Revealed (Unbound, Book 5)

Chapter Forty-Six

It was eerie, skulking around my former school alone as the sun was almost completely set. The floodlights were already on and the colors around me seemed like duller versions of what they were meant to be. In what seemed like no time at all, everything became shadows, the insufficient lighting making objects nothing more than blobs of gray and black.

I should have driven instead of trying to ease my conscious and run because that's what I said I was doing. I felt marginally better knowing my grandmother was stronger than me, and she didn't like weird noises in the dark, either. As five minutes turned into ten, and Trevor was officially late, I contemplated leaving. Not only did nobody know where I was, I'd been in such a rush, I'd forgotten my phone.

Instead, I stood from my perch on the curb and relocated to the top step so I could feel the metal rail against my back. The feeling that something was going to jump out and attack didn't go away, but I felt better. Deciding to give Trevor five more minutes, I pulled my hands into the sleeves of my hoody and clenched the fabric in my fists to offset the chill.

A couple minutes passed.

Headlights lit up the darkness and a car turned into the parking lot. It was too dark to determine the make or model, but I could tell it was low to the ground and the engine revved. The driver parked in a stall in front of the steps, and I could see their shadow reach to get something from the passenger seat.

My body tensed, my muscles tightening in preparation to run.

The driver turned back and opened their door, making my heart beat like a drumline sounding off to echo in my head.

"Hey, Nora!"

I breathed out, feeling my chest constriction loosen. Inwardly, I laughed at myself for being so on edge and afraid. Outwardly, I didn't move and watched Trevor juggle coffee as he tried to close his door. Finally, as he began coming up the stairs, I broke my silence.

"You're late."

Trevor paused a step below me and handed me a cup. "I stopped to get you a French Vanilla. Your favorite, right?"

I swayed to the side to look past him and narrowed my eyes. "I thought you gave your car back?"

"I did."

I raised my eyebrow and straightened, refocusing on Trevor.

"It's Julian's." Trevor held the coffee out again. "We hung out today and I asked to borrow it."

"And he let you?" I asked, disbelieving. Julian's car was precious to him. Seriously. If he had to choose between saving Nancy or his car, I didn't know which would win.

"He's with Nancy."

Problem solved.

"You don't want coffee?"

"Right. Sorry. Sure." I took the cup. "So?"

"So, what?"

"Trevor." I sighed and looked down to open the tab on my lid. "You promised this wasn't going to be pulling information from you."

"It's not."

I looked up. "Then start talking. I really don't have a lot of time to waste."

"You assume it's a waste of time."

"Yeah. That's what we're doing right now, so talk or I'm leaving."

"Fine!" He held up his hands. "Let's go over to the elementary playground and sit on the swings."

"Trevor."

"The cement is cold and gives you hemmeroids."

"Seriously?"