Page 9 of The Other Side of Green

My day job at Johnson and Son Mechanics, well, let’s say it wasn’t anything dreams were made of. Lyra flicked a gaze at me, her lips pressed into a firm line. I refused to meet her eyes.

She knew the dreams I used to have. Not because I told her, but because on those dark and still nights when she’d dab my wounds with saltwater and gently press Band-Aids against my hurts, I knew she could sense the more I always wanted.

I stared at my jeans, unwilling to reveal anything on my face.

Luca’s car rattled on the dirt road as we made our way down the track to the sink hole. The leaves were bright and green, the air a fresh tang of spring before the heat stole in and withered everything away. With the windows rolled down I could taste the change on my tongue. Anything other than taste Lyra’s air.

“Lyra!” Raven leaned across me and batted Lyra on the arm, pressing herself into me as she did. “What was Felix—pizza face—Smith talking to you about at lunch?”

Lyra shifted against me. I twisted my gaze and stared down her. Yes, Lyra, what was Felix—pizza face—Smith talking to you about at lunch?

“Nothing.” She kept staring out of the window. “And don’t call him that.”

“Oooooh, Lyra’s got a boyfriend,” Raven teased, singing the words.

Lyra’s cheeks colored and her fingers squeezed her thighs.

She’s got a what now?

This was the sick part of me. I couldn’t have Lyra. Of course, I couldn’t. She was fourteen for fuck’s sake. Why we even had two teenagers in the car with us at all was just weird. Not that Raven acted like a teenager. I could say it was because she was older than Lyra by a good eight months, but deep down I didn’t think it had anything to do with that. Lyra was a good girl, plain and simple. Raven... well... least said about her new rep the better.

And no, I hadn’t finger fucked her or whatever the hell it was she was throwing around school. Jesus, I didn’t have a death wish. Her dad had no idea what she was like and was handy with his shotgun—enough said.

Luca laughed and shook his head, pulling us over into a squared off dirt track that doubled as a parking lot. We were the only car there. “Lyra doesn’t have a boyfriend, Raven. She’s too busy studying and practicing her violin. She’s going to be a star, you know.”

Lyra sank back in her seat, her fingers twisting together. I smirked; we’d had the exact same conversation at midnight last Wednesday. Not that Luca knew that.

It would have been so much easier if I’d been open from the start. “Hey, Luca... your sister dresses my wounds for me. We also talk for hours. Hope that’s cool. Bro code and all that.”

He would have punched me on the arm, told me to dress my own war wounds and that would have been it.

Instead, it had grown. Becoming something more.

Raven laughed and nudged my ribs. “See, she’s not saying anything, it must be true.”

Luca pulled into park and spun in his seat. “Is this true, Lyra? Do I need to go and knock on Felix Smith’s door and ask his intentions?”

Lyra growled, fisting her hands. “Don’t be a dick.”

I snorted but then straightened my grin when both the Lennox siblings glared at me.

“Well?” Luca waggled his eyebrows. He took far too much pleasure in teasing his sister. He really should get a life of his own one of these days.

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

I turned to face Lyra fully now, watching her cheeks scorch a deep purple burn.

A knot wound tight in my stomach.

“Friend that’s a boy?” I pushed keeping my tone light. She stared at her hands as she answered.

“Sure, friend that’s a boy. We went for an iced coffee yesterday.” She pulled on the door lever and put her force into opening the sticky door.

“Here.” I leaned across her, pushing myself against her slightly and shoved hard at the cracked interior.

She almost fell out the car and I shook my head as I stretched out after her. I’d be talking to her about Felix Smith just as soon as everyone else fucked off.

Not that it was my business, but I’d damn well make it mine.