Keenan's dark eyes burned. He played with the zipper on his bomber jacket, short jerks, up and down, up and down, extending his tattooed hand toward her. In his palm, he held the silver snake ring.
Lyla couldn't breathe. She forced one thought to her lips and said with conviction, "You're not real."
SNAP. Suddenly Keenan's head went sideways, dangling at an odd angle over his shoulder.
She gasped, "Not real." But her eyes told a different story.
His skin appeared shrink-wrapped to his skull. His lips had withered to reveal gray gums and crooked teeth. He seemed to be decomposing right before her eyes.
A drinking glass crashed to the floor behind her. Aubrey knelt and picked up the broken shards.
When Lyla looked back, Keenan was gone. She could breathe again.
Headlights washed the window. Lyla was relieved to see Darcy's car pulling to the curb. Her hands shook so badly she could barely untie her apron. She peeked out the window to the area of the sidewalk where Keenan had stood only a minute ago. He had vanished.
"Good night, Frank." She headed for the door, her heart still racing.
"That's your friend out there?" he asked.
"Yep."
He waved good night.
She felt relief when she got into Darcy's car. "For a burned-up ginger, you look a thousand percent better." Lyla smiled. "Just one tiny scab on your nose."
"So what is wrong with you?" Darcy fumed, "What's with the radio silence?"
Lyla checked her phone. It was dead. "I forgot to charge it."
Darcy rolled her eyes. "Here." She tossed her phone charger at her friend.
The moment Lyla's phone came to life, dozens of texts from Darcy appeared, all about Jack and Carissa's fight.
"So, how could you let your phone die when the biggest story of the century drops?!"
"Is it true?"
"Yeah, it's totally true." Darcy steered the car away from the curb.
"Carissa cheated on Jack with one of her brother's friends?" Lyla gasped.
"And I heard he wasn't even that cute. Talk about being desperate for attention."
"Was she high or something?" She couldn't make sense of the story.
"Sucks to be her, but it's awesome to be you," Darcy smirked.
"Love your confidence. Wish I had some."
"This is your big chance, girlfriend. The door's wide open. And there's a big-ass welcome mat with your name on it."
Maybe Darcy's right-ish.
A broad smile raised Lyla's cheeks.