Love Fool (One Night Only Season 2: Hunter's Story)

Chapter Nine

It has to be motion sickness, although why she won't tell me so is a mystery. I would have taken her on a walking tour to different places around the lake if I'd known.

The song playing on the radio ends, and the same DJ we heard earlier today comes on the air.

"There was news out of Los Angeles today about a possible motive for the homemade bomb set off at Cayden Indigo's concert at The Domino last month, which killed seventeen people and injured dozens more. Authorities said they've uncovered information about alleged bomber Dallas Jones Fernsby's involvement in an online community where he made multiple posts about the arts high school both he and Indigo formerly attended. Authorities also revealed possible accomplices to Fernsby are being looked into. There are unconfirmed reports that one of Fernsby's posts included a list of potential targets who were all famous alumni from the school, and Indigo was only one of several mentioned. No other names have been released, but rumors circulated over social media today that musician Sawyer Santiago was also on the list. Santiago attended the school with both Indigo and Fernsby, and he opened for Indigo at her concert on the night of the explosion.

"Some who knew Fernsby allege he was going through a rough spot in his acting career in the months leading up to the events at The Domino, with his agent recently dropping him and Fernsby not booking work for more than a year. Anonymous sources claim Fernsby was mixed up in a crowd known to be into hard drugs and partying, and that he'd recently entered a rehab program he then left after only eight days. We're continuing to follow this story and will provide updates as they become available."

Deni is paler now than she was a minute ago. She also hasn't noticed we've stopped moving.

"Are you sure you aren't a Cayden Indigo fan? Paisley would love it, you know." It's a joke, intended to get her attention and distract her from how she's physically feeling.

"I'm sorry. What?" Her voice shakes, and it's about an octave higher than normal.

She clasps her hands together and my gaze darts there. They're trembling again, or they are until she starts wringing them in a twisting, repetitive motion.

"Are you okay? You look upset, or like you're about to be sick." I touch her arm. Goosebumps cover her skin.

The shore of where we just left is closer than our camps. We could make a U-turn and go back if she isn't feeling well, and then decide together if we should leave the boat there and walk to our camps. I can have one of my parents drive me over and bring the boat home on my own. I'm about to suggest this when Deni speaks.

"I was there. I saw the explosion. I— I saw people die."

It takes me a second to piece together what she means. Then it hits me, all at once. The news story that was just on the radio was about the Cayden Indigo concert where a bomb was set off. Before that, a Cayden Indigo song was on the radio. Thanks to Paisley, I'm aware it was the same song being performed when the explosion happened.

Deni isn't seasick. She's having a panic attack.

"You were at the concert?" I blurt this out, mostly because I need to say something.

She gulps in a breath, as if fighting to get air into her lungs. I should do something, but I don't know what.

"Did you--" I stop. The anguish in her eyes is paralyzing. Asking her about what she experienced will only make this worse. "You're okay, though?" I say instead.

Of course she isn't. What a question.

"Yeah. I didn't get hit by shrapnel or suffer burns or anything."

Her words are quiet and strained. I get the feeling she's trying to reassure me, even though she's in the middle of her own private hell. That isn't right. I should be finding out what she needs in this moment.