Page 27 of The Fate Of Us

Crap.

My legs stagger up the last step, catching my breath as I spin to face the boy I was tryingto hide from. My eyes are clamped shut, like it’ll help me be invisible, but it’s no use, as I creak one eye open and see Nate in his yard. Too smug a smile on his face for my liking.

He’s always cocky around me, says it’s because I’m the only person on the planet whodoesn’t make his chest hurt or his anxiety attacks flare up. But it’s the type of cockiness I can handle. Not like a Jimmy Cavanaugh from the grade above us type of cocky.

A sweet one. If that’s even possible.

It suits him.

“What’s in the bag, Addy?”He questions without hesitation, somehow knowing that’s what I was trying to hide from him. Am I that readable to him?

“None of your business.”I shoot back, brushing my frizzy curls over my shoulder.

“I’ll give you the answers to the algebra questions if you tell me.”

“I know the algebra answers.”I scoff, leaning over the wooden handrail.

“Liar.”

I flatten my still-sweaty palms on the beam.“How do you know I’m lying?”

A laugh splutters out of him.“Because you’ve asked me for the answers every week sincewe moved eighth grade.”

I mean… he has a point. But I shake my shoulders, a giggle quipping my lips.“I don’tknow what your—”

“It’s a dress, isn’t it?”

The giggles waiting to leave my mouth stop altogether, my lips gaping and my suspicionsabout Nate being a mind reader only growing more serious.

“Why? Wanna try it on?”I retaliate, stropping back down the steps and heading for him.

“Nah, cream isn’t my colour.”A devilish smirk curls up his face, making him glow rightalong with the sunset bouncing off the side of his house.“But thanks for telling me what’s in the bag.”

My eyes morph into slits, channelling some of that fire I keep hidden for moments likethis.“Okay, FYI, it’s ivory, not cream.”He lifts his hand and pulls a face, muttering ‘same thing’ under his breath. I knock my hip to the side.“Do you want me to spend your birthday with you or not? If you keep up the attitude, I can have other plans in minutes.”

He stumbles closer to me, dropping his head, but not well enough that I don’t catch himsuck in a breath, and his eyes squeeze shut for a moment. Like he has to recharge that confident energy he says I spur on.

His head pops back up a second later, grin in full force.“I don’t think—”

“Adaline?”A deep, rigid voice calls from behind me, the way my stomach nose-dives to my toes, telling me who it was without having to turn around. But I knew he’d only shout again if I didn’t.

I tried not to let how scared I was shine through in my features, as I turned to face my dad.

He was standing at the top of the porch steps, looking down at us with a face that couldgive thunder a run for its money. The quiff of his hair was always the same, a deadly auburn mountain peak, the strands of whites and greys like snowy walkways dropping from the summit.

His intense gaze shifted to me as he leaned over the handrail.“Where’ve you been? Youpromised you’d be back two hours ago.”

I pulled at the plastic between my fingers, my head knocking to the side.“Dad, I told youI was—”

“I don’t want the excuses, Adaline.”he boomed.“These lines need learning.”

I feel my heart join my stomach somewhere in the abyss, a sigh rolling through my body. Ithink I’d rather sprint to Santa Monica and back than run lines for another stupid callback. I bet I could write scripts better than these fancy writers.

Nate would agree.

“Let’s go.”Mydad calls again, the fire in his eyes burning darker.

I drop my eyes from him, getting lost in the browning grass that clearly wasn’t enjoyingthe drought the neighbourhood had been stuck in, before daring a glance over my shoulder, my eyes landing on Nate.

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