I shifted toward him in my seat. “Then who do you trust?”
“I trust you.” He looked at me for a few beats before returning his gaze to the road. “I trust you with my life. With… ” He cleared his throat and looked out of the side window for a second. “Um, Jen seems fine. I guess I trust her. Jeff was quick to help you Thursday night, but he and Shayla used to date. So, I don’t know how that figures into things.” Chay shrugged.
What I want to know is what was supposed to come after ‘with’ before you changed the subject. And Jeff and Shayla? Huh, I need to get on the gossip hotline more often.
“But not Drew or Muriel?”
“No. Muriel stood watching Jake pull you toward that hole. I don’t buy the story that she was so scared she froze. We’ve been doing this a long time, since before you came into the group. She’s never frozen before. As for Drew, he has a thing for Muriel. If she flipped sides, I can’t be sure he wouldn’t follow. That makes him a wild card.” Chay looked at me and abruptly changed the subject. “Hey, you wanna get a milkshake?”
“Where?”
“My uncle’s.”
“But I thought his shop was closed.” Because of me, I thought. Flashes of Chay’s face at the hospital ran in front of my eyes, and I flinched. The pain echoed through my body.
But he doesn’t really blame me. Neither will Uncle. And I really want to see Uncle Stewart.
“Yeah, but he makes them at home, too.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I could go for a milkshake with extra whipped cream and three cherries.”
***
One week until my birthday.
Chay picked me up for school Tuesday morning. I ran down the stairs, grabbing a piece of toast and kissing my mom on the cheek before running to the door. He was there waiting for me, as usual.
“Good morning,” he said lazily, bending for a quick kiss.
When he lifted his head, I licked my lips, touching them lightly with my fingers. “Yes, it is.” He smiled and threaded his fingers with mine.
When we reached the car, he held the door open for me to get in. I was beginning to like that. He walked around front of the car to the driver’s side, swinging his keys around his fingers. Sliding in the car, he leaned over and kissed me again. This time longer… deeper… and, yes, toe curling. I loved that.
“Have the dream again?” he asked, pulling out of my driveway.
“Yeah.”
“Were you able to see any more of the person?”
I shook my head, frustrated with myself. “No. If my subconscious knows someone is going to betray us, then it should know who. Or I should at least feel it when I’m around them like I did with Steven.”
“Maybe. It won’t be too much longer until we find out.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” My birthday was inching closer each day and with it, the fight of my life. For my life. I wish I could rewind time. Like the movie Groundhog Day. Just keep living the same day over and over and not have to worry about my birthday. Maybe I’d replay the day at the zoo. That was a good day for the most part.
***
School went by in a blur. I thought I made all the right comments, turned in my homework to the correct classes, and went to swim practice, but my mind was preoccupied. I couldn’t stop thinking of the dream. I tried to put the pieces together, but I just came up with one jumbled mess of a picture—I had no idea who the traitor was.
I was spread across my bed doing calculus homework when I smelled it. The unmistakable odor of sulfur. My stomach dropped and my heart yo-yoed in my chest. The smell of sulfur never brought good things.
I pushed aside my books and hopped off the bed, jogging down the stairs and out of the door to the backyard.
Empty.
I didn’t have the same sense of when another group member was in danger that Chay had. None of us did. But the sulfur smell was stronger. There was definitely something going on somewhere.
I fished my cell phone out of my pocket and called Muriel. I started talking as soon as she picked up. I didn’t even give her a chance to say hello. “Start the phone chain. Something’s happening. Get everyone together.”
“I don’t see anything,” Muriel said.
“It’s not here. I’m not sure where it is yet, but the sulfur smell is burning the back of my throat it’s so strong. Something is going on somewhere.”
“Got it.” Muriel hung up. She’d call and text the next person on the phone chain and they’d do the same and so on until everyone was notified.
Except… Chay usually started the phone chain because he usually sensed the danger. Chay!
I ran to the back fence. The closer I got, the stronger the sulfur smell.
“Shit.”
I ran back to the house, dialing Muriel at the same time. As soon as Muriel picked up, I yelled, “They’re at Chay’s!”
“Got it.” Muriel’s voice was all business. She clicked off the line.
“Dad! Dad!” I screamed.
He ran out of the back door and grabbed my arms. “Milayna, what?”