Page 23 of Lost Boy
I don’t miss the flash of hurt that tears across Ryder’s expression, and neither does Sofia. I don’t know where their mom is, but I know they have a nice father. Still, it must be a sore subject in the family.
“Sorry, Ry,” she mumbles, lowering her head, her brown curls covering her face.
“It’s fine, Sofie. Just finish dinner, yeah?”
“Yeah,” she agrees, and they sit down, and we eat quietly. Even though the numbness is taking over, I can feel the shift in the mood.
“We can playMortal Kombattomorrow, Sofie,” I tell her, not liking it when she’s sad.
She darts those pale green eyes up to me, smiling softly. “Thanks, Fallon. For sure.” And then she grabs a little round ball of dough rolled in sugar crystals. “Chinese donut?” she asks, and I take it from her, stuffing the entire thing in my mouth and humming at the taste, making her giggle.
Ryder is smiling when I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. He hasn’t noticed I’m drunk or mentioned that he knows it’s my birthday tomorrow. This food is also delicious. Maybe tonight won’t end up being so bad after all.
CHAPTEREIGHT
RYDER
Fallon is drunk. He can’t fool me. Even though he barely talks, I don’t miss the glassy sheen to his eyes, the waver in his steps on the way to the table, or the slight smell of whiskey on his breath before we started eating.
After we clean up, Sofie informs me she’s going to watch Netflix in her room and read. She looks disappointed, and I hate that, but there’s no way a freshman girl needs to be at Cole’s party. And now I feel a responsibility to watch her two friends while we’re there.
Great.
Once she’s left and Fallon and I are walking down the hallway toward the living room, I grab his arm, pausing before we get there. I crowd his back and lower my lips to his ear. “I know you’re drunk. Don’t deny it. I told you not to drink in front of Sofie,” I nearly growl, causing his body to shiver. I’m a happy-go-lucky guy who likes to joke, but I also need to be taken seriously.
Fallon shrugs away from me. “I’m not drunk. Get off my case.”
“Yeah. But you were drinking.”
“So. It was in my room. She didn’t see or notice.” He folds his arms across his chest and raises his chin.
Oh. I see. It’s like that.
Fallon got some liquid courage. Better keep my eye on him tonight too.
I stalk forward until he’s pressed completely against the wall, hovering above him with my height and peering down into his stormy ocean eyes. His arms pressed against my chest.
“I told you not to,” I repeat, and he pushes against me.
Fallon swallows roughly, reverting to his silence, and I worry I lost him when I was just starting to get through to him. Get him to talk, show me who he is.
“Don’t do it again,” I tell him, my eyes zeroing in on the silver hoop he’s always chewing on.
I’m staring again, and Jamie isn’t here to tell me to stop.
“Okay,” he whispers. My eyes dart to his, but I can’t quite see them all the way.
Without thinking, I reach up and swoop a lock of blue hair back with my fingers, tucking it behind his ear.
Shit.
Why did I do that?
“Couldn’t see you,” I whisper back and watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows thickly. I don’t think I’m the only one affected by our close proximity.
I can’t get enough of him.
The tension between us ebbs and flows. His aura is intoxicating, and I want so badly to push through the fog surrounding him and find him. Pull him out and to the other side with me. Bring himhome.
