"I don't think you understand the severity of the situation," I said, my face mastering the same kind of childish disinterest that Maverick always wore during a long lecture in Pre-Calculus.
"I don't think you understand the situation at all,"...
I sat down on the concrete rim of the statue that lumbered over the school's courtyard, staring up at Maverick as suspense blazed like an inferno in my chest. He stared at the ground for a moment, looked up, and then reverted his eyes again. "Lacey wants to help us."
I let out a breath and slumped over slightly. "With what?"
"You know what she wants to help us with and you know why, too."
I nodded, my expression grim. Maverick gave me a sad face, pouting so much I nearly laughed. "You don't like her, do you?"
"No," was all I could say. She wasn't a bad person, I knew that, but she irked me to the core.
"Why?" he asked.
Because she obviously likes you and I feel like you'll fall for her. I won't have a chance.
"Because she doesn't like me. Anyone who doesn't respect me doesn't deserve my attention."
Maverick smiled, impressed. "Fair rule, but I need you two to get along."
"Why? She's only joining because she likes you," I slapped my hand over my mouth. It had slipped out without my consent, like laughing when you're being tickled.
Maverick's face hardened visibly, his jaw tight with a retort he was obviously biting back. "I'm tired of people saying that."
"Why? Because it's true?" Another uncontrollable bout of anger forced the words out of me. I couldn't even react I was so upset with myself. Whatever my mind was doing, it most certainly wasn't controlling my mouth.
"Because she's nice. Lacey is friendly, maybe not toward you, but toward everybody else. You two are polar opposites."
"Gee, thanks."
"What?"
"It's good to know that she only hates me."
"I didn't say that!"
"Then what did you say?"
"I said 'Lacey is friendly, maybe not toward you, but toward everybody else'. . . Oh . . ."
"Can we just drop the topic? I'll welcome Lacey if she contributes to the investigation," I resolved, crossing my arms and pushing myself up from the fountain's edge.
Maverick threw an arm around my shoulder and smiled. "I knew you'd come around."
"Did you?" I raised an eyebrow, smirking. He nodded and we began strolling through the parking lot.
"Maverick," I said. "One more thing. Do you like Lacey?"
He let out a small laugh and shook his head, though I knew that didn't necessarily mean no.
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Life with Lacey was horrible. It became almost impossible to suppress a gag when she hit on Maverick, stroked his shoulder, breathed in general. When she strutted into the shed like a queen, the energy was sucked from the room. The effect seemed to only be on me.
I could no longer count the times on my fingers when she tried to convince us to give up our search and live like normal teenagers. Asher simply replied with, "If you wanted to be a normal teenager, you shouldn't have joined."
I had never agreed with him more.
Finals week was rolling up like a tidal wave, too. We were so busy that we didn't have time to visit each other any more. Despite that, the Sheriff wouldn't stop checking up on us. Maverick even texted me saying that he thought that he saw him by the shed from his bedroom window.
We couldn't call the police—he was the police. The only way we could really get it sorted out was to hire a lawyer, and all of us were broke enough as it was, so we figured that so long as he didn't find anything out from his little escapades he wasn't harmful.
It felt odd knowing that my friends and I were seemingly the monster's main target, though. Maverick, Asher and Knox could handle themselves, and I got a sense that Victoria was tougher than she let on, but it didn't matter. Whatever was in those woods wanted us and would stop at nothing to achieve its goal. Anything that fell under its touch could catch fire. Humans were no different, really.
It had already taken so many lives from the town. A few more would be mere child's play.
My phone buzzed and I was ripped from my thoughts.
Band of Meddling Kids (Victoria Excluded): Knox: I made a new group chat without Victoria. What are we doing for her birthday? Maverick: Taren and I were thinking a surprise bday party Me: Yeah but idk what we're going to get her Asher: we need an amazing gift for an amazing girl
Message Deleted
Asher: it has to be good Maverick: yeah...ok. We can't do it today tho. Hockey practice. Ya'll want to come Asher: can't Knox: studying for finals Me: I might be able to. How long will it be? Maverick: maybe three hours but you don't have to stay that long. It starts at 4:00 Me: 👌🏻
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I arrived at the rink, cold and slightly wet from the snow, and found a seat high in the stands. Maverick was already on the ice with his team, skating, passing the puck to one another.
I could do nothing but watch him. His team was irrelevant to me at the moment, though they were pretty good, but Maverick was really the only reason I came. Hockey didn't interest me unless he was in the game.
I couldn't control my eyes as they tracked number twenty-seven on the ice. He made score after score. I couldn't help but smile when he did his little victory dance after each point and would look up in the stands at me.
It wasn't until the end of the game that something went wrong. Maverick passed the puck to one of his teammates, skated around the wall to the other side of the net and was body checked by a player from the opposing team. There was a loud crack and he fell to the ground, unconscious.
I felt the bile rise in my throat and stood up quickly, speeding down the stairs and to the lobby. A paramedic was called and Maverick was rolled out on a wheeled bed.
I prayed to the Lord that whatever was in the woods would spare Maverick this time.
