Fighting the Fall ✔

Chapter Twenty

"Try it!"

"Yeah, taste it!" Bishop crawled up onto the bed and over to me, rarely blinking as he watched my face.

I knew they were proudest of their job with the tuna so that's what I started with. It was finished after the fifth spoonful. I scraped the spoon against the plate in a desperate attempt to get a sixth. "Whoa."

"You liked it?" McKenna asked.

To prove it to them, I brought the plate up to my face and stuck my tongue out toward it.

Laughing, McKenna snatched it from my hands. I knew she would. "That's gross."

"Don't make it so good next time, then."

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she left with the plate.

"Now the oranges!"

"All right."

McKenna returned. She and Bishop helped me finish the fruit, and a glass of water for each of us completed our breakfast.

After they left the room, I threw on some dark jeans and my favorite button-down shirt. It was blue, like my room. The walls, the comforter... Blue, like the sky.

A memory resurfaced.

In my mind, I was back at that park, lying on the grass... lying beside Lydia as we stared up at the light blue sky.

Every little thing reminded me of her. There was no fighting this.

I smiled and finished up with the last button. My phone vibrated on my desk a second after.

JOSHUA: Mi casa. Seis esta noche. Be there.

Bossy.

ME: Good morning to you, too! Thanks for the birthday wishes. :)

I could almost see him rolling his eyes at my sarcasm.

JOSHUA: Of course. ;) Happy birthday, bro.

ME: Thanks!

So far, eighteen felt just like seventeen.

JOSHUA: Talk to me. Tell me about your date! Did you maybe, perhaps, I don't know... score a hole in one?

ME: ...

JOSHUA: You did, didn't you? Heck yes! Proud teacher moment!

JOSHUA: I have to congratulate her. This is a cause for celebration!

JOSHUA: No!

JOSHUA: Ah, crap. I wasn't serious!

ME: What?

JOSHUA: I might have accidentally texted her just now... saying congratulations...

I won't even bother asking.

ME: If by "hole in one," you mean your foot in your mouth... Nope. You did that for me.

JOSHUA: In that case, Mr. Smart Mouth, 7pm detention for you. Be there.

I wondered what exactly he had planned. I had an idea, but it was too vague for me to be satisfied. I resisted the urge to question him, though, deciding to simply wait and see. He wouldn't tell me anyway.

Jewel seemed to be waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. As soon as I reached her, she began to purr and then meow.

"She's saying happy birthday," Bishop said.

I crouched down and petted her soft, gray fur. "Thanks, Jewel."

She meowed again at the sound of her name.