it, a half-smile makes its way to my lips and I wink.
Carmen is the only one from our group I’d actually spoken to before the infection. We were never friends, but I was friends with her kid brother. James. He was a year younger than me, but we’d met at Saturday school. We got into a lot of trouble together.
Carmen was the older sister who glared at me when I came over to the house and accused me of being a bad influence on her baby brother. She was a senior at the time and heavier. A lot heavier. Insecure and unpopular. But the protective thing made me like her. Probably because I’d never had anyone to be protective of me. James didn’t know how lucky he was. Anyway, I had to work my ass off to charm Carmen, but by the time the infection hit she’d stopped being rude to me. We were actually together for the first few months. Carmen and me. Not James. The virus took him down so fast it made my head spin.
I swallow even though my mouth is empty. Two years is a long time, but not long enough to make me forget. Probably never will.
I ignore the lump that won’t quite go away and give Carmen a big grin. “Mac had to go home and face the music. He got a tattoo while we were in town.”
“Mac?” A smile turns up Carmen’s lips.
Roz starts rubbing my shoulders, and even though it feels good, it makes that annoyance creep up on me again. I ignore the urge to push her hands away and focus on Carmen. I want to help Mac out, but I don’t want to embarrass her.
“I think he’s trying to impress someone.” I turn my eyes on my dinner, keeping my face blank and my voice even.
Kyle snorts. “Who? You? I always knew he had a thing for you.”
Just like that, heat fills my body. I swear to God it feels like Speed Racer is making his way through my veins. My head snaps up, and my eyes narrow on Kyle. He sits up straighter and meets my gaze. He’s bigger than me, but I’d be willing to bet all my cigarettes I’ve been in more fights.
“Shut up, Kyle!” Viki’s voice is high and her eyes wide as they dart back and forth between Kyle and me.
Roz stops massaging my shoulders and Carmen frowns. But Clay—that little freak—has a huge grin on his face. I bet he would’ve been one of those kids in school standing off to the side yelling, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” while two guys beat the shit out of each other.
“You got something to say to me?” I spit at Kyle. My blood reaching boiling point as I get to my feet and take a step toward him.
Kyle gets up and cracks his knuckles. I swear to God, he actually cracks his knuckles. I have to choke back a laugh when he steps closer, but I don’t stop the smile that curls my lips.
Carmen jumps up. “Kyle, cut it out.”
Her eyes narrow when she glances back and forth between us. She focuses on me and bites down on her bottom lip, hard. I’m not sure if she’s worried about me getting hurt or about how badly I’m going to hurt Kyle.
She shouldn’t be worried about me.
I flash her a smile before taking another step toward Kyle and focus all my attention on him. “You sure you wanna do this? I’ll kick your ass.”
Kyle smiles and nods, not even batting an eye. He’s confident, but stupid. He thinks he has the advantage just because he’s bigger. He’s wrong. I can take a beating. Course, nobody knows that but me.
“You know Mac’s in love with you,” Kyle sneers, an evil smile lighting up his face.
I flinch. I can take him trashing me, I grew up with it, but Mac has never been anything other than nice to Kyle. Plus, everyone knows Mac’s into Carmen. Kyle is just being an ass.
“You know that’s not true.” My jaw clenches so tight it comes out like a hiss, the words pushing their way between my teeth.
Kyle just grins like he’s enjoying himself. Sadistic prick.
It makes me think of Rick, and inside me, the heat grows as everything turns a brilliant shade of red. I ball my hand into a fist and swing without warning, landing a punch on
Carmen is the only one from our group I’d actually spoken to before the infection. We were never friends, but I was friends with her kid brother. James. He was a year younger than me, but we’d met at Saturday school. We got into a lot of trouble together.
Carmen was the older sister who glared at me when I came over to the house and accused me of being a bad influence on her baby brother. She was a senior at the time and heavier. A lot heavier. Insecure and unpopular. But the protective thing made me like her. Probably because I’d never had anyone to be protective of me. James didn’t know how lucky he was. Anyway, I had to work my ass off to charm Carmen, but by the time the infection hit she’d stopped being rude to me. We were actually together for the first few months. Carmen and me. Not James. The virus took him down so fast it made my head spin.
I swallow even though my mouth is empty. Two years is a long time, but not long enough to make me forget. Probably never will.
I ignore the lump that won’t quite go away and give Carmen a big grin. “Mac had to go home and face the music. He got a tattoo while we were in town.”
“Mac?” A smile turns up Carmen’s lips.
Roz starts rubbing my shoulders, and even though it feels good, it makes that annoyance creep up on me again. I ignore the urge to push her hands away and focus on Carmen. I want to help Mac out, but I don’t want to embarrass her.
“I think he’s trying to impress someone.” I turn my eyes on my dinner, keeping my face blank and my voice even.
Kyle snorts. “Who? You? I always knew he had a thing for you.”
Just like that, heat fills my body. I swear to God it feels like Speed Racer is making his way through my veins. My head snaps up, and my eyes narrow on Kyle. He sits up straighter and meets my gaze. He’s bigger than me, but I’d be willing to bet all my cigarettes I’ve been in more fights.
“Shut up, Kyle!” Viki’s voice is high and her eyes wide as they dart back and forth between Kyle and me.
Roz stops massaging my shoulders and Carmen frowns. But Clay—that little freak—has a huge grin on his face. I bet he would’ve been one of those kids in school standing off to the side yelling, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” while two guys beat the shit out of each other.
“You got something to say to me?” I spit at Kyle. My blood reaching boiling point as I get to my feet and take a step toward him.
Kyle gets up and cracks his knuckles. I swear to God, he actually cracks his knuckles. I have to choke back a laugh when he steps closer, but I don’t stop the smile that curls my lips.
Carmen jumps up. “Kyle, cut it out.”
Her eyes narrow when she glances back and forth between us. She focuses on me and bites down on her bottom lip, hard. I’m not sure if she’s worried about me getting hurt or about how badly I’m going to hurt Kyle.
She shouldn’t be worried about me.
I flash her a smile before taking another step toward Kyle and focus all my attention on him. “You sure you wanna do this? I’ll kick your ass.”
Kyle smiles and nods, not even batting an eye. He’s confident, but stupid. He thinks he has the advantage just because he’s bigger. He’s wrong. I can take a beating. Course, nobody knows that but me.
“You know Mac’s in love with you,” Kyle sneers, an evil smile lighting up his face.
I flinch. I can take him trashing me, I grew up with it, but Mac has never been anything other than nice to Kyle. Plus, everyone knows Mac’s into Carmen. Kyle is just being an ass.
“You know that’s not true.” My jaw clenches so tight it comes out like a hiss, the words pushing their way between my teeth.
Kyle just grins like he’s enjoying himself. Sadistic prick.
It makes me think of Rick, and inside me, the heat grows as everything turns a brilliant shade of red. I ball my hand into a fist and swing without warning, landing a punch on
Similar Books
