Float

Original Edition: Chapter Nine

The next morning, Rachel dropped me off in town and I made a beeline for the ice cream parlor. It took me a moment to realize that one of the two people standing behind the counter was not supposed to be back there. Lena and Jesse, who looked startlingly identical when they were both wearing the same shade of blue, were engaged in a clearly tense conversation. If it weren't for the small bell tied to the front door, I doubted either of them would've noticed me enter.

Both their heads snapped towards me at the same time.

"Hey guys," I greeted. "Did you coordinate outfits today or something?"

"Waverly!" Lena and Jesse both exclaimed at the same time. I cowered back a little as Lena hurried around the cashier's desk and Jesse launched himself over it. Both of them came thundering at me and Lena grabbed my shoulders.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying not to yawn again.

Eight o'clock in the morning was far too early to start work.

Or be attacked by a pair of freckle-faced twins.

"Do you know anything about what happened between Blake and Alissa last night?" Lena demanded.

"Um," I trailed off. Should I tell her that Alissa had texted Blake and he had gone over to her house? No, probably not. That would just open up for the question why, exactly, I had been hanging out with Blake in the first place. And I really didn't need Lena and Jesse figuring out that Blake was giving me swim lessons at the public pool. So I said, "Nope."

"I told you she wouldn't know," Jesse told Lena.

I narrowed my eyes at the twins. "Know what?"

"Why Alissa sent me a text saying she was taking a personal day," Lena said. "Whatever that means."

"So you think it has something to do with Blake?" I asked the two of them.

Jesse opened his mouth to speak, but Lena beat him to it.

"Of course!" she exclaimed.

"Ethan's at work today and I already asked him if he knew what was going on," Jesse explained. "He said he didn't. And Blake's not at work or answering his phone, so..."

I frowned.

Last night, I had fallen asleep while it was still light outside. I hadn't heard whether or not Blake had returned home at all. He probably hadn't. Just as I started to imagine what could've kept Blake Hamilton over at Alissa's house all night, I heard the soft ding of a bell behind me. Lena immediately put on her best polite smile for the customer. But as she turned towards the door, her smile was replaced by an annoyed frown.

"You!"

I spun around.

My heart stuttered for a beat before coming back to normal—if you consider a heart beating like a bongo drum under the hands of a very enthusiastic drummer to be normal.

Blake stood in the doorway. 

He looked exhausted. His shirt was wrinkled like he'd slept in it. Maybe he wasn't a morning person—or, maybe he'd endured an exhausting night with Alissa.

Just as the last thought entered my mind, Blake's eyes met mine.

I was saved when the twins charged him and began the interrogation.

"Where were you last night?"

Blake's eyes flickered over Lena's shoulder and met mine.

I shook my head.

"Why do you need to know?" Blake asked.

"None of your business," Lena snapped. "So, where were you?"

Blake smirked and shot back, "None of your business."