Page 86 of Scoring Chance

I’m moving before I can think about it, cutting between families and booths, my heart pounding. If this kid is dealing drugs at a freaking elementary school carnival, I’ll⁠—

“Hey,” I say sharply as I approach, grabbing Matthias by the arm. “What the hell was that?”

Matthias jumps, his face immediately turns pale. “Whoa—Mr.—uh—Des…Hey⁠—”

“What were you just doing?” I snap, stepping closer. “What did you give that guy?”

“It’s not what you think⁠—”

I level him with the kind of look I reserve for junior copywriters who miss deadlines. I fist his sweater vest and pull him close. “Don’t lie to me. I saw the exchange. I won’t have my stepdaughter dating a drug dealer. You don’t fool me, Matthias.”

Sweat beads stream down his face. Matthias swallows hard and reaches slowly into his backpack. I steel myself, wondering if he’s going to pull a gun on me. But instead he takes out… a comic book in a plastic folder.

I stare at it. Retro Spider-Man. Ready to save the day. Whereas Matthias looks ready to shit his pants.

“You’re selling comic books?”

“Vintage comics.” Matthias holds it up like proof of his innocence. “Jimmy wanted a special limited-edition Spider-Man comic. I forgot to bring it to school today. He’s volunteering at the carnival, so we decided to meet up.”

His face flushes with embarrassment, his light skin getting translucent.

I blink, exhaling slowly as my pulse starts to settle. “Jesus. I thought you were…” I shake my head. “Never mind.”

“No! I don’t do that stuff. Any of it. Not even the stuff that’s technically legal.” Matthias fidgets, shifting his backpack from shoulder to shoulder.

“What’s your deal? Are you really like this?”

“Like what?”

I take a good look at Matthias. His sweater vest. His eager to please demeanor. The nervous pitch of his voice. I see now what’s undeniable: he really is this squeaky clean. It’s not an act.

“Why aren’t you hanging with your girlfriend tonight?” My stern look reminds him that he better not lie to me, though now I’m certain he won’t.

Matthias’s ears turn pink. “Um. About that…”

“What?” I narrow my eyes.

“We’re not really dating,” he admits, voice low. “It’s a cover. She asked me to pretend.”

I freeze. “What do you mean, ‘pretend’? You’re her fake boyfriend?”

Matthias runs a hand through his hair, glancing nervously toward the carnival crowd. “I don’t know if I should say.”

I take a step closer. “Now you definitely should say.”

“Lena’s been hanging with some upperclassmen. Some sketchy kids. I don’t know all the details, but she figured if she had a ‘nice boyfriend,’ it’d keep things chill at home. Not like her dad even notices anything she does.”

I wince at the comment, even though it wasn’t directed at me. There’s no time to fight back against that accusation on Tanner’s behalf. I need to keep digging.

My chest tightens. “Sketchy how? Like…vaping?”

Matthias nods.

“Is it just nicotine, or is it pot?”

He nods, too nervous to elaborate.

I clench my jaw, memories flashing back to finding that pen in her backpack, the way she flipped the questions back on me, asking about my intentions with Tanner. She’s smart. Too smart for her own good.