20ChloeDavid’s truck is parked in its normal spot at the edge of the faculty lot. I lean up against it as Sara types on her phone. “So what’s the deal?” she asks. “Are we early?”
“No,” I say, frowning at my watch. “He’s running late.”
“Do you know what this plan is?” She puts her pone away and tilts her head. She’s wearing ripped jeans and a long-sleeve gray Henley. Her hair is messy and down, a little bit curly from the salt water. I’m pretty sure she was surfing earlier in the day. “I’m guessing it can’t be good.”
“I really don’t know,” I admit. “Well, okay, I think we’re kidnapping Erik.”
She stares at me. “Are you serious?”
“Sort of. I don’t know. I asked him if we’re kidnapping Erik and he said… a little bit?” I laugh nervously. “I’m sorry, Sara. I don’t know what’s going on or what I’m dragging you into.”
“It’s cool,” she says. “I’m ride or die, bitch. You got a body, I’ll ask if you have an extra shovel.”
I laugh and look over my shoulder. “That’s why you’re here. Good with bodies.”
“Wait, we’re not going to murder him, right?”
I look back at her and grin. “I thought you were ride or die, bitch.”
“I’m ride or die, not ride or murder.”
I laugh and shake my head. “We’re not killing him. At least, I don’t think so.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
“I’m not down with killing him either, if that helps.”
“That does help a little bit, but I’m not totally sure David’s the kind of guy to back down.”
I nod but don’t answer. She’s right about that, David’s not the kind of man to walk away from something. I’m not sure he’d go so far as to kill someone, but he’d definitely go as far as he thought he needed to get what he wanted.
We wait another ten minutes, and I start to get anxious. I check my phone, but no calls from David and no texts. Another few minutes pass and I start to walk toward the athletics building. “Stay here,” I say. “Just in case he shows up.”
“What should I do?” she asks.
“Just stay here. Call me if he appears.”
I don’t get far though, because coming down the sidewalk is David with Erik leaning up against him.
I stare at the pair of them like I’m seeing some kind of mirage.
David’s in his usual coaching outfit and looks hot as hell like always. Erik’s wearing a jersey and a pair of jeans, like he started to get changed after practice, but only made it halfway. He’s grinning like an idiot and stumbling, leaning heavily on David.
“Oh, wow,” Erik says. “Look at the ground. Oh my god, David. Have you ever looked at the ground?”
“Sure have,” David says as the pair approaches.
“What’s going on?” I ask, eyes wide.
Erik looks at me and smiles. “Oh, wow, it’s you,” he says. “And you’re all… twisting, and glowing, and beautiful. Look, David, she’s an angel. I can see why you want to protect her so badly.”
“Yeah, she is,” David agrees. “Come on, just a little bit further.”
“And then we can explore the castle?” Erik asks.
David nods and gives me a look. “Yes, then the castle.”
Erik staggers along as David supports him. I fall in beside David on his other side as Sara comes around the truck, gaping at the pair, before throwing open the unlocked doors.
“What’s with him?” I hiss.
“Acid,” David says.
“Acid!” Erik repeats. “Oh, yeah, I thought I might be feeling something weird. Chloe looks like an angel and you look like a cloud.” Erik laughs as David helps him up into the truck’s second row seat. Sara gives us a look then slides in after him as David goes around to the driver’s side and gets behind the wheel. I get in last after making sure the doors are all shut.
“Okay,” I say, staring at David. “What’s going on?”
“Melting,” Erik says, staring at his own hand against the windshield.
“I drugged him,” David says.
“You did what?” Sara says. “Holy shit, are you joking?”
“Drugged me.” Erik laughs and licks the windshield as David pulls out. “Delicious drugs.”
“Yep I put acid in his water bottle,” David says. “The one he drank at the very end of practice. I thought I had like an hour before it kicked in, but after about twenty minutes he started talking weird. I barely managed to get him out of there.”
“Talking is weird,” Erik whispers. “Have you ever talked?”
“It’s okay, sweetie,” Sara says, patting his arm. “We’re talking right now.”
“Oh, you.” Erik grins at her. “You’re an angel too. You’re all angels. Wow, I love angels.”
“Sure.” Sara nudges him and he slumps against the window and starts licking it again.
David drives off campus and starts heading north along a main road.
“What’s the plan here?” I ask. “I mean, I assume you didn’t just drug him and that’s the end of it.”