Page 103 of Forged in Rain

“Where?” I grumble. I’ve been busting my ass to bring up my grades, and Mr. Trimble finally took pity on me. I think I’ll pass, assuming something monumental doesn’t happen in the next few weeks.

“Party,” she says, and I sigh.

“Can’t you go without me?”

“Nope. Besides, you don’t want to stay here.”

“I don’t?”

“No. C’mon Rain, it’s a party, not an execution.”

“With you, I have a hard time believing that,” I say with a pointed glare.

“Fuck. One shoot-out and you’re holding it against me.”

“I can’t believe I’m even having this conversation with you.”

“For real.”

She blows past me, and dropping my bag by the door, I follow her out the door with a frown. She’s dressed to impress tonight, with her customary tight, short dress. I’m still in my school clothes, and I glance down at my skirt and shirt with a fatalistic shrug.

Once we’re on the road, she glances at me and back at the road twice before I finally say, “What?”

“Nothing.”

Hmm. After a few blocks, she pulls over and puts the car in park. There are residential homes all around us, and nary a party in sight. At least, not that I can see.

“What—”

She slashes her hand through the air and exits. I go to follow, but she grabs my phone, miming for me to leave it. Warily, I drop it on the console and exit, rounding the front of the car.

“What’s going on?”

She pulls me down the street, and I spy a park, empty at this time of night. We find a bench, and she sits, fiddling with her fingers as she gazes over the jungle gym.

“Iris?”

Slumping, she says, “I don’t know what to do, Rainy.”

“About what?”

“I’ve been trying to figure out what happened to John, and it’s like he just disappeared.”

“Well yeah, wasn’t that the point?”

“Yes, but only if he’s dead,” she says, rubbing her face tiredly.

“Iris, he hasn’t come back. Why wouldn’t he, if he’s alive?”

Slowly she shakes her head, and my soul withers. I know it’s stupid, but with every day he doesn’t appear, my hopes for him staying gone for good rise exponentially.

“Iris, does Jagger know about John?”

“No. I didn’t tell him. I’m not stupid. They hated each other, but Jagger needs John.”

“Why?”

“Because John had all the contacts. John was the one finding the girls. He was an asset.”

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