Getting Back To You (Book 2 of Under The Floorboards)

Chapter 13: Kendall

When Ty opens the latch to the top of the train, I have to squint to let my eyes adjust to the bright light. Snow drifts in with the wind, goose bumps rise on my arms. "We should be close to the entrance to the camp. That is, if the train is on normal schedule," Leo exclaims as he hands us bags to sling onto our backs. We shuffle around for a bit, Ty boosts himself up out of the train. His hand hangs down, ready to help someone up. Grabbing on, he yanks me up. I kneel beside him and offer my hand as well. Nina grabs on, Ty and I work together to hoist her up.

Once everyone is out, Leo begins fastening the latch back shut. Suddenly, the train begins to rumble beneath us. "Get off! Hurry! It's gonna start going!" Damon directs, motioning for everyone to jump. I look from him to Leo, still fastening the latch in a rush. They begin jumping off one by one, motioning for the next person.

"C'mon Leo, hurry!" Ty screams before jumping off. My heart begins to race, I don't know what to do. The train is moving now, my friends run along the side to keep up.

"Jump!" voices call with urgency.

"Just go. I'll be fine," Leo orders me.

"I'm not leaving you. Just let it go," I call to him, snow crashing into my face. I don't care that my whole body is freezing or that the train is leaving. Finally, the latch clicks. I grab his arm, yanking him off. I feel the wind pick up as we crash into the snowdrift. Breathless, I roll over. I must've let go of him along the way, my hand is empty. I scramble up, brushing off my clothes in hopes of not drenching them completely.

"What is wrong with you, Kendall?" Zane asks me breathlessly.

"I couldn't just leave him," I answer, shaking snow from my hair.

"You didn't leave," Leo stares at me, amazed.

"Of course not," I shake my head.

"You could have both been killed if the train went any faster," Zane stares at us with amazement.

"I'm sorry," I sigh.

"It's fine, don't apologize," Zane smiles lightly.

"Are you kidding? You could have been killed. Seriously," Leo raises his voice, anger flashing in his eyes.

"I didn't mean..." I trail off, biting my lip as he storms ahead.

"It's okay. Just give him some time. You didn't do anything wrong," Ty assures me.

"It's cold as balls out here," Alaska shivers, a few snickers come from a few of us.

"Better than sweaty balls," Zane shrugs with a grin.

"How about we don't talk about balls anymore," Nina giggles.

"What's wrong with balls?" Ty goes along with it, smiling widely.

"Oh my god," I laugh, thankful for the humor as we trudge through the snow.

After walking for a bit, Ty stops in front of a tree stump.

"Well, here we are," he welcomes us.

"Here as in where? It's a stump..." Damon turns his head in every direction in search of anything.

Ty kneels down, brushing snow off of another latch door. "There wasn't that big of a layer of snow on it. Someone must've been in or out not too long ago," Ty observes, undoing the latch. The wind screams around us as my stomach growls angrily. I sigh, pretending I don't hear it. The latch door swings open, dark brown hair reveals itself as a guy pops his head up. He has to be around our age. He has brown eyes and as tan of skin someone can have in the winter. Probably Mexican.