Page 22 of Lost Boy
Golden Boy is going to notice for sure.
I grab my skinny black jeans with the rips down the front and shimmy into them, pulling them over the swell of my ass. I leave my shirt on because I don’t have many and don’t need to waste another, even for a party tonight. I’ll just wear this.
I don’t care.
I stop in the bathroom to do my business and wipe some of the smeared eyeliner from under my eye, careful of the bruised skin on one side.
I’m ready for this black eye to go away. I don’t need the added attention. At least my uniforms are supposed to arrive on Sunday, so I won’t have to spend another week standing out in all black. I finger-comb my blue and black hair as best I can and head downstairs.
Ryder and Sofie are laughing and smiling at the table when I walk into the dining room. There are about ten Chinese food containers set out and an empty plate and chair next to Ryder, with Sofie on the other side.
I slip into my seat quietly before Ryder can tell I’m unsteady.
“Fallon, the egg rolls are sooo good,” Sofie mumbles around a mouthful of food. She swallows the lump and takes a drink of lemonade. “Sorry. We were starving and couldn’t wait. That was my first bite, though. You’re not late. Here.” She shoves the container of egg rolls at me and pushes a little packet of sauce across the table.
I can’t remember the last time I had takeout Chinese food. Especially all of these options. I grab my egg roll and scoop up decent-sized portions of what Sofie and I picked out, but I eye the chicken dish covered in broccoli and cashews. I haven’t tried that before, but it looks good.
Ryder notices but doesn’t even say anything. Just adds a scoop of white rice to my plate and a huge scoop of his cashew chicken. I try that first and end up devouring the entire portion before touching anything else.
“Nice, dude. This and Kung Pao chicken are my favorites. It has peanuts instead and is kind of sweet and spicy.”
I nod, agreeing that would be good too.
Sofie giggles, nearly choking on her egg roll.
“You okay?” Ryder asks like he’s two seconds away from jumping across the table and giving her the Heimlich.
She nods, taking a drink of her lemonade and laughing more. “Sorry. You guys just. . .” She trails off into more giggles. “You just really like nuts.”
There’s a beat or two of silence.
“In your mouths!” she shouts and then erupts into peals of high-pitched laughter with her head thrown back as she tips onto two legs of her dining chair.
Ry’s chair scrapes back from the table as he stands abruptly. “You little shit!” he yells back, and I’m not quite sure what’s happening. I’ve never had siblings.
Her chair drops back down, and she hops up too.
“Ry! Don’t! I’m too full! Please don’t!”
I’m drunk and confused and just keep eating, watching the show in front of me.
Ryder chases her around the table.
“Don’t! I’ll throw up egg rolls all over you! They have shrimp in them too!” Ryder visibly shudders but doesn’t stop, easily snatching his little sister up and tickling her relentlessly. She squeals and pleads, and he stops after less than a minute.
“Don’t say the wordnuts, Sofie. If another guy besides Fallon heard that, I’d have to beat them up.”
Sofie giggles at that. “You don’t beat anyone up, Ryder!”
I can believe that. The golden boy is always happy.
“Doesn’t mean I won’t or I can’t. Now let’s eat. Fallon and I have a party to get to.”
“I’m coming to Cole’s too! Jenna and Katie were invited by juniors, and they’re bringing me.”
“No way, Sofia. You’re fourteen. You are not going to a party with a bunch of eighteen-year-olds, and Jenna and Katie shouldn’t either.”
“Okay, Dad.”
