The Return

Chapter Thirty Eight

Holly

Friday May 14th 2021.

"It's been a while since I caught you all alone in your lair." Kyle said leaning against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. "Georgia let me in, I don't think she's completely over the me-getting-you-and-your-sister-arrested thing."

Holly rolled onto her side; her head propped up by her elbow. He was early. "She's giving you a hard time. She's over it."

He pushed off the wall and set his bag down by her dresser. "Doing some research before the rest of the crew get here?"

"They're not coming. Cody and Heaven bailed because they told the Selbourne's about the baby and Penelope wants to take them shopping."

"And Rowan?" He rested his hands on his hips.

"She's on damage control. Word got out that the Leighton case might be reopened and a small protest ensued in Mayra's park."

"Fuck, didn't think people would be so against giving a family closure." He blew out his cheeks.

"She went with her Dad and some cadets, let's hope it doesn't escalate beyond park protesters."

After a moment of silence, she reached out a hand. Two steps and he was by the side of her bed. He took her hand in his and brought her fingers to his lips. Her skin tingled. She pulled him in till his face was inches from hers and she could feel his warm breath on her skin.

If there was one thing she missed, it was seeing him in her room. She missed the scent of his cologne on her pillow. She missed his ceaseless curiosity even though she warned him to stop digging through her drawers. She later learned after opening her top drawer and finding two new items from her Wishlist that he wasn't just trying to learn more about her from her stuff.

He trailed pecks from her forehead down to the tip of her nose. He hovered over her lips. The corners of his mouth curled upwards.

"What?" She cocked her head.

"Oh, er, nothing, I realized something that's all," He said under his breath and climbed into bed with her. She scooched over giving room for his broad frame. "What are we working on?" He reached for her notes sprawled on her pillow.

"Come on, tell me," She stuck out her bottom lip.

"It's stupid." He was evading eye contact.

"Try me," He set the papers down.

"I was thinking about... us... and this... and God how I wish we met Junior year like Malcolm and Scarlett—"

"For all we know, Malcolm killed Scarlett," Holly bit down on her lower lip stifling a smile.

"Ever heard of the phrase innocent until proven guilty?" He rose an eyebrow. "And that's not my point, my point is, they met in Junior high and were high school sweethearts up until..."

Holly shook her head. "I know what you're getting at, but something about that guy doesn't sit well with me."

He wasn't going to tell them what he did to Scarlett. He might not have killed her, but he had dirty linen he was doing his best to keep from them.

The pieces felt like an infinity puzzle. They all fit in some sort of way, but at the same time, they didn't. She was beginning to understand why the authorities closed the book on the Leighton case. It didn't mean Scarlett didn't deserve justice; it meant the state would be investing more resources than they originally planned for in a case that was meeting one dead end after another.

"I'm trying to say I wish we had more time..." He sounded exasperated, his cheeks burgundy. "We're already done with the SAT's and colleges are coming to Lincoln Lane next week and prom and graduation are less than a month away..."