“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.” Paige’s fingernails dig into my arm. “What the hell is he?”
Even in the dark, I can see the smirk on Bishop’s face. Somehow, it stops me from running. He can’t really be flying. This has to be a trick. I swipe my hand under his army boots—nothing. I squint into the darkness, looking for a tree or a rope or, I don’t know, anything to explain what I’m seeing. Which is Bishop. Very clearly. Flying. And making it look easy, hands jammed into his pockets like it’s no big deal.
“Come on.” Paige yanks on my arm, trying to get me to run with her, but I pull free and root myself in place. I don’t claim to be a medical professional or anything, but it can’t be healthy for my heart to clang this way in my chest, for my head to drain of blood, and for me to breathe so fast and hard that I feel the stretch of every single alveoli in my lungs.
“No patrolman tonight,” Bishop says. “I checked.”
Fear grips its talons around my throat, making my words come out too high. “Oh good,” I say. “Because that’s obviously what I’m worried about right now.”
Bishop’s laughter chimes through the night.
“I don’t like this, Ind!” Paige cries. “What is he? Some sort of freak?” Her voice vibrates like she’s about to have a nervous breakdown. “I’m going back.”
I try to grab her arm, but she slips from my grasp and runs a few steps.
“You have to come with me,” Paige pleads. “Your mom wouldn’t want this.”
If that’s what she believes, then she doesn’t know my mom at all. I’m so close to answers. “You can go back if you want.” My hands shake as I fish in my bag for my keys and toss them to her; she misses, and they jangle to the ground in front of her feet. “Go back to Jessie’s. I’ll find my way home.”
Paige picks up the keys. She glances behind her like she’s about to bolt, then lets out a frustrated groan. “Like I’d leave you with him.”
“Great,” Bishop says brightly. “So are we going up, or what?”
“Up where?” I ask.
“To the sign.” He gestures behind him. “It’s why we came here, right?”
“Right. Stupid me. Care to tell me how the hell you’re flying?”
“Of course, since you asked so nicely. Once we get up there.”
“We?” I say.
“Yeah. Don’t worry, I froze the security system. We’ll get up no problem.”
“We?” I repeat. “Just how are we going to get up there? If you hadn’t noticed, Paige and I can’t fly.”
“I’ll take you, obviously. Even though you have a major attitude problem.”
“No way.” Paige backs up. “Uh-uh. No chance in hell. Not happening.”
“You won’t drop me?” I ask.
“You can’t be serious,” Paige says. “Ind, no. You’re coming with me. We’re going home and we’re calling the cops and telling them there’s a nuthouse inmate on the loose.”
“Paige, I’m doing this. It’s too important.” I fasten my curls back into a ponytail, then nod to Bishop and hold my arms out to the side to show him I’m ready to be picked up.
Bishop touches down lightly. I wave for him to hurry up before common sense (or the fact that I probably reek and shouldn’t let a boy get close to me) makes me go with Paige’s plan instead. He bends and scoops me up, one arm under my knees and another around my waist, like I weigh about twelve pounds instead of ten times that. He’s so close that his breath rushes against my ear, and the little hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. For the first time since we got out here, I’m grateful for the darkness, because he can’t see how furiously I’m blushing. Which is insane. He’s flying! He could be a vampire or a demon or any manner of paranormal creatures, for all I know. And I’m blushing? There’s something fundamentally wrong with me. If it turns out that I’m crazy, I blame Devon and Bianca for pushing me over the edge.
I look forward and clear my throat. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”
Paige passes in front of us, wringing her hands and mumbling under her breath.
I try to ignore her, even though her babble is really making me question my decision. But then it’s too late. We’re flying.
And it’s nothing like I imagined flying might feel. I mean, I never really put much thought into the matter, but I guess I just expected there to be some sort of effort involved when defying the laws of gravity. Instead, we lift from the ground with ease, as if flying were child’s play, and hover twenty feet above the ground as Paige cranes her neck to watch us.
“You okay?” she yells.
My heart races, but I manage to nod and yell down an affirmative. This is all right. I can do this.
“Ready?” Bishop asks.
I swallow. “Just be careful, okay?”
“Hold on tight.” A smirk plays on his lips.