Page 62 of Never To Suffer

“Look out for me? You mean convince me I’m wrong?”

“No, not at all. I am only here to help you with navigating the city, translations, and procurement of necessities. When your aunt realized what your father planned, she asked me to keep you safe. Nothing more.”

“Alright, let’s get the hell out of here. I never want to see this place again.”

“Anywhere in particular you’d care to go?”

“Yeah, actually. There is. I need some pain therapy.”

CHAPTER 27

YOUNG & DUMB

AVRIL LAVIGNE, SIMPLE PLAN

I am a cucumber.No, I hate those fucking things. What else is calm and cool? Cactus? No, but maybe the cactus fits a little better. I’m not cool and I’m sure as hell not calm sitting here in the mall food court. I’m prickly and scared and I will stab someone if they try me today. Yeah, I’m all cactus, baby.

This would be easier if Xander wasn’t ghosting me. He does that when he goes on these stupid business trips, but I haven’t heard from him in like two days. It’s annoying, but it might be my fault since my phone got jacked up. Just like this mall. How did people ever find these places cool?

I’m a sucker for vintage things, and even more so when I’m a nervous wreck. Sadly, mall food courts are now considered vintage, and so are the restaurants in them. I’ve overpaid for a slice of pizza, a soda, and a side of garlic knots because it comes with memories of my mother, sister, and I all going to the mall together as kids. Mom would give all her quarters to Ren and let her watch me in the arcade. I look back at those times now and wonder how the two of us never got abducted.

Coop suggested somewhere public for me to meet up with Steve and Ethan, hoping it would prevent a Steve level global meltdown. My leg bounces so hard it’s difficult to take a drink,so I do a few breathing exercises like I watch Coop do all the time. Manifesting the outcome where all of us are happy and refocusing my energy into what I’m going to say to Steve when he finally gets here. If he shows. He better fucking show.

“Okay,” I whisper, pulling up a picture of Steve and Ethan on my phone and leaning it against my drink so I can pretend I’m talking to him. “I can do this. Here we go. Steve, I love you and I’m so glad you have Ethan, a man who fits you so perfectly and makes you happy. I’m sleeping with your ex-fiancé.”

Ugh. My shoulders slump and I cover my face with my hands and groan.

“Steve, you and I are besties, and we share a lot of…no, that’s not… shit.”

“Hey, punk bitch. Who’re you talking to?”

I grab for my phone, knocking my drink over and spilling the syrupy goodness all over the table. Thankfully, it didn’t land on anyone, and Ethan runs to get us a few napkins while Steve helps me collect the ice.

“Why did you have to sneak up on me!?” I shriek.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d jump like that!” Steve defends himself.

“Of course I’d jump, you asshole! I’m in a shopping mall, on my fourth soda, plus I had two coffees and a cookie from the pastry place already, and you snuck up on me!”

“Here, I’ve got it.” Ethan puts the napkins down, soaking up as much as he can. A janitor noticed us and comes to the rescue with a wet rag and a mop. By the time we’re done, and I’ve got another soda—which Steve said was a terrible idea, but I didn’t listen—I’m ready to give up, go home, and hide in the hope that Steve never finds out what’s going on. Fat chance.

Instead, he slides into the booth next to me and pulls me in for a big brother hug. “Okay, jump scare. Why am I here at a malllike it’s the nineties again? Wait, does this place have a music store?”

“A what?” Ethan asks, his face scrunched up and glaring at Steve like he grew an extra head. “Pumpkin, nobody has music stores anymore. Are you gonna ask me to go to Blockbuster on the way home, too? Pick up some video tapes?”

“Don’t start with me, child! Wait, did you ever even go to a Blockbuster Video?” Steve asks.

“Yes, fuckface!” Ethan shoots back.

“Only yours, baby.” Steve leans on his elbows and stares into Ethan’s eyes. I’m not sure if he’s about to kiss him or trying to read his mind. “Did you ever rent something that wasn’t animated?”

“Fuck. Off.” Ethan emphasizes each word by pointing his finger at Steve.

“That’s a no. I’m such a perv and a cradle robber. How does your mom even like me, Sweets?” Ethan rolls his eyes as Steve leans back with a sigh and takes a drink of my soda. “So, spill it, other kid. No, wait, you already did. Tell me why I’m here.”

“Uhm,” I cringe, wrapping the paper from a straw around my fingers, unwrapping it, and doing it all over again. “So, you know how, like, the world is super weird and when you think someone is cool, the world takes them away? And you’re all like, bro, that sucked, but maybe I’ll see them again someday, and you find a rock that reminds you of your friend and you keep it and?—”

Ethan reaches across the table and slides the drink away from me, eyes wide and blinking rapidly. “Enough caffeine. You’re worse than me on a three-day sugar binge.”

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