Somewhere Between Water and Sky (Shattered Things #2) Read Free Page A

chalk on the floor and bends over to write, ass to the sky, legs stretching out for eternity.
    “ Give me a quote, guys! ”
    Her hands fly over the chalkboard and I see an intricate border forming underneath the stick of chalk. Ren looks at me and shrugs.
    I search my mind for a lesser known quote and land on a memory.
    My voice comes out breathy.
    “ You ripple, like a river, when I touch you. ”
    Jessa pauses mid-stroke and turns, straightening her back. Tilting her head she smiles.
    “ Nice. Poetry? ”
    “… Neruda. ”
    She turns back around and writes the quote down, adding swirls and what looks like a river in between the words. Ren is staring at me again.
    “ I didn ’ t take you for a poetry girl. ”
    I avoid his gaze and shrug.
    “ I ’ m into it, I guess. ”
    If into it equals twenty or so journals filled with stories and poems scattered around town in dumpsters.
    Ren snorts and shakes his head, realizing he won ’ t get much from me other than those simple words. He doesn ’ t get this story of Kevin leaving those lines in my locker one day after a particularly heinous fight. I smile at the memory of what happened after — how he showed me all of the ways his touch sent ripples down my skin.
    Shit.
    I watch both of them out of the corner of my eye — Jessa doing a great job giving Ren a show of what I imagine she won ’ t be offering him and Ren doing a horrible job of trying to ignore it.
    “ Whatever, man. ” He reaches into his apron and grabs his booklet and cash and after untying it, shoots it into a nearby laundry basket. “ Lunch was slow today. Too slow. Hopefully you ’ ll have better luck with the dinner rush. I think there ’ s a concert or something down the street so you should get some business from them. If not, you can always get Steve to let you out early. There ’ s a party tonight at Seth ’ s place. Jessa will be there. ”
    Too close.
    I sniff and avoid eye contact.
    “ Thanks but I need to head home after my shift and get some stuff done. ”
    He stares at me for a few beats and turns to walk away.
    “ You can ’ t avoid us forever, Stephanie. ” He looks over his shoulder and turns to walk backward, smiling at me and motioning to the sign hanging above the employee area that reads here, you ’ re family. “ You wouldn ’ t avoid your family, would you? ”
    He doesn ’ t see my reaction because he turns around before I can even answer.
    But I ’ m not answering — I ’ m not even breathing. My vision begins to blur. I know he knows nothing of my history but those words — they do something internally. My breath returns in gasps and I cup my head in my hands.
    My arms feel like cement. There ’ s fire in my bones.
    Shit. Shit. Not here. Not here.
    I close my eyes and reach for a nearby stool and fight to breathe deep — to remind my body that I ’ m safe. It doesn ’ t help. I can ’ t stop hyperventilating with Ren ’ s words on a loop in my mind.
    Avoiding your family. Avoiding your family. Your family. Family.
    Dad chasing me with a baseball bat. Mom reaching for Nyquil. Pacey.
    Oh god.
    Images of the past break through and I ’ m done for — running for the restroom and barely making it before throwing up everything I ate in the toilet, the tears falling as if they had their own say. When I ’ m finished I collapse on the floor and lean against the wall, my hands underneath my legs to keep them from shaking.
    I ’ m fucking certifiable.
    The door to the bathroom swings open and I see Jessa ’ s wedges walk in and point toward my stall.
    “ Shit, Stephanie. You okay? Are you sick? ”
    “ No. ”
    One of her feet pivot slightly.
    Please leave. Please leave. I think to myself.
    I sniff and wipe the tears off my cheeks with the palm of my hands. Straightening myself up, I breathe in a few times and open the door and almost run into her.
    “ I ’ m fine. ”
    She watches me.
    “ You look horrible. ”
    “… thanks? ”
    She crosses her