C I N: "Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin. You never come out the way you went in." (The C I N Series) by Christina Leigh Pritchard

felt weird not being able to touch him. I wanted to pick him up and squeeze him tight to my chest. He’d probably have a heart attack. Poor, crazy dog…
    My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and finally I could see my surroundings. There was a shelf on the wall just like in Ally’s room and a recliner chair. In it, it looked like a man sat sleeping. Impossible . Where was I? Was it Alex?
    “Alex?” I whispered. The man’s head jerked up. He lifted his hand and turned on a reading lamp above his head.
    It was Alex.
    “What?”
    “How’d I get in here?”
    “Would you rather sleep in Ally’s room with her?”
    “No, I—”
    “Then just be happy already.” He turned on his side and closed his eyes.
    “What about the chickens?”
    “Done, go to sleep.”
    “I can’t. Did I sleep outside all night?”
    “No.”
    “Well, who brought me in here? It wasn’t you, obviously seeing as you don’t touch people.” I crossed my arms. This was one question he was going to answer. I was sick of him ignoring me and bossing me around.
    “Lisa, do you really want to get in an argument over how you ended up sleeping in a bed instead of outside in the dirt?”
    “If I have to, then yes. I would like to know.”
    “Who do you think put you in my room? Do you think that Ally or Millie could possible lift you?”
    “You don’t have to talk down to me.”
    “You’re like a child. Why is the sky blue, why is the grass green; why, why, why. I carried you in here.”
    “I kind of figured…” I rolled over onto my side so that my back faced him. “Why’d you break your ‘no touching’ rule?”
    “You looked cold.”
    “You could’ve just brought me a blanket. That wouldn’t have violated your rule.”
    “Do you always talk so much?” Alex looked up. He flipped the switch and light filled the room. “Why can’t you just—”
    “Have you ever had a girlfriend before?” I doubted it. He was harsh and didn’t seem to be interested in anything. Was he so smart that all he thought about were his studies? That would be sad. I couldn’t understand people like that. Didn’t they want to have someone to hold hands and cuddle with? I sure did. I would be happy to have the dog hug me! My standards had really suffered since coming to Lynn.
    “Why would you ask me that? Do you want to be my girlfriend?”
    I jerked back, shocked. “I was just trying to get to know you.”
    “Well, if I wanted to tell you something I would.” Alex leaned forward in his chair. “Can’t you just let things happen?”
    “I’m waiting very patiently for Pig to let me pet him. So, yes, I can wait.”
    “Do you want a boyfriend? Is that why you’re asking me this?”
    “It’s just that you can be so obnoxious sometimes and blunt that I was curious if you treated your girlfriends that way, too. If you ever had any, that is.”
    Alex grinned. “I guess I should find myself a girlfriend. Will that get you off my back?”
    “No, I was just curious. Why’s it so difficult for you to answer a simple question? I get a response for maybe one out of five inquiries. It’s so annoying.”
    “When school starts I’ll get a girlfriend and then I will be able to answer you.” He turned out the light again and I knew he was done with our conversation.
    “You’d have to touch her.” I threw the blanket over my head. Pig didn’t like that too much; me covering my whole body—disappearing underneath the covers. He grunted and let out a sigh.
    Ally pounded on the bedroom door. “Lisa, you have a guest. He says you are supposed to go out with him today.” She stomped down the hall. “All these visitors are really getting to me! My life used to be so simple; now with that girl, it has turned into an avalanche of people and drama.”
    I had to admit, I didn’t understand a word she said. I think she was trying to say I was messing up her routine, but with Ally you never could be sure. I crawled out of bed and Pig followed me down the