Inhale: Book One (bxb) ✔️

4. I'd never hurt you.

Everest Pierce

Washington D.C.
November 2nd.

Okay, this can't be fucking happening.

Based on the way Landon appears to want blood or cry, I haven't decided; he saw the message come through, too.

Elijah Moon was having a charity concert tomorrow evening, and Landon looked about as thrilled as someone told they were getting a lobotomy. In easier terms, Landon wasn't taking it well.

Not when several people in the hotel breakfast area jumped up and were already nabbing tickets through the link provided. Lennox, who was staring at everyone going wild, asked West if he wanted to get tickets. But not without looking at Landon and his current shocked state. I knew Lennox was concerned about the reaction Landon had to hear Elijah was around. Considering it wasn't the first time we had run into him. It was almost like Elijah was circling around us like a vulture.

Truthfully, I was a little starstruck when I saw Elijah, and I took the photos in case Landon did want to brag to everyone about who we saw. Except, he asked if we could keep it to ourselves. I figured it had to do with his distaste for Elijah, even if I couldn't understand it. Yet, all I needed to understand was Landon didn't like him, and that was that.

Landon unlocked his phone again, and I watched with shock as he clicked the link and started to go through the process of buying tickets. Which prompted me to put my hand over his and him to suck in a breath. "Huh?" He looked at me. "Are you trying to stop me? Because I'll have you know, you love him. If you think I'm going to have you sitting on your butt while everyone else enjoys his concert, you're insane. We're going. I don't have to like him to go with you. No one gets to miss out on things because of me. Not things they enjoy. No, sir."

I blinked because, no, I wasn't trying to stop him. I wanted to know what his thought process was, and now I knew. "I wasn't going to ask you to make sacrifices for me. I wanted to know what was going through your head."

He smiled at my words as he continued to navigate the page. "Holy shit, it's like fighting bears to get tickets. Those scalpers are already reselling. Well, no problem for me. We're getting good seats. Lennox, don't buy yours, I'll get them next to ours. We're sitting high and pretty." He seemed to turn over that thought before he signed. "Can't avoid existence forever, I suppose."

Lennox huffed a laugh. "Yes, Dearest. I can't wait to see how this plays out."

"Stuff it."

Their conversation was rather odd, but I decided not to put more thought into it than I needed to. Today, we were going to a rage room. Several of the other former students suggested it, and we agreed because we didn't want to drag ourselves through the history of things we already learned about. School was over, and we wanted to enjoy ourselves. Well, everyone else was dead set on it, so I simply agreed. I didn't care what we did. I wanted to spend time with Landon, and I'd agree to just about anything.

After Landon bought the tickets, we finished our breakfast, went to our room to shower, and met everyone by the bus. Enough people wanted to go, so the instructor on the trip decided to come along. Mrs. Watts. She was kind enough and gave me a hidden smile when she saw me chasing after Landon. He tended to get a tad slippery when something fascinated him, but I didn't mind.

Once we arrived, we were given instructions and gear and shoved into a room. Landon and I were with Lennox and West, and I didn't mind. I twirled the baseball bat in my hand, knowing I had a lot of childhood anger I needed to expel. I never thought to come to a rage room, so I was enthralled with the idea of focusing my anger on a healthier alternative.