TROUBLE MAGNET - Completed

Chapter 17 - Zombies with Black Holes and Bullet Wounds

Chapter 17 - Zombies With Black Holes and Bullet Wounds

Saturday morning I wake to the vibration of my cell phone. It must have been ringing for a while because it vibrated itself right off my night table onto the floor. When I finally find it I have two missed calls and a text message from Landon. He wants me to call him. I'm not sure yet if I'm grounded or not, so I call him quickly, while I still can. Landon picks up on the first ring. I explain that I may not have long to talk, and ask him what happened when Pa drove him home, expressing that I want details.

"Okay," Landon says. "First let me just say that I freaked when you weren't allowed to come in the car. Your dad can be one scary dude."

"Yeah don't I know it." I'm lying on my back on top of my bed with my knees bent. In one hand I have my cell phone held to my ear and in the other I have my little 'Sleepy Bear.' He's one of a small collection of stuffed animals that I've kept, but 'Sleepy Bear' is by far my favorite. Given to me at birth he came with a cute story telling of his magical powers to help me sleep. I believe it too, because I've rarely had trouble sleeping. For now 'Sleepy Bear' is flying in the air. I repeatedly toss and catch him while Landon gives me the lowdown on what happened.

"At first your dad didn't say anything. We just drove in silence."

"Ooh... he gave you the silent treatment. Very intimidating and known to be very effective."

"No kidding," Landon laughs. "Then when we got close to my house, your dad pulled into the public school parking lot and parked the car."

"No way!" 'Sleepy Bear' falls to the floor. "You must have been freaking."

"Yep, and I don't mind telling you I was scared to death. I was getting ready to jump and run," he admits laughing again. "But then your dad asked me to explain why I was over at your house at three o'clock in the morning. He no longer sounded angry, he just sounded tired. I started to explain and the next thing I knew I was telling him everything."

My eyes narrow. "What do you mean by everything?" I ask, now chewing on my thumbnail.

"Well let's see, I told him that I had gotten angry with you for choosing to go to Tanner University without discussing it with me first. I told him that we hadn't spoken for the past three weeks. I even told him that I was jealous of you for dancing with Rob at the party."

"Holy Crap! Landon, what didn't you tell him?"

"Well I didn't tell him about you getting naked with Sebastien."

"I did not get naked with Sebastien. I told you I had a towel on."

"How about we just try to forget about all of that hoopla with dickhead?"

"Sounds good to me." Thank heavens he didn't say anything about Sebastien to my pa. I can just imagine trying to explain how I ended up in a towel all alone in a women's change room at the community gym with a strange, albeit hot looking guy.

"I told him that you left when you saw me getting angry with Rob," Landon continued. "He asked me if I'd been drinking and I told him yes. He asked me if I was drunk and I told him yes."

"LAND! Are you nuts?" I ask, pulling myself up to a sitting position.

"He asked me if I had driven when I was drunk and I told him no of course not. I told him that I got a ride to Yanik's house and then walked to your house. I explained that I was freezing by the time I got to your place and really appreciated that he didn't make me walk home. Then your dad laughed."

"He laughed?"

"He did. Then he asked me if my mom knew where I was and I told him no. I told him that she thought I was sleeping over at Yanik's. He asked if my mom knew that I'd been drinking tonight and I explained that she always allows me to have a couple of beers, but only as long as I'm not driving. He asked me how many beers I drank and I told him that I thought I had around six."