Trailing Stars (Trailing Stars #1)

Chapter 9

He's already turning and walking away before I can respond, leaving me with my hand outstretched like I'm waiting for him to come back and take it. Clara glances between us, and I quickly lower my hand before she can comment on it. But all her attention is really on Nathan.

She smirks at his retreating back. She waves at me without taking her eyes off Nathan. "Give me a second."

Clara runs to catch up to Nathan, throwing her arm around his shoulders. I slowly follow, watching them from a distance. Nathan starts hissing at Clara, and she smiles and laughs in return. Cute... I remember doing something similar...

My hand brushes against the phone in my pocket as the thought settles in my mind. I feel the color drain from my cheeks, the sudden cold jarring. The next thing I know, my phone is in my hand and I'm already pulling up Morgan's Messages.

Morgan: What are you up to?

Me: What do you want?

Morgan: How do you know I want something?

Me: Because you're you.

Morgan: Fair point. I need to give something to Jason.

Me: Cool. Go do it.

Morgan: I need you to do it.

Me: Why?

Morgan: Because I'm busy.

Me: Doing what? You don't do anything.

Morgan: I just need you to do it.

Me: I don't know. I don't have any plans to die.

Morgan: Jason won't kill you.

Me: After what happened at the lake? You don't know that.

Morgan: Just do it. Please?

Me: Fine. Say nice things at my funeral.

Morgan: Only the best for my twin.

"What are you reading?"

"Nothing." I'm already shutting off my screen and shoving my phone in my pocket, the heat rushing back to my face. Clara's eyes widen. When she gets over the surprise, her eyes narrow, and she glances at my pocket. I take a deep breath and even out my voice. "Just something I like to read."

"Looked like texts."

"They were."

"From who?"

"No one."

Clara narrows her eyes even more. "Really...?"

No. "Yes." Morgan isn't no one to me.

"I know you're lying, but..." She glances at my pocket again. "If you say so..."

I face forward, avoiding her gaze. We follow Nathan in silence. I know Clara wants to say more, but, thankfully, she doesn't.

When we reach the landing to the apartment above the café, Nathan is already setting the gifts out on the table along with the gift bags. I freeze when he takes out the keychain. Please don't say anything about Morgan's name... His gaze briefly brushes over it before he takes out the other gifts. Thank god. The keychain is the first gift I place in a bag.

"This is cute," Clara says, picking up the snow globe. "Who's it for?"

"Kate," I say.

I can't make myself look at Clara in case she still wants to talk about what I was reading. Even if she doesn't, the potential of her wanting me to bring up Morgan makes my heart beat a little faster. So I put all my energy into writing "Dad" on the bag I put his gift in.