Page 16 of Trapped: Between Sky And Wind

As if on command, my cell phone vibrates. Once, twice, three times. Carefully, as if it might explode, I pull it out of my pocket and glance at the display. The saved image of Ethan stares up at me. While it’s a funny pic, I see the reproach in his aqua-blue eyes. Shit! It’s a shock even though I knew he was going to call!

What do I do now? Part of me wants to pick up the phone, hear his voice, and tell him everything’s fine. The other thinks about my and Bren’s agreement: no past today. No problems or anything else reminiscent of the kidnapping. And that includes my brothers. I’ve studied those horrible notices long enough, even my own.

With an inward sigh, I turn off the vibration and put the phone back in my pocket. Ethan has to wait until tomorrow, but at least I’m not so afraid of his call now. I miss him. The feeling is suddenly there, it’s strange and confuses me. I’m sure I can calmly explain everything to him tomorrow.

“Do you have a pen?” The unfamiliar voice pulls me out of my thoughts. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Did I flinch? The guy in front of me is definitely not much older than me, but he’s a whole head taller—okay, that’s not particularly bad. With his blond curls and summer tan, he looks like a surfer from Malibu Beach. Not that I’ve ever been there!

“No, unfortunately not.” I don’t know why, but I rummage around in my pockets anyway while simultaneously hiding my own missing person notice. “Placing an ad?” I ask, more to say something than out of curiosity. After all, such ads are set up at home on the computer.

“No.” He winks at me with light green eyes and gives me a bright smile. “I wanted to get your number.”

Oh my God! Was that a joke or is he trying to hit on me? I have no idea. For a moment, I’m completely perplexed and he starts laughing. While it’s contagious, I do not join in. Brendan’s laughter was contagious back then, too!

The guy falls silent as if on command. “Seriously, no, I have a form to fill out and there’s a mysterious pen shortage at the customer service.”

“Oh!” I breathe a sigh of relief. “I am familiar with that. That’s always the case in our house too!” I’m truly naive. “I’m sure there are cheap pens in the gift shop. Or maybe they will lend you one.” Wasn’t that guy with the group of men in baseball caps earlier—in the background? Did he take off the cap or have I gone completely insane?

He looks at me curiously but doesn’t react at all to what I’ve said. “You bought a lot. Are you traveling alone?”

Something about this question catches my attention. “With Bren.”

“Who is Bren? Your brother or someone you know?” Without me noticing, he has pushed his way through the two shopping carts and is now much closer to me. His proximity makes me nervous as memories well up inside me. Bren approaching me in the visitor center while I appear to examine the repellent spray among the camping supplies.

“My boyfriend,” I say quickly.

“I’m Kyle,” he introduces himself as if he hadn’t heard the boyfriend part. “The most beautiful girls are always taken but you might change your mind. How long have you two been together?”

“Not long.” I don’t even know why I’m answering the question. It can’t really be answered and I am completely taken by surprise.

“Well, then…” He carelessly tears a piece of paper from Henry Cunningham’s notice and pulls a pen from his pocket.

I can’t help but stare at him as if I’m intellectually challenged. I don’t know what makes me angrier: the fact that he lied or that he so callously ripped off a piece of the missing person notice. He holds out the paper with Henry’s face and the pen. Kyle Hanson is written there in gold letters—his name for sure! He must think he’s irresistible.

“Perhaps you’ll write down your number for me?”

Perplexed, I reach for the piece of paper, but only to save it from him or to write fuck you on it.

“What’s going on here?” The voice behind me sounds cold and angry, sending goose bumps scurrying down my spine. I turn on my heels and see Bren less than three feet behind the shopping carts.

Chapter

Four

His facial features are rigid as if cast in bronze. He glares at Kyle as if he wants to kill him.

“Oh, you must be Bren.” Kyle, seemingly unimpressed, laughs, but it looks like he’s baring his teeth. “Your girlfriend is writing her phone number down for me just in case…”

“In case what?” Bren’s eyes flicker like fire between Kyle and me. “Lou? Fill me in.”

“I had no intention of giving him my number,” I defend myself indignantly, but the paper in my hand makes me seem unbelievable. How could he even think such a thing? This is completely absurd!

Bren juts out his chin. “You’d better get going,” he says to Kyle in an unnervingly low voice. “Just in case you want to get out of here in one piece.”

“Calm down, buddy! We were merely talking!”

“Talking? Tell that to the wind!”

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