Page 9 of Fall of Us
“You aren’t afraid of heights, are you?”
Joe’s question snapped me from my thoughts. Both he and Aiden were watching me expectantly. My neck warmed realizing that they had been carrying on an entire conversation, thinking that I was paying attention.
“Why does it matter?”
Aiden laughed and pointed to the giant building behind me. “Because I was just telling Joe that I’ve never been to the top.”
Ah, the Space Needle. A lot of locals had lived in the area their entire lives and never gotten a ride on the infamous elevator. Myparents had taken me there a few times when I was a little. On extra special occasions, the restaurant at the very top was their favorite place to dine.
When I was around eight, Andrew came along. I was irrationally afraid that my glasses would fall off and land on someone below, so I never got too close to the edge. It was such a weird fear, but it had stopped me from enjoying the trip. Andrew and I had gone again when we were fifteen, which had been a different experience entirely. I hadn’t been as afraid. Instead, I had been fascinated by the couple making out along the railing, and my only desire was to do the same with the boy who had come with me.
“I’ve been up there a few times. The elevator isn’t free, though.”
Joe shrugged. “My treat. Come on, let’s show Aiden.”
I stared at Joe. If anyone had it rough after school, it was him. He’d gotten his degree in business like I had, but didn’t have a game plan. His parents had said that he needed to figure out his shit because he couldn’t just move back home. His sister had taken pity on him, and he was currently living out of her basement. But Teresa was a single mom. Joe didn’t have a job. How the hell was he paying ninety dollars for all three of us to get to the top? But I didn’t question it.
Aiden grinned at Joe when Joe wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Part of me wanted to bow out and let the two of them have their space, but I needed the distraction for some reason. Something was itching at me, and I didn’t feel like scratching itright now. We made our way to the ticket booth, and I tried not to dwell on my friends and their money issues.
“Did you know he was into photography?”
Andrew shrugged as he took another bite of nachos. He licked his fingers clean and, like an idiot, I sat and stared as each digit passed between his full pink lips.
“I mean, it’s not like we know Aiden all that well. He’s only just started hanging out with us.”
He had a point, and I tried to turn my focus back to my food. It still bothered me that Joe had spent so much money at the Seattle Center today. After the Space Needle, we’d gone over to the Pacific Science Center. I tried to pay for myself on both occasions, but he refused. He said nothing about his ability to suddenly afford expensive things. It was a little concerning.
“I’m worried about Joe.”
Andrew paused with a chip hovering over his mouth. “He knows what he’s doing with Aiden. I think he does, anyway. It’s not really any of our business.”
I gnawed my lip for a moment and then nodded. “That’s not what I mean, though.” How did I explain it? Whenever we went anywhere, we took care of Joe. If we went to a bar, for example, we’d pay for the drinks. It’s caused problems on several occasions. “Did he get a job recently?”
Andrew raised an eyebrow and shoved the chip into his mouth. He picked up a napkin to wipe his hands, and I lamented the loss of the opportunity to watch him lick his fingers again.
“Not that I’m aware of. He hasn’t mentioned anything. Not that Joe talks about anything personal very often.”
I nodded in understanding. He wasn’t wrong.
I went back to my food, picking up a taco and taking a bite. His eyes were still on me the entire time, burning a hole in the top of my head. It wasn’t my place to bring it up, but I didn’t keep things from Andrew, either.
“He just did some unusual spending today, was all.”
Andrew’s shoulders relaxed. “Is that all?”
Is that all?That was all he had to say about the matter?
Maybe I worried about people a little more than I should sometimes, but it had been more than a little off.
“Like I said, it’s probably not important.”
I got another suspicious look before we went back to eating our dinner. It was funny how I’d gone out today to get my mind off Andrew, but then we still ended up spending the evening together. How could I get him out of my head if he was always around?
Chapter 7
Andrew
The bell above the door rang, and Mrs. Davis glanced up from the register. Her long brown hair was pulled into a braid today that draped over her shoulder. Her glasses slipped low on her nose and she grinned when she saw me coming into the store.
