Page 27 of Cover Up

He was just being kept at a distance.

“Weird what?” Linc pressed.

Felix dropped his foot and sat back again, hugging himself. “It wasn’t a date, but we spent some time together.”

“Fucking?” Linc asked.

Felix scowled. “Dude. Does that make a difference?”

“It might to him,” Linc defended, then relaxed back against the seat. “Hey, sorry. I, uh…I’m way overstepping.”

Felix shook his head and rubbed at his temples. His brain was struggling, feeling a bit like static again, but he couldn’t tell if it was trying to warn him that a seizure was coming on. “It’s not you. I’m just in kind of a shit mood. It feels like everything in the world’s going wrong, and—” His words were interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket, and it took him a second to realize it was a call.

His heart beat in his throat as he hopped up and grabbed it, and then the world started to spin.

It was a California number.

He hadn’t spoken to his family in a long time. His mom’s number was blocked, and his siblings had written him off. So, the only reason someone would be calling was some kind of emergency. Someone was either in a coma, or they were dead.

“Hello?”

“Felix?”

He knew that voice. It was his sister, Fiona. “Whatever you want, just tell me. I’m working.” He hoped to god he didn’t sound shaken. He didn’t want any of them to know they still had an effect on him.

“Nice attitude, considering we haven’t talked in over a year,” she snapped.

Felix squeezed his eyes shut. “Is there something wrong or not?”

Fiona gave a long, long pause. “It’s Grammy.”

Felix closed his eyes and sank back into his chair, his lungs deflating. He’d been close with his grandmother growing up. He’d clung to her dresses so often and for so long, his cousins used to make fun of him, calling him a homo and accusing him of wanting to be a girl. But none of that had ever bothered him. Not when he could spend long, perfect weekends at her house, just existing at the edge of the city away from his overbearing mother and his nasty brother and sister, who seemed to live to make his life miserable.

And he had no doubt that Fiona was getting some kind of joy out of being able to give him this news.

“When?” he asked.

“Last night. Mom didn’t want me to call you, but…I mean, you were the only one who was really close to her, so I figured it was fair. Uncle Robert’s planning her funeral for next weekend so everyone has time to fly in.”

Felix rubbed at his temples, trying to chase away his stress tinnitus that was now blaring in his ears. “Okay, uh…”

“I get it if you don’t want to come,” Fiona said. “Like, not to be rude or anything, but I know you’re mentally unstable or whatever now. And you can’t drive, and I know you don’t have a boyfriend, so…”

“I have a boyfriend,” he blurted, then slapped his hand over his mouth. What the fuck?

Fiona just laughed. “Felix, come on. I said I wasn’t trying to be rude, okay? You don’t have to make shit up.”

“I’m not,” he snapped. He sat forward, and he could feel Linc’s eyes on him. And not just Linc’s. He’d been loud enough that he’d drawn a crowd, but he couldn’t seem to focus on who was in the room.

Fiona scoffed on the other end of the line. “You’re mentally challenged, Felix. Isn’t that against the law or something?”

His face started burning. “I will not dignify that with an answer. Thanks for letting me know.”

“I’ll pass along condolences,” she said to him.

“Don’t bother. I’ll do it myself. Let everyone know I’m bringing a guest.”

“Felix—”

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