Hollowland

“Not designer. This isn"t an Armani suit or something.” He shifted uncomfortably, as if I had been saying something negative about him. “These are just my regular clothes.”

 

 

“I know. But you used to be pretty rich, right?” I realized I knew very little about his life, other than what I had seen on TV before all this. He"d said very little, and I never bothered to ask. “You used to be a rock star.”

 

“Yeah, I did.” Lazlo looked almost wistful for a moment, then shook it off and lowered his eyes. Something he had been proud of now made him look ashamed, and he let his hair partially cover his face.

 

“That"s pretty awesome,” I said honestly.

 

In another life, hanging out with Lazlo Durante would"ve been a high point. It still was, except now it had nothing to do with the infamy of it.

 

“I used to think so.” Lazlo stared at the floor. “That"s all I ever wanted to do, and it started happening. The music videos and the money and the fans and the fame. And I was so wrapped up in it all, but even when I had a chance to think, I still thought, ?This is it. I"ve really made it." But now… it"s all so fucking useless.” His forehead scrunched up, and he shook his head. “It didn"t mean anything, and I don"t have any skills to do anything.”

 

“Nobody"s life really prepared them for this,” I said. “And at least you got to do stuff with your life before this happened. I grew up in Iowa, and I"ve traveled more in the past year than I ever did before. I haven"t seen or done anything. You got to see the world.”

 

“I got to see airports and hotels when we were on tour,” Lazlo smiled sardonically.

 

“That"s not really seeing or living. I had a normal life, and then it was all just constantly touring, recording, and selling myself. And then zombies took over the world, and I lived underground for nearly a year.”

 

“That doesn"t sound so bad. I mean, until the zombies part,” I said.

 

“You know something?” He lifted his head, and when he turned to me, he had this strange look in his eyes. Almost as if he was really seeing me for the first time. “I don"t think I ever really lived until this. I"ve never done anything that mattered before, but now I"m fighting to save my life, and yours. And I know it sounds really cheesy and lame, but I don"t think I ever really felt alive. Not until I met you.”

 

“You were in a hole for nine months. Your definition of ?feeling alive" has got to be a little skewed right now.” I rolled my eyes to keep from blushing.

 

“I don"t think so.” Lazlo moved so he was in front of me, and he chewed his lip. “You"re pretty much the most amazing person I"ve ever met.”

 

“I"m really not that amazing,” I shook my head.

 

My heart thumped in my chest, and my mouth felt dry. His dark eyes latched onto mine, and I wanted to look away, but something compelled me to stay.

 

The butterfly way he made me feel reminded me of who I used to be before. I"d been trying to push him away, but I always gave in because the only time I really felt like a normal teenage girl was when I was with him.

 

“There"s something I have to do, that I"ve wanted to do since I met you, and I have to do it before it"s too late.” He put his hand on my cheek, so his thumb rested on my cheek and his fingers nestled in my hair.

 

“No, I can"t,” I said, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. “I might be infected.”

 

 

 

“Do you feel sick? Headache? Fever?” he asked, rubbing his thumb gently on my skin.

 

“No, but-”

 

“Then I don"t care.”

 

Before I could protest further, he leaned in, and his lips pressed firmly against mine.

 

There was something unexpectedly hungry in the way he kissed me. His mouth searched mine, and I found myself returning it with equal fervor. He knotted his fingers in my hair, pulling me closer to him, and I wrapped my arms around him.

 

 

 

– 14 –

 

 

 

Harlow"s gasp broke the spell. I pulled away from Lazlo, and I had to put my hands on his chest to keep him from coming with me. His eyes were fixed on me, and I don"t think he"d heard her.

 

Harlow stood in the kitchen doorway, her jaw slacked. Guilt washed over me when I saw her.

 

At thirteen, she was too young to be a real love interest for Lazlo, but that hadn"t stopped her from nursing a pretty major crush on him. I hadn"t exactly stolen him from her, since he"d never been hers, but I had betrayed her trust.

 

“Harlow,” I pushed Lazlo back further, and he realized we had an audience.

 

I slid off the counter, so he took a step back, but he still looked confused by her stricken expression. In true Lazlo fashion, he had been oblivious to her feelings for him.

 

“You"re such a liar!” Harlow was nearly shrieking. “I can"t believe you!”

 

“Harlow, I know you"re upset, but I didn"t lie about anything,” I said and held my hand palm out. I wanted to reason with her before she got hysterical.

 

“You lied about everything!”

 

I"d never seen her this upset, but she"d finally reached her breaking point. With everything that happened the last few days, it was amazing that she"d held up this long.

 

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