CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 4: BONFIRE

We drove out to the Arizona desert, unloaded all our stuff, and started a fire. The sun was already starting to go down when we ate our hotdogs. I didn't want to be there and I think Bingo could tell I was upset.

"I know it must've been hard for you, Crypto," he said, "not having your parents there for your graduation, but you'll always have us."

"Yeah," Neil said. "We'll always support you no matter what happens."

"If you ever need anything, we'll be there for you," Adi said. "You just say the word."

"I'm fine, guys," I reassured them.

"It's fine if you're not," Jassi told me. "You don't have to act tough all the time."

"I'm just upset that my car broke down. That's all."

Jassi looked at Bingo and whispered, "Sometimes I question if he even has a heart."

"I think it's a reasonable thing to be upset about," Bingo said. "Engines can be expensive."

"It's not like he can't afford it after getting all of his parents' inheritance," she said.

"They gave most of their money to the church," I told her.

"But don't you miss them?"

"That's a stupid question."

"Well, do you?"

"Of course I do."

"So s'mores, anyone?" Bingo interrupted. He could tell the conversation wasn't going anywhere good.

"Sure!" Adi said.

Bingo passed the marshmallows around and we all took one to roast. Adi changed the topic to marriage and they all discussed their wedding plans. Neil noticed that I was left out of the conversation.

"Don't worry, Crypto. I'm sure there's someone special out there for you too," he said, trying to cheer me up.

"Yeah." I set my roasting stick down. "I forgot to use the restroom before we left so I'm gonna go do that now." I walked far away from the light of the fire and kept walking until I was good and lost and then I cried and cried until I had no more tears left. I had to turn my phone off because my friends were trying to call me.

When I had gathered myself, I found my way back to my friends by following the smell and light of the fire. The girls were waiting there for me.

"Crypto!" Adi exclaimed. "Where have you been? Did you get lost?"

"Yeah. I'm not so good with directions."

"We tried to call you," Jassy said.

"My phone died. Where's Neil and Bingo?"

"They went looking for you," Adi said. "They have GPS on their phones so they can find their way back."

"I'll text them," Jassy said.

"We figured we had a better chance of finding you if we stayed here," Adi told me.

"I figured you just wanted to be alone," Jassy said.

When Neil and Bingo got back, we packed into the car and Bingo dropped Neil, Adi, and Jassi at their houses.

"You don't have to drive me to my house, Bingo," I told him. "You're probably tired and I live really far now. I'll just call an uber."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"You're a great friend, Crypto. I really mean that."

"You are too, Bingo. I can't thank you enough for everything. Neil and Adi too. I wouldn't trade you guys for anything."

"Thanks, bro. I feel the same way," he said. "Well, I'll see ya when I see ya."

"Yeah..." I said.

Bingo drove away and I called an uber.