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Chapter 38
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Seaside Pictures Chapter 39
DaniThree months laterIt was hard. I always hated movies that ended with "And they lived happily ever after," because that was never how the real world worked. Going through hell didn't automatically give you a free pass to happyland. But having Linc by my side? It made it better, easier, because I finally had someone who understood and accepted me."No way!" a girl shrieked next to me. "I think that's Lincoln Greene!"The friend started fanning herself. "Seriously, tell me he isn't the hottest thing you've ever seen?""I heard he's basically engaged to some local girl back in Oregon. Damn, there must be something in the water over there. Did you know AD2 both got married to local girls too?""Well." The girl with dark hair rubbed her hands together. "That's settled. I'm moving to Oregon!"They busted up with laughter until Linc grabbed our coffees and made his way in our direction. Then, absolute silence.He handed me my coffee, brushed a soft kiss across my forehead, an
Seaside Pictures Chapter 40
Zane"Hey, you're famous right?""Nope," I lied then steered my way out of the grocery store line, brown paper bag in hand, my vision blurring already from the extreme concentration it took to walk into a stupid public place by myself.By the time I reached my Range Rover, I was already sweating.My hands shook as I tried to hit unlock on the key fob. I struggled, missing it with my thumb at least three times before my lights blinked and the car opened.I secured the package in the passenger's seat and put on my seatbelt, then drove across town to the beach house.Everyone was asleep, or I would have begged, maybe even bribed someone to come to the store with me. I always made a joke out of it. "Come with me so I don't get sexually harassed."When really.It was fear.It was always fear.The door to the house was unlocked. I turned the knob and walked inside, then softly closed the door behind me, making my way into the large gourmet kitchen so I could put my stash in the p
Seaside Pictures Chapter 41
BOOK TWO: KEEPZaneMy palms slid against the guitar, slick with sweat, I tried to wipe them across my jeans, but it was no use. The noise was deafening. I had to remind myself why I was up there. "Saint! Saint! Saint!" Stomping ensued while I knelt down and made the sign of a cross in the air in front of me. "We want Saint! We want Saint!" With a muffled curse, I stood, then reached into my tight jeans to pull out a smashed marshmallow.I popped it in my mouth and closed my eyes, allowing myself to be transported back to a simpler time, a time when things were easy, when decisions weren't all on me. When life was about making mud pies and carrying around miniature marshmallows in a measuring cup."You don't have to save the world," she whispered. "You know that, right?""Right." I furrowed my brow. "But why is it wrong to try?""Oh, Zane," My grandma leaned down to eye level. "Just because your parents were taken from you, doesn't make it your job to make sure everyone and e
Seaside Pictures Chapter 42
Fallon"Nope!" I held my hands in the air and started walking backwards, maneuvering my way through crowds on the boardwalk. "This is where I draw the line. I'm not a stalker!""But you could be." My friend Maggie nodded her head vigorously. "You just need to fully commit to the idea.""Of going to prison?""Oh, please." She rolled her eyes, gaining on me. If I turned and ran from my best friend and then hid in a trash can would that make me lose best friend status or just mean I was smart? I started to turn on my heel, but she grabbed my elbow and tugged me back toward Main Street. "Do you really think he'd send a blind nineteen-year-old to prison?""I'm not blind!" I yelled. "That's lying!""Your glasses are huge." Maggie's eyes widened as if to show me logistically how huge my glasses really were. "Trust me, just pretend like you can't see, he'll totally buy it.""But I can see.""Without your glasses you're legally blind as a bat," she pointed out, her long blonde ponytai
Seaside Pictures Chapter 43
ZaneShe was nerd hot.Like the girl who peaks after high school but has no idea how damn cute she is.Her lips were soft, and I swear they tasted like marshmallow. What the hell kind of chapstick smelled like marshmallows and who did I have to kill to get a hold of some?I broke off the kiss just as she swayed toward me. "Well, Fallon." I held out my hand. "It's been nice doing business with you.""Hmm? Wh-what?" Her big blue eyes blinked at me through hella thick glasses."The kiss. Business transaction. Human shield. Saved my life. The end.""Good story.""What can I say? I'm a storyteller at heart." I winked and placed a shaky hand against the brick wall behind her.I acted like it was fine.But the shaking was getting worse.As if the screaming made the shaking harder to control.And just like that, I felt the choking sensation of anxiety as I tried to rein in my emotions and concentrate on the nerd in front of me, the nerd who really had saved me from having a menta
Seaside Pictures Chapter 44
Zane"Pants." Jaymeson eyed me up and down wearily. "Blokes wear pants.""It's too early to use the word 'bloke.'" I muttered, slapping his ass as I walked past him to grab a cup of much-needed coffee.With a grunt, he placed his hands on the counter and moved his lips like he was praying."Jay?""Shhh.""Jay?""I'm counting to ten, so I don't blow your bloody head off.""America!" I shouted. "Fun fact: did you know your accent's really thick in the morning? Almost impossible to decipher if you're actually speaking English or something else."Jaymeson pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm suddenly remembering why I hesitated before saying yes, yes Zane I'd love to have you come stay with me and my new wife. You need a room? A bed to sleep in? A roof to cover your head? Hell, take my bloody dog while you're at it! Oh, what's that? You want to steal my friends too? Be my guest."With a grin, I sat on the barstool and sipped the hot, bitter liquid. "You done yet?""Yes." He fr
Seaside Pictures Chapter 45
Fallon"Stop screaming!" I hushed Maggie with my hand. "You're going to attract attention... people... Seagulls!"She jerked away from me, her expression one of complete exasperation. "What is with you and birds?""Never mind!" I shivered and shoved my hands in my jean pockets. What had possessed me to tell her about meeting Zane? No idea. Maybe it was the fact that I was a horrible liar, and when she saw the scratch on my glasses she started asking questions. Had I run into a tree? Gotten hit by a car? Tripped over my own feet? Okay, fine so all of the above have at least happened to me once, in my life, but that wasn't the point.The point was, when I opened my mouth, I wasn't fast enough with my lie, and Maggie had known me since we were in first grade, meaning she saw right through me."Was he hot?""He was shirtless." I swallowed past the constant dryness in my throat, the dryness that had been there since yesterday when Zane stole my chapstick and asked me to make a house
Seaside Pictures Chapter 46
ZaneShe'd caught me by surprise by completely throwing me off my game, then pissed me off so horribly that I seriously wanted to do physical damage, something - anything.Ribs.She said she'd seen ribs. Like I was hungry.And of course, because words had the power to bring back memories and with those memories feelings - I was transported, like I was living it all over again: the hollow feeling of being starved, the helplessness as she gave me more of her food since I was a growing boy. And the guilt, that while she tried to strengthen me, she grew weaker and weaker."When you said marshmallows were your addiction, I thought you were exaggerating.""Does this look like an exaggeration?" I pointed to the four grocery bags we'd just loaded up from the store and shrugged. "Besides, you never know if they'll run out or if zombies take over the world. I mean what if the only food zombies can eat to return to their natural human state is marshmallows?""Yes." She nodded seriously.
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