Page 99 of Just Forever

He’s never late.

In fact, he’s generally almost obsessive about being on time. Something about having to skate laps when he was late to practice when he was a kid. I tug the sleeves of my coat lower and rub my hands together. I forgot my gloves, so my fingers are freezing.

It’s a welcome sight when Ryker rushes around the corner, jogging toward me. He’s wearing a pair of jeans, his coat is unbuttoned, and underneath it he’s wearing the cream cable-knit sweater his mom gave me for Christmas this year. He’s also stolen my favorite woolen beanie at some point. The level of remorse is clearly zero for that, because when he sees me, a bright smile appears on his lips.

“Sorry I’m late,” he says once he reaches me. And then he hugs me. Right there, in front of people and all. It’s something he’s started doing ever since that night at the diner.

My heart is trying to beat itself out of my chest. His lips brush over the shell of my ear.

“We need to hurry if we want to catch the movie,” I manage to get out.

His eyes shine, and there’s something luminous about his smile tonight. It’s almost as if he’s glowing.

“I want to show you something,” he blurts.

“Okay? Right now, or…?”

He glances toward the movie theater as if only now remembering it’s even there.

“Now would be good. If it works for you.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You’re being weird.”

He just laughs at that.

“Come on.” He drags me to the subway with no further explanation.

He spends the whole train ride smiling to himself and humming under his breath like some six-foot-three reincarnation of Pollyanna.

We get off the train in Brooklyn, which isn’t our usual haunting grounds, so I honestly don’t know where we are exactly, but Ryk seems to be familiar with our surroundings. He confidently takes a left and starts to walk.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“You’ll see in about five minutes. The subway is really close, which is convenient,” he says brightly.

“Uh-huh. That’s nice.”

We walk in silence for a little bit.

“It’s a nice neighborhood,” Ryk says then. “Did you see all the trees?”

“Did I…” I shake my head and try to not look as weirded out as I feel. “Yeah. Lots of trees for sure.”

“There are a couple of great bars and restaurants around here,” Ryk continues. “And access to the park.”

I stop walking, and it takes him a moment to realize I’m not next to him because he’s busy praising the virtues of prewar architecture.

He turns around and raises his brows at me in question. “You okay?”

“Areyouokay?” I counter.

He sends me a dubious look. “Perfect.”

I’d argue that, but in the end, I just shake my head and catch up to him.

It only takes us a few more minutes of walking before we stop, and he smiles at me. I look around the quiet street, trying to figure out what I’m supposed to be seeing. By all accounts, it’s just a regular street in a residential area. Granted, it’s a very nice street, and the houses have the kind of elegant charm that comes with age, but that doesn’t make it any clearer what it is Ryk wants to show me.

Ryk stands behind me, takes hold of my shoulders, and turns me until I’m facing the redbrick building on my left. He waits for a beat and then marches me across the street until we’re standing in front of the house. Once that’s done, he pulls out a key and unlocks the door.

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