? Not that I mind you on my lap."

She chuckles half-heartedly and raises herself into a sitting position. "No, I'd rather stay here with Blake."

"The both of you should go home," her mom pipes up from across the room, inhaling sharply. "We can't help with anything right now. I'll keep you updated." She looks at Blake when she says the last part.

"No," Lana says too loudly from beside me. Her mom shoots her a glare that says: Don't even start.

"I think Mom's right," Blake sits down across from us, unwrapping his candy bar. "When Amanda wakes up, we'll come right back."

The word if comes to mind, but I immediately suppress it.

Lana opens her mouth to protest but decides better of it and nods at her brother. Blake goes over to talk to their mom about something and I hand Lana her own candy.

"I'm not really hungry," she says, but I still unwrap it.

"It's so delicious, though," I say, wafting it under her nose, so close to the point that it's almost up her nose.

This makes her laugh and she takes it from me. She makes a scene of taking a bite, chewing, and swallowing. "Scrumptious," she says happily and hands it back. I shove it into my jeans next to my own half-eaten bar, now having a full pocket of melting chocolate.

I insist that I join her and Blake back at their house. As we walk to the cars in the lot, I pull Blake aside and tell him that I think he and I should talk to Lana; that I'm worried about her. Blake understands without me having to go into detail and says, "Follow us back."

Lana rides with me, busying herself with her phone in the passenger's seat. I glance at her a few times, wanting to break the deafening silence, but the right words don't present themselves to me.

After a couple minutes of driving down the darkening highway, Lana says something so softly I almost miss it.

"People are asking about her."

"About Amanda?" I say, reaching to grab Lana's hand but replacing it back on the wheel when I see she isn't paying any mind to me.

She nods, scrolling through social media.

"Someone is starting a rumor that she's dead."

"Jesus," I say, shaking my head. If people minded their own goddamn business this world would be a much better place.