Afflicted

I jumped as I felt Linc wrap an arm around me. His arms were big and I felt tiny in them. I wanted to bury my face against his chest and cry but I forced myself not to. I hardly knew him anymore and if I wanted any chance of us moving past the past then I needed to get through this conversation with him.

"Maybe I'd have killed him," Lincoln said in a low voice.

"Don't say that," I replied.

"I wanted to," he admitted as he released me.

"He would have deserved it," I agreed. "But you wouldn't have deserved to have your life defined by that."

"Hmm." Lincoln leant back and looked up at the sky.

His knee was still pressed against my leg and I wasn't sure if I should leave it or move away.

My cellphone buzzed and I answered it automatically.

"Sorry Lace, I'm on my way. I-"

"What are we doing today babe?" Ryan's voice surprised me.

I flinched away from Lincoln guiltily. "Oh hey, I'm actually on my way to meet Lacey at the park."

"That's cool, I told my mom I'd factor in picking up some water. She's been going mad about needing to wash some potatoes or something."

"Wouldn't that be a bit weird? The three of us hanging out?" I asked.

"Oh you think it'd make Lacey feel like a third wheel?" he asked.

"Yeah." In my head he'd been the third wheel but I agreed with him rather than point out the fact that I knew my best friend a lot better than I knew him.

"Not a problem, I'll call the guys and let them know. Shall I tell them to get there in half an hour?"

"Wait, what?"

"You said you're already on your way right?"

I cast a sideways glance at Linc before I answered. "Just left home," I hedged.

"Half an hour it is then. See you soon." Ryan hung up and I stared at my cellphone in confusion. I think I'd somehow arranged for the whole football team to meet up at the park.

"Quarterback wondering where you are?" Lincoln asked with an amused smile.

"Apparently so," I agreed as I stood. "I should go, Lacey's waiting for me."

"All the kids hanging out at the park on a school day?" Linc tutted in mock disapproval.

"No, there's no school today because the water’s off," I explained.

"Oh I thought my mom just hadn't been paying her bills."

"No there's some issue with it." I avoided mentioning Lacey's terrorist theory without there being any proof. "They're handing out bottles of water at the park until they get it fixed."

"So I suppose I should head over there myself."

"Oh, umm yeah. You should join us. If you want-"

Lincoln started laughing. "No thanks Katy, I wasn't after an invite to hang out with your little friends."

I raised an eyebrow at his tone. "Little friends?" I asked.