Apex

19 | parasite

I slumped back against my pillows, closing my eyes and hoping sleep found me soon. I had the day off from work tomorrow and was hoping to hike, knowing that a walk in the woods always helped clear my head.

At some point, I must've slipped off into a dreamless slumber because when I opened my eyes again, the clock on my nightstand read 1:05 AM instead of 10:30 PM. The window was still open, and maybe that was why I could hear a sound from the street - a car door closing.

Blinking away the heaviness of my eyes, I rolled out of my bed and walked over to the window. My driveway was too long and winding to see the street, so I wondered if it was Syd coming home late. When he wasn't working at the theater, he was palling around with Allix, Dakota, and Brenna, though I liked to believe they weren't having too much fun without me.

If my instincts were half as good as I thought they were, then Allix and Dakota were at each other's throats again. I knew their relationship wouldn't return to normal until Allix found it inside herself to be honest with him about her five-month-absence. I didn't know the entire truth, but they were different. They were supposed to be on the same page, and I bet hanging out with them left Syd with a massive headache. Or maybe that was just what I needed to tell myself to feel better about keeping my distance.

Regardless of the answer, I was intrigued by whoever was outside and slid on my Birkenstocks. I made sure to leave the front door unlocked before venturing down my driveway. My eyes were quick to adjust to the dark as I walked, and soon I saw the car and its driver. Unfortunately, it wasn't Syd, or anyone else in my realm of consideration.

Leaning against the passenger side of his red Chevy pickup truck, the guy appeared to be only a few years older than me, with a dark buzzcut and his blue eyes flickering in the light from the cigarette dangling from between his lips.

My gaze dropped to the camera hanging from around his neck.

Paparazzi.

I'd only ever seen them on screen or in magazines, following around the rich and famous. However, they were usually middle-aged white men with sideburns who wore black baggy clothes. They were also never this handsome.

"Hey," he greeted, raising his camera. "You're Maud Hamilton."

"And you're trespassing on private property," I said coolly, wanting to keep it quiet that I knew this truck.

It was the same truck from Providence Point, the one that nearly hit Allix at the crosswalk, and the one from the banquet. More importantly, though, was the fact that the truck's reappearances weren't a figment of my imagination. It was real. Allix was about to get served one steaming cup of I told you so.

The guy's lips twisted into a dazzling smirk. "I'm not in your driveway."

I folded my arms in front of my chest, feeling a spark of irritation, and decided that I wasn't in the mood for coy games. "Are you going to take my picture or not?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"What's your name?"

"Zachary Healy."

Processing the unfamiliar name, I dragged my foot across the line where the gravel of my driveway met the road. "What are you doing at my house, Zachary?"

"I thought you were going to be the nice one," Zachary taunted, dodging my questions as he blew out a cloud of smoke. "The one who would accept my help if I chose to offer it."

The nice one? I wondered who wasn't the nice one.

"Well, you're wrong," I shrugged. "I don't need or want your help."